Broadcasting on the Short Waves, 1945 to Today - by Jerome S Berg (Paperback)

About the Book

Shortwave broadcasting originated in the 1920s, when stations used the new technology to increase their range in order to serve foreign audiences and reach parts of their own country that could not easily be covered by regular AM stations. The early days of shortwave radio were covered in On the Short Waves, 1923-1945: Broadcast Listening in the Pioneer Days of Radio, published by McFarland in 1999. This book picks up the story after World War II, focusing on the stations themselves and the environment in which they operated. A companion volume, Listening on the Short Waves, 1945 to Today, focuses on the shortwave listening community.]

Book Synopsis

Shortwave broadcasting originated in the 1920s, when stations used the new technology to increase their range in order to serve foreign audiences and reach parts of their own country not easily otherwise covered. The early days of shortwave radio were covered in On the Short Waves, 1923-1945: Broadcast Listening in the Pioneer Days of Radio, published by McFarland in 1999 (paperback 2007). Then, two companion volumes were published, picking up the story after World War II. They were Listening on the Short Waves, 1945 to Today (McFarland, 2008; paperback 2010), which focuses on the shortwave listening community, and the present Broadcasting title, about the stations themselves and their environment.

The heart of the book is a detailed, year-by-year account of the shortwave bands in each year from 1945 to 2008. It reviews what American listeners were hearing on the international and domestic shortwave bands, describes the arrivals and departures of stations, and recounts important events. The book describes the several categories of broadcasters--international, domestic, private, religious, clandestine and pirate. It explains the impact of relay stations, frequency management, and jamming. It also addresses the considerable changes in shortwave broadcasting since the end of the Cold War. The book is richly illustrated and indexed, and features a bibliography and extensive notes.

Review Quotes

"extensive collection...recommended"-Choice; "terrific and highly recommended...should be in every radio listener's library...an amazing excursion into the very early days of shortwave broadcasting development...a historical masterpiece...'must read'"-The NASWA Journal; "well-written, authoritative...Berg is, without a doubt, one of the foremost historians of shortwave radio broadcasting and listening...completely encapsulates early shortwave broadcasting history"-The SWLing Post; "detailed...richly illustrated...extensive notes"-Listening In; "remarkable...fascinating...a must...monumental...has set a standard of excellence...worthy of attention by all international radio monitors...recommend[ed]"-Wavescan; "terrific"-Australian DX News; "enjoyable reading"-Antique Radio Classified; "coverage here is amazingly broad...an elaborate chronology of changes over seven decades of international radio broadcasting"-Communication Booknotes Quarterly; "extraordinary...deserving of the highest praise! If the Listening book brought on waves of nostalgia the Broadcasting book created a tsunami! Fantabulistic!"-Popular Communications; "meticulous, first-rate...will be valued by shortwave enthusiasts and included in radio reference collections throughout the radio world...highly recommend"-The AWA Journal; "nearly 1200 combined pages and extensive notes make the 'Shortwave Radio Trilogy' of U.S. radio listener and historian Jerry Berg a vitrual encyclopedia of the global shortwave radio scene since 1923...and it's not just incredibly well researched text, it's carefully chosen images of the broadcasters, the stations, the equipment and the art work of these pioneer radio days. This is an absolute must read for any radio fan, and any student of the broadcasting media...a stunning guide to how shortwave radio has developed on a decade by decade basis. For collectors of radio history, this is the one-stop shop, and for media students it's a wonderful resource second only to having been there at the dials themselves for over half a century!"-Radio Heritage Foundation; "interesting"-Contact Magazine; "excellent historical chronology"-Radio World; "it is clearly the reference that will be used for generations to come"-Passport to World Band Radio; "excellent"-New Zealand DX Times; "amazingly detailed...well researched...reader will be fascinated"-Monitoring Times.

"extensive collection...recommended"--Choice; "terrific and highly recommended...should be in every radio listener's library...an amazing excursion into the very early days of shortwave broadcasting development...a historical masterpiece...'must read'"--The NASWA Journal; "well-written, authoritative...Berg is, without a doubt, one of the foremost historians of shortwave radio broadcasting and listening...completely encapsulates early shortwave broadcasting history"--The SWLing Post; "detailed...richly illustrated...extensive notes"--Listening In; "remarkable...fascinating...a must...monumental...has set a standard of excellence...worthy of attention by all international radio monitors...recommend[ed]"--Wavescan; "terrific"--Australian DX News; "enjoyable reading"--Antique Radio Classified; "coverage here is amazingly broad...an elaborate chronology of changes over seven decades of international radio broadcasting"--Communication Booknotes Quarterly; "extraordinary...deserving of the highest praise! If the Listening book brought on waves of nostalgia the Broadcasting book created a tsunami! Fantabulistic!"--Popular Communications; "meticulous, first-rate...will be valued by shortwave enthusiasts and included in radio reference collections throughout the radio world...highly recommend"--The AWA Journal; "nearly 1200 combined pages and extensive notes make the 'Shortwave Radio Trilogy' of U.S. radio listener and historian Jerry Berg a vitrual encyclopedia of the global shortwave radio scene since 1923...and it's not just incredibly well researched text, it's carefully chosen images of the broadcasters, the stations, the equipment and the art work of these pioneer radio days. This is an absolute must read for any radio fan, and any student of the broadcasting media...a stunning guide to how shortwave radio has developed on a decade by decade basis. For collectors of radio history, this is the one-stop shop, and for media students it's a wonderful resource second only to having been there at the dials themselves for over half a century!"--Radio Heritage Foundation; "interesting"--Contact Magazine; "excellent historical chronology"--Radio World; "it is clearly the reference that will be used for generations to come"--Passport to World Band Radio; "excellent"--New Zealand DX Times; "amazingly detailed...well researched...reader will be fascinated"--Monitoring Times.

About the Author

Jerome S. Berg, an attorney, was the court administrator for the Massachusetts District Court system until his retirement. A shortwave listener for more than half a century, he is a member of the executive council of the North American Shortwave Association and chair of the Committee to Preserve Radio Verifications.