Radio Festival 1998

Merlin Network One is proud to bring you an eclectic schedule of programming delivered by a unique broadcast network. On August 14th/15th, the Radio Festival will be aired via:

Astra 19° East     Channel 50 - 10.729V  7.38/7.56  (CNBC)

Hotbird 13° East     Convergence One - 12.188V    SR 27.500 - FEC 2/3

SHORTWAVE

Freq      From   To         T.S.A.

9560     0000    0200      N Am

9770     0200    0400      N Am

5975     0400    0600      Eur

9870     0400    0600      N Am

6015     0600    0800      Eur

9915     0600    1500      Eur

17895   0700    1500      Eur Asia

13660   0800     1200     Eur ME

13645   1200     1400     Eur ME

13690   1400     1700     Eur ME

9855     1500     1700     Eur

6015     1600     1900     Eur

15200   1700     1900     Eur ME

9825     1700     1900     Eur

9795     1900     2100     Eur

13690   1900     0100     N Am

15565   1900     2100     Eur ME

11915   2100     2300     Eur ME

11985   2100     0100     N Am

9645     2100     2200     Eur ME

9645     2200     0100     Eur ME

9780     2200     2400     N Am

3955     2200     0400     Eur

7170     2200     2400     Eur Asia

All frequencies kHz, all times UTC (GMT)

Thursday/Friday's Schedule

UTC                 London             EST

23.00 - 24.00    00.00 - 01.00      01.00 - 02.00     Merlin Network One - Hello to the World

00.00 - 05.30    01.00 - 06.30      02.00 - 07.30     LIVE from MNO, The Rock Radio Network

05.30 - 08.30    06.30 - 09.30      07.30 - 10.30     LIVE from Virgin Radio, The Chris Evans show

09.00 - 13.00    10.00 - 14.00      11.00 - 15.00     LIVE from European Klassic Rock, Bob Mower

13.00 - 17.00    14.00 - 18.00      15.00 - 19.00     LIVE from EAP, Radio London

17.00 - 19.00    18.00 - 20.00      19.00 - 21.00     LIVE from MNO, Keith Lewis

19.00 - 21.00    20.00 - 22.00      21.00 - 23.00     LIVE from MNO, Christopher England with music and feedback

21.00 - 23.00    22.00 - 24.00      23.00 - 01.00     LIVE from MNO, Radio Caroline

Friday/Saturday's Schedule

UTC                 London             EST

23.00 - 24.00    00.00 - 01.00      01.00 - 02.00      LIVE from MNO, Radio Caroline

00.00 - 06.00    01.00 - 07.00      02.00 - 08.00      LIVE from MNO, The Rock Radio Network

06.00 - 09.00    07.00 - 10.00      08.00 - 11.00      LIVE from MNO, Radio Caroline Breakfast show, Including Grace To You

09.00 - 13.00    10.00 - 14.00      11.00 - 15.00      LIVE from Medway FM, Bob Le Roi

13.00 - 13.30    14.00 - 14.30      15.00 - 15.30      LIVE from Washington, Communications World from the VOA

13.30 - 17.30    14.30 - 18.30      15.30 - 19.30      LIVE from EAP, Radio London

17.30 - 20.30    18.30 - 21.30       19.30 - 22.30      LIVE from MNO, Radio Caroline

20.30 - 22.00    21.30 - 23.00       22.30 - 24.00      LIVE from MNO, Dave Rhodes, interactive radio.

22.00 - 23.00    23.00 - 24.00       00.00 - 01.00      LIVE from MNO, Motor Mouth

After my first mail and the reaction of Arie Swets that the Communicator will not be sold we did yesterday some more investigations. The shipbroker, earlier mentioned, brought out an offer on the ship. The rest-value of the ship was very low as a) the ship can not be used for other purpose anymore in the future due to the heavy concrete in the ship. Also breaking up the whole ship would cost a lot of money due to all the concrete. Nozema also decided that they have no plans anymore to buy the ship from Veronica as it was to expensive. The director of Q Radio, which is hiring the ship from Veronica, now decided that the contract with Veronica for hiring the ship is signed up to 2000 when the several licences (including Q radio) will be a thing of the past. As they don't know yet if they will go for another licence the contract for hiring is only till 2000. They will, before October, tow the ship into the harbour of Rijkswaterstaat in Almere- Zuid. Also the ship will be fully repainted as they don't want anymore the red-blue-white colour, formely used by Veronica. The towing of the ship has to be done before October as the water is in the wintermonths 40 cm lower at the IJsselmeer and it isn't possible anymore to tow the ship at low water. When the ship is finally at Almere, Peter Jansen (Q Radio director) told us, the train which is now in use as studio for Q at Zutphen railroadstation, will be sold and the studio's on board the Communicator will be rebuilt and be used for the station. This was finnaly decided last week. So there you are!

