Local press and politicians react to Greenville closure plan

The plan by the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) to close its last remaining shortwave transmitting station in the mainland US, Greenville B, has already caused concern amongst local press and politicians.

The local newspaper covering Pitt County, in which the station is located, is The Daily Reflector. It quotes BBG spokesperson Letitia King as saying “Closing the location should save the agency $3.1 million. Obviously in this budget environment we are faced with difficult choices in balancing competing policy priorities with available budget resources. The broadcasting bureau has other resources available that can deliver the programming transmitted from Pitt County.”

Twenty-three people work at the site. Ms King said she did not know when the proposed closure would occur because the budget has not been approved. According to US Representative Walter Jones Jr’s office, it won’t be approved until the appropriations committee reviews it, and that still is some time away. Mr Jones, whose 3rd Congressional District includes Pitt County, says “The justification that we have received for the closing of the Greenville Voice of America site is very thin. We need to get to the bottom of this before any further action is taken.”

US Represenative G K Butterfield, D-N.C, whose 1st Congressional District also includes Pitt County, said “Before considering cuts at the site in Greenville, it is important to be sure the services and past investment are being protected.”

Ms King said: “Shortwave broadcasts from Greenville have decreased over the past five to six years as shortwave demand has decreased. While collecting data from Cuba is difficult, the agency knows only one percent of Haiti’s population listens to shortwave radio”. She added that AM radio signals also are more reliable for reaching Cuba.

Source: Media Network, The Daily Reflector