31 years ago this month tens of millions of Britons and Europeans stayed by their radio sets waiting to see if an impending new law would silence the various offshore radio stations that they had so enjoyed listening to for the previous three and a half years. The Marine Offences Act was intended to close all these stations and when it came into force at Midnight on August 14th only one station Radio Caroline, defied it and continued on air. 31 years on via Merlin Network One, Caroline celebrates the failure of the M.O.A. and of every other law or action which has tried by increasingly extreme means to halt her broadcasts. From 10.00pm ( 22.00hrs ) UK time we will be on air via Astra Channel 50 7.38 & 7.56 for a three hour programme taking us through the exact moment when Caroline became, as described by the UK government, 'The Last Outlaw'. On the morning of the 15th we will have a three hour Caroline breakfast show and again late in the day, a three hour evening programme. Watch this panel for details of the personalities taking part. In addition to Europe wide coverage via Astra, Merlins powerful terrestrial transmitters will send SW signals on various frequencies all around the world. Again watch this panel for frequency and time information.

Listener Interaction.

You can steer the musical choice for the above nine hour block by suggesting your own five favourite tracks. We ask you to be inventive and not perhaps to choose the obvious anthems ( unless you really want to ). E.mail them to us so we can start to compile a play list. Reece & Moore On Air. The Wednesday evening sampler of Caroline output again on Astra channel 50 and also on 15200 Khz SW which happens each Wed evening from 18.00 to 20.00 UK time is now presented by Johnnie Reece and Caroline boss Peter Moore. Reece steers the music while Moore discusses past and future Caroline policy. Since the two men are rarely in agreement with each other it makes for some interesting conflicts. You can e-mail us here with questions or comments for inclusion in the programmes.

Cut Price T-Shirts To Create Broadcast Funds.

The free time presently provided by Merlin will eventually become chargeable. To maintain the programmes funding is needed.. The latest Caroline ' Last Outlaw ' T-shirts have been marked down to the keen price of £13.00 for two carriage paid. These grey shirts have a five ship graphic on the back print and a pertinent slogan on the front. You can choose medium, large or extra large in any combination and can have more shirts pro rata if you wish i.e £6.50 for each additional shirt. Simply mail your cheque and order to: Caroline Sales, 148 Grange Road, Ramsgate, Kent. From outside the UK contact the above address for carriage cost details. All income from the above sales will be held entirely to fund air time on Merlin. Further for each pound produced, the Caroline News Line on 0839.669990 will match it pound for pound, doubling the broadcast fund. We hope that our supporters will respond to this offer/appeal and thus maintain our pan European broadcast presence.

Overseas And Other Friends.

If any terrestrial station wishes to retransmit our satellite output, particularly on Aug 14th/15th we would welcome this and would be pleased to be mailed details where appropriate. A special t-shirt commemorating the 1503 broadcast is now available. Listeners are encouraged to call UK (0)171.419.1035 to show appreciation for the programmes. This may encourage Merlin who are funding the experimental transmissions to maintain and extend broadcast hours.

The ship can be viewed from Queenborough a small town on the Isle Of Sheppey in Kent. Visitors can be taken to and from the ship during the months and enjoy a full guided tour. To arrange a tour telephone Andre Hardy on 01795.669080. Advertising on this event can be arranged by calling 01795. 660273. To make advertising universally affordable the costs start at £2.00 per 30 second ad, or less off peak. We wish you all good listening. Enjoy your radio station! .

RADIO STATION LEGISLATION

The government approved today the establishment of a ministerial committee that will begin preparing rushed legislation for the establishment of private nation-wide radio stations. Among these stations will be Arutz-7 and a Shas party station. Transportation Minister Rabbi Yitzchak Levy will head the committee, which will also comprise Communications Minister Limor Livnat and Justice Minister Tzachi Hanegbi.

There´s been an awful lot of speculation recently about a week of test transmissions on 1071AM, which were widely heard from Paris to Amsterdam and from London to Brussels. I suppose that should have been expected, after Man of Action (the RNI theme) and Crunchy Granola Suite were included in the CD loop currently playing. As the 1071 frequency was also used by RADIO PARADISE, a short lived offshore station with strong Dutch and belgian links, some enthusiasts suggested in various forums this week that Ben Bode is involved. The transmissions have been coming from the France Telecom owned Lille site in NE France - power output has been 10 and 40 kilowatts. The tests have been done to prove to Belgian commercial TV channel, VT4, that reasonable coverage of Begium can be made from that site. "VT4" ( which some have called a pirate TV station as it began life by being uplinked from Brookmans Park by the BBC) have appointed former Radio Mi Amigo and Radio 7 man TON SCHIPPER as development manager to look at new opportunities to broadcast to Belgium. Schipper ran the highly successful Radio 7, a Begian near-national station in the 1980s.

Belgium is a hotbed of radio intrigue and adventure at the momnent - the founder of Radio 10 Gold, Jeroen Soer, who sold his share for millions last year, is also looking at setting up a new station in Belgium called RADIO VLANDRIA, with Peter Van Dam, one of Belgium's best known DJs. The biggest changes to Belgian radio for many years will happen on September 1st when several new FM stations open. The best known name is NRJ, whose new Flemish station will start on about 30 local outlets, expending by the end of the year to be heard on no less than 60 relays. The 1071 tests will continue tuntil Monday 3rd August, when they will cease pending a legal battle involving France Telecom, several would-be broadcaters and the French regulator, the CSA, who are currently trying to prevent non-French nationals running transmitters in France. Its a battle I cant see them winning.

Filip Bomberna from RadioVisie reports:

AM 1071, BIJNA GEDAAN MET DE PRET!

De testuitzendingen op de 1071 kHz, die tijdens week 30 waren begonnen, worden nog deze nacht of morgenvroeg gestaakt. Vanuit de Franse stad Lille (Rijsel) werd non-stop muziek uitgezonden op deze frequentie, slechts onderbroken door een tweetalige mededeling. In het Engels en Frans werd louter gemeld dat het om testuitzendingen ging. De stem was die van VT4-medewerker Ton Schipper (ex Radio Mi Amigo en Contact). Voor de test werd gebruik gemaakt van de "Orban Airtime" als computersysteem. De uitzendingen waren loeihard te ontvangen in geheel het Franse Noorden en West-Vlaanderen. Uitstekend tot goed in Oost-Vlaanderen en delen van Antwerpen en Brabant. VT4 is het Vlaamse TV-station dat met een Britse licentie op de Vlaamse kabel zit. VT4 is bovendien een zusje van het Nederlandse SBS 6, samen schuilen ze dan weer onder de Amerikaans/Scandinavische SBS-paraplu. VT4 had een tijdelijke optie genomen op deze AM-frequentie omdat ze de mogelijkheid om in de toekomst eveneens met een radiostation te starten, wilden onderzoeken. Mocht er straks toch beslist worden om definitief te beginnen, dan zal de organisatie na een Britse licentie voor haar TV-station, een Franse vergunning gebruiken voor haar radiostation. Een bijzonder vreemde situatie, maar de Vlaamse wetgeving inzake radio- en TV-uitzendingen dwingt initiatiefnemers (biijna) onvermijdelijk tot deze zogenaamde U-bocht-constructies. Het signaal werd de ether ingestuurd door het Franse 'Télé Diffusion de France' (TDF), te vergelijken met de Nederlandse NOB (geen tegenhanger in Vlaanderen). TDF corrigeerde ons eerder bericht dat er werd uitgezonden met een vermogen van 5 kW met de nieuwe mededeling dat het gebruikte vermogen evenwel 35 kW bedroeg (de zender heeft echter een maximum vermogen van 40 kW). Radio France heeft momenteel tien ongebruikte middengolfzenders. Door financiële problemen werden op dit AM-netwerk reeds per 1 januari 1997 de uitzendingen van France Inter gestaakt. Nu wil het Franse 'Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel' (CSA) de overbodig geworden frequenties snel verhuren aan de hoogste bieder. VT4 kan een eigen radiostation goed gebruiken als straks 'VTM Radio' van start gaat (vanaf september). VTM zal dat echter via de FM-band doen, wat een duidelijk kwaliteitsvoordeel biedt. Nadeel is dan weer dat er moet samengewerkt worden met een twintigtal erg lokale omroepen (behorend tot de groep van Top Radio), verspreid over geheel Vlaanderen. Landelijke FM-frequenties worden immers nog steeds niet toegekend in Vlaanderen door media-minister Eric Van Rompuy. Het quasi VRT-radiomonopolie blijkt nog steeds met alle mogelijke middelen beschermd te moeten worden. Zowel in- als outsiders beseffen echter maar al te goed dat de zo geroemde luisterdichtheid van 75% naar VRT-stations niks meer is dan een zeepbel, die meteen openspat als er landelijk kan worden geluisterd naar concurrerende commerciële omroepen. Indien VT4 de optie niet licht, zal de 1071 kHz bezet worden door nieuwe kandidaten. Eerdere geruchten als zou Radio Flandria, de enige Vlaamse kabelradio (met Luxemburgse licentie), onmiddellijk de frequentie overnemen, werden door directeur Peter Van Dam (ex Radio Caroline, Atlantis, Mi Amigo, Radio 2 en zowat alle Nederlandse stations), gisteren nog ontkend. 'Er is sowieso nog geen sprake van een snelle 'bezetting' van dit kanaal omdat je in Frankrijk een vergunning van het -Conseil des Médias- harder nodig hebt dan een grote zak centen voor de huur van de zender.' (sic) De 1071 kHz slaagde ondanks haar korte bestaan erin de aandacht te trekken van zeer veel radiofans, door gebruik te maken van muziek en tunes uit de betere zeezenderperiodes. 'Man of action' van het Les Reed Orchestra werd de officieuze stationtune. Dit instrumentaaltje was tussen 1970 en 1974 de herkenningsmelodie van Radio Noordzee Internationaal (RNI). Ook programma- en tunes van o.a. Radio Atlantis, Veronica en Caroline werden zowat om het kwartier de ether ingestuurd. Dat er grote interesse is voor nieuwe landelijke Vlaamse radio-initiatieven bleek uit de aandacht die deze testuitzendingen kregen in de Vlaamse pers. Nadat "RadioVisie" deze proef bekend maakte op haar website, volgden de meeste kranten. Ook VRT-Teletekst nam het bericht over... Evenwel zonder de bijhorende frequentie te vermelden! "RadioVisie" blijft de ontwikkelingen rond de testuitzendingen op de voet volgen. Nieuwe en aangepaste berichten worden op deze plaats dan ook voortdurend bijgewerkt!

Police Raid SS Tzvi

Police last night raided the Arutz-7 broadcasting ship, the SS Tzvi, looking for additional information in their ongoing investigation against the alleged pirate radio station. Police maintain Arutz-7 is broadcasting from within Israel, a violation of the law, since it is not a licensed Israeli radio station. Station managers deny the station broadcasts from inside Israel and insist they only broadcast from outside Israeli territorial waters. Arutz-7 is off the air this week, in observance of the first nine days of the Hebrew month of Av, during which time observant Jews do not listen to music. Police, acting with the knowledge of the attorney general, took advantage of the boat being in the Port of Ashdod, and appeared with their search warrants. According to reports in the Yediot Achronot newspaper, police are preparing to hand down criminal indictments against management of the station as well as several radio hosts.

Arutz-7 Law in the Works

As police continue to raid Arutz-7 facilities and prepare criminal indictments against station managers, the government is working aggressively to complete the drafting of the new Arutz-7 law, which is intended to authorize the station to legally broadcast nationwide. The new legislation would also legalize pirate radio stations broadcasting today, which are affiliated with the Shas Party. It was reported that the government has informed the High Court of Justice that the law is being drafted, and legal actions against the station for alleged criminal activity may be halted.

POLICE PHOTOGRAPH ARUTZ-7 SHIP

Just one day after the government announced plans to legislate a solution for Arutz-7, the police raided Arutz-7's ship Eretz HaTzvi last night. They did not confiscate any equipment, in accordance with a Supreme Court ruling preventing any disturbance to Arutz-7's broadcasts, but took many photographs. The boat is currently docked in Ashdod port for its periodic maintenance. Sources close to the Prime Minister's Office said that the raid last night is another attempt by the State Attorney's Office and the police to cause unrest between the Prime Minister and his voters, "even as the government is proceeding to solve the issue."

The government is preparing legislation that will allow Arutz-7 to broadcast legally from land as a private nation-wide station, and prepare its own news broadcasts. Yediot Acharonot reports that at a special meeting in the Prime Minister's Office yesterday, with Ministers Sharon, Levy, Hanegbi, Livnat, Kahalani, and Yahalom, it was decided to inform the Supreme Court that preparations for the legislation have begun and that steps against the station may be put in abeyance. Earlier attempts to settle the matter via an administrative order by the Defense Minister were blocked by Attorney-General Elyakim Rubenstein. The government therefore decided to deal with it via an amendment to the Second Broadcast Authority Law, and has received Rubenstein's consent. The legislation will also grant recognition to the Shas radio stations, which currently broadcast illegally from within Israel.

Mention offshore "pirate" radio to people and they'll probably think of Radio Caroline. The radio station started broadcasting, at Easter 1964, from a boat anchored outside British territorial waters, and outside the control of British law. Despite successive governments claims, it was never illegal, it was just outside of their control. Before Caroline, British broadcasting was state controlled with only a few hours of pop music a week. Caroline quickly changed that, playing all-day pop music. It's success was quickly followed by a number of other offshore radio stations, based on ships and forts, that changed European broadcasting in the 1960's.

The Radio Forts is the new double CD from Offshore Echo's, telling the story of the Fort based offshore radio stations, Radio's Sutch, City, Tower, Invicta, KING, 390, Essex, BBMS and the story of Sealand. Hear Screaming Lord Sutch tell how he discovered an abandoned wartime defence fort and started Radio Sutch. When Sutch's manager Reg Calvert took over the station, he changed the name to Radio City. Calvert was later shot dead in a dispute over ownership of a transmitter. Radio Tower, was a much smaller station, that never really managed to get much beyond the test transmission stage, but they had ambitious plans for an offshore television station. Radio Invicta was based on a larger fort, but was not a great success. Following a tragic accident in which the stations owner drowned, the station became KING Radio. It took former advertising agent Ted Allbeury to get the operation going professionally. He changed the name to Radio 390 and the music format to sweet music, aiming the station at the housewife audience. Roy Bates talks about Radio Essex, based on the Knock John naval fort. The station was later renamed BBMS (Britains Better Music Station). Prince Roy Bates also recounts how he set up the Principality of Sealand on another nearby fort. Sealand recently celebrated its 30th anniversary.

The Radio Forts is narrated by Greg Bance, who also remembers how he was once known as Roger Scott. Now on a double CD, with remastered, expanded and new content from original LP. There's new airchecks and new interviews, plus a 12 page photo booklet and colour covers. The Radio Forts CD is available now and costs £21.99 post free. To coincide with the CD's release, there is now a Radio Forts web site at:

http://freespace.virgin.net/line.design/forts/radioforts.htm

For more information contact Chris Edwards on (home phone number) 0181 579 0798, or:

Post Offshore Echo's, PO Box 1514, London W7 2LL, England

Fax/phone 0181 840 8580

Email Chris_Ed@compuserve.com

Arutz Sheva Israel National Radio

Originally broadcast on Tammuz 9, 5753 (June 28, 1993)

To our Readers: This article, although five years old, is as timely now as it was then, given the time of year (the Nine Days) and Arutz-7's current prominence in the headlines.

In This Article: 1. A Narrow Definition 2. The Total Picture 3. Israel's Drive for Good

1. A NARROW DEFINITION

One who thinks that Arutz-7 is a "right-wing" or a "religious" station, or even a "right-wing religious" or "religious-nationalist" station, is a bit off in his definition of Arutz-7. At most, it could be said that compared to Israel's other radio stations, which are by and large lacking the religious and nationalist elements, Arutz-7 is stronger in those areas. But in reality, such a limiting definition does not do justice to the much more broad-based goals of the Arutz-7 radio station.

2. THE TOTAL PICTURE

It is true that the right hand is given preference over the left. The right arm is the stronger one - "the right arm of the Lord acts valiantly, the right hand of the Lord is exalted," according to the Psalmist" - while the left is considered the "weaker" hand. However, one who seeks perfection and completion can obviously not suffice with one organ, even if it be the strongest one. A complete body is one with all "248 organs and 365 sinews," and if even one is missing, he is incomplete, defective. So too with the national body. The public, the nation, is one complete organic unit, the totality of which is dependent on each and every part. It must comprise right and left, men of spirit and men of letters, those who perform kindnesses and those who act with strength. The mission of Arutz-7 is to act as a conduit via which to express the good that is found in each of the camps, in every sector of our society. For it is clear that each and every camp amongst us has its aspects of light. No sector of the population would be able to exist if it did not have its positive points, aspects by which it could contribute to others, elements which lend it its right to exist. In this light, the proper definition of Arutz-7's goal is to illuminate the positive and the good within our nation, whether it come from left or right, from within or without, up or down.

3. ISRAEL'S DRIVE FOR GOOD

All this, with a faith and a recognition that the striving for good is the inner essence of the Nation of Israel. We aim to be good, to be good to all, without limits. This is the Divine Will: "G-d is good to all, and His mercies are upon all His creations" (Psalms). The Nation of Israel is intrinsically bound to the Divine Will, of He Who is good to all, "the Good and the Beneficient." It follows axiomatically that whoever carries the name Israel has this same goal, and that this is his inner essence. Rabbi A. I. Kook, of saintly blessed memory, wrote that the entire striving of Israel for Redemption is for this purpose: to fulfill and actualize this drive for good. This great ambition is that which grants Israel the strength to live and to exist in a way that has astonished all thinking observers. This good is the secret of the inevitable Redemption, the good that cannot but emerge victorious over all else. This is the mission of Arutz-7 - to give expression to this inner drive of the nation, to represent every positive aspect inherent within our people. The good is found in every sector, it is its essence, and it must be revealed. The Talmud states (Menachot 53b): "The good shall receive good from the good for the good. This refers to Moses, who was called good (Exodus 2), receiving the good Torah (Proverbs 4), from the Good, the Holy One Blessed be He, Who is "Good to all" (Psalms 145) for the sake of the good - Israel, as is written, "Do good, O Lord, to those who are good" (Psalms 125)."

Police Moving Ahead with the Arutz-7 Investigation (IsraelWire-7/27)

The police are recommending the handing down of criminal indictments against several key senior management officials of the Arutz-7 Radio station. Among those slated to be indicted are: 1. Pinchas Wallerstein, head of the Yesha Council, 2. Yaakov Katz, Arutz-7 station manger, 3. Yoel Tzur, program director, 4. Chaggai Segal, news division head, as well as several announcers of the radio station. According to the police investigation, suspects should be charged with violating laws that prohibit them from broadcasting inside the country. Most of the suspects were already questioned by police, but chose to remain silent. Police report that raids of the Arutz-7 facilities in Tel-Aviv, Judea, and Samaria yielded evidence which indicates that the station was broadcasting from inside Israel and not from outside territorial waters on the Arutz-7 boat, the SS Tzvi, as indicated by station management. Police add that even the SS Tzvi has operated from inside territorial waters, contrary to statements made by station management. In addition, police state that the radio signal from the illegal transmissions interfered with emergency broadcast frequencies. Police have based their case on the stipulation that the radio station, which has been broadcasting for over a decade from outside Israeli territorial waters, is a pirate station. Officials at Arutz-7 have always maintained that they are not a pirate station, since they do not even broadcast from inside Israel. Officials at the station have always maintained that one cannot violate the laws of the country, if one is not even inside the country.

The police are also stating that they have evidence that Station Manger Yaakov Katz lied to the High Court of Justice, when he insisted the station never broadcasts from inside Israel. To date, management of the station has never changed their statements, and insists they only broadcast from outside territorial waters. Many of the growing number of listeners of Arutz-7 nationwide, insist that the entire investigation is politically motivated, since the station is identified with the Israeli right, supports Jewish communities throughout Judea, Samaria and Gaza, and supports views opposed to the Israeli left-wing. Supporters of the station were also quick to point out that in the past the Voice of Peace, the left-wing radio station run by left-wing activist Abie Nathan, also broadcast from outside territorial waters. At that time, no members of the Israel left took measures or called for the shutting down of the station, due to its political affiliation. (The station closed when the Oslo Accords were signed). One of the other contradictory realities tied into the investigation, is that while the police move to close down Arutz-7, government ministers and MKs from across the political spectrum grant Arutz-7 reporters interviews on a regular basis, as did the former governments of Yitzchak Rabin and Shimon Peres. The police recommendations for indictments are expected to be turned over to the state attorney's office in the coming days.

State Prosecutor to decide whether to file charges


By Nicole Krau, Ha'aretz Correspondent

The police are recommending that 30 staff of Arutz Sheva (Channel Seven), the settlers' pirate radio station, be tried for running a broadcast station illegally. The investigation of Arutz Sheva, which was launched two months ago at the order of Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein, was conducted by the police unit for national and international investigations. The investigators will now submit their findings and conclusions to the State Prosecutor's Office, which will make the final decision on whether to file charges. The investigation was touched off following a petition to the High Court of Justice. Earlier, the Shin Bet internal security service had recommended not taking action against the pirate station for fear this would antagonize radicals among the settlers. Virtually the entire staff of the station will go on trial if the police recommendation is approved, including the station's founder Rabbi Zalman Melamed and his wife Shulamit, managing director Yaakov Katz, director of broadcasts Yoel Tsur, broadcaster Adir Zik and Hagai Segal, a member of the Jewish terrorist underground in the 1980s, who is the station's news editor. Wallerstein may also be put on trial. Also slated to be tried if the police have their way is the head of the Yesha Council of settlements, Pinhas Wallerstein, who is suspected of permitting the station to install transmitters within his area of jurisdiction. The police are also recommending that the station's technicians and advertising personnel be placed on trial, as well as the owner of a boat who operated in the service of the station's boats. Nearly all the suspects invoked the right to remain silent during their interrogation by the police and refused to cooperate, claiming it was a "political investigation." However, on the first day of the investigation, police raided the station's facilities in Tel Aviv and the West Bank, seizing documents and other evidence to the effect that the broadcasts originated inside Israel and not outside Israel's territorial waters. The station's maritime broadcast station is also suspected of being operated from a boat inside Israel's territorial waters. The station manager, Yaakov Katz, had said in an affidavit to the High Court of Justice that the broadcasts originated from outside Israel. The station is also suspected of having made use of emergency radio bands that are reserved for the army's use in the event of war or other national emergency.

© copyright 1998 Ha'aretz. All Rights Reserved

Communicator story denied

Herbie Visser reports:

"NOZEMA (the company owning and operating the broadcasting facilities on board the vessel ) has cleaned out the whole ship, checked the generators, transmitter, mast, etc.

The Communicator therefore was off the air for a few days last week, and the relay of Q-Radio was taken over by the Nozema site in Lopik.

Apparently the station is seriously looking into the possibility to moore the ship near Almere (near Amsterdam ) AND to abandon the train in eastern part of the country where the programs are coming from now. Q-Radio has the serious intention to move all broadcasting operations to the MV COMMUNICATOR and thus entirely broadcast from this ship again.

The reason why this hasn't happened so far, is because the organisation is currently still debating with the Dutch Ministery dealing with frequencies and planning permissions about the move.

Thus, instead of an end to offshore radio history, there'll be an increase of offshore radio history.

The latest ratings in the Netherlands however, show once again that Q-Radio, despite their AM frequency on 1224 khz, has a marketshare of 0.0 percent. Of the commercials, best station is Sky Radio with 14.4 , Radio 10 Gold is 2nd with 9.5, Radio 538 is 3rd with 7.1 percent, and Radio Noordzee is currently the 4th commercial station with 6.7 percent. Radio Veronica has 4.1 percent marketshare and Arrow Classic Rock has 0.6 percent.

These new ratings arrived yesterday and they reflect the time between 0700 and 2400 hours UTC."

On Saturday August 8th 1998 Radio 10 Gold will celebrate the fact that it's then 40 years ago Offshore Radio started.

In a 7 hour programme the MV Fortuna, once used as tender for offshore ships. It will leave Scheveningen harbour at 10 o clock Dutch time together with programmemakers of Radio 10 and former offshore people.

During the broadcast, which will be transmitted on 675 AM as well as the via the satellite frequency and all cablenetworks in Holland, Tom Mulder (Klaas Vaak on Veronica) and Peter Holland will interview a lot of people from the past, including Jan van Veen, Chiel Montagne, Eddie Becker and some former RNI jocks. Also the Veronicadirector from
offshoredays, the now 88 years old Bull Verwey will join the clan.

Old recordings will also be played and the production of this part is in hands of the offshore specialist Hans Knot. Additional to that jingle-expert Jelle Boonstra will also bring special memories back to the listeners.

Have all fun on the 8th of August.

Beginning tomorrow night, Arutz-7 will be temporarily ceasing its radio broadcasts for the period of the "Nine Days" - the first nine days of the Jewish month of Av, during which the destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem is remembered. In addition to the customary ban on music during this period - a mainstay of Arutz-7's broadcasts - our ship Eretz Hatzvi is in need of its annual maintenance and repairs. Our regular broadcasts will
resume on Monday, August 3, 1998. Our internet and e-mail services will continue througout the nine days, however.

FALSE REPORT ABOUT ARUTZ-7 COSTS MA'ARIV

The newspaper Ma'ariv has paid 70,000 shekels (approx. $19,000) to Arutz-7, following a criminal and civil libel suit filed against the paper by the station. A Ma'ariv columnist had written that the people of Arutz-7 are stealing his money because they do not pay for the right to use his and other songwriters' songs. After Arutz-7 proved that it does, in fact, pay the required sums, and before the trial reached its conclusion, a compromise was agreed upon, according to which Ma'ariv paid Arutz-7 the above sum, and Arutz-7 dropped its libel charges.

Last week together with the owners several people have visited the MV Communicator, the former 'home' of Laser 558 and Laser Hot Hits. The ship - now used as a transmitter base for the terrestial transmitter of the also satellite station QFM - will be sold soon.

A shipbroker from Haarlem will probably buy it for a scrapprice. Also the generators will be sold. The Nozema, who owns the transmitters, will be selling them, too. They have for QFM another transmitter at the Hoogezandsite. This will be in use in some months with a power of 100 kW. The Communicator is anchored at the dyke between Lelystad and Enkhuizen since November 1994.

Only the Ross Revenge (Caroline) and the Norderney (Veronica) will be the remaining ships from former offshore station in use. Caroline still using it for the RSL's and the Veronicaship lies, without work, in the town of Leeuwarden.

Former Laser 558 and Atlantic 252 star, Charlie Wolf, was robbed of his laptop computer last Saturday night (18th July 1998) during a train journey.

Charlie was on his way home to Wolverhampton from Reading, where he is currently on air with 2-Ten FM, working on his laptop when, as the train was waiting in Birmingham New Street station, "an Asian lad of about 18 ran up the aisle, grabbed the computer by the top of the monitor and high-tailed it off the train and up the platform".

Charlie Wolf complains that there was no one to help him, "no guards or station personnel - at least none that responded to my cries for help"

The laptop was less than two months old. Police are investigating.

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Merlin Network One will launch a full time service to the world later this year. Test transmissions from Merlin Network One can be heard (all times UK) from 6.00pm Wednesday through to 02.00 Thursday each week.

MNO hire Christopher England

Christopher will hold a multi-functional role at MNO with his prime duty being that of Studio Management.

Eric Wiltsher commented:

Meanwhile Newstide can reveal for the first time plans being made by MNO to provide extra services, in the form of a two-day on-air "Radio festival" to take place in August.

Steve Conway comments:

http://www.frn.net/grapevine/messages/7362.html

Radio Caroline [the genuine offshore one from the UK] will be broadcasting from a ship in Holland during the last week of August. The broadcast is a follow up to the experiment in October 1997 when there was one overnight broadcast in the Netherlands as well.

The local radio station in Harlingen [a small seaport in the Northern part of Holland] RSH is dedicating an 80 hours broadcast to the four days festival called the fishing days, that celebrates the fact that Harlingen used to be an important port for the fishing fleet. The broadcast, starting Wednesday 26th of August at 8.00 a.m will be in Dutch during daytime and the station will be the local RSH. Programs will give national and local news bulletins and give reports of the events happening in connection with the fishing days. The musical format will be Middle of the Road.

Everyday at 7 p.m. the format will change as the name of the station will. The format turns into Classic Rock and Album tracks, the name of the station becomes Radio Caroline. Radio Caroline DJ's Johnny Reece, Andy Brooks, Gil Legine, Sietse Brouwer and Richard Bismarck, all active during the last Caroline broadcast off Sheppey will be doing programs. There is a possibility that James Barclay or Graham Hall may come as well. At 8 a.m. RSH takes over to do the Dutch part of the broadcast again. The whole broadcast lasts from Wednesday August 26th 8 a.m. until Saturday 29th 5 p.m., so there will be 3 Caroline nights. There are plans to involve the Caroline jocks in the Dutch programs.

The location of the studio's is very appropriate, namely the former mine sweeper HMS Sittard now owned by the local Sea Cadets who are very enthusiastic about the plans and are very kindly giving full cooperation. The exact moorings of the vessel are not yet known at this moment, but will be in one of the docks on the quayside so very easy to enter. On board the vessel will be a Caroline shop next to the studio where all kind of Caroline merchandise can be purchased.

The frequencies of RSH are 106.2 FM and 94.1 on cable. Afterwards parts of the broadcast will be available on tape and on the Caroline Now internet site. If you want to visit the ship during the broadcast and have plans to spend the night in a hotel please remember that as a result of the festival it might be wise to make a reservation .

RSH is offering a very attractive advertisement rate during the above mentioned broadcast. For more information about advertising rates please contact 00 31 517 415 120.