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www.southgatearc.org
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FM radio used in propaganda warAs fighting continues in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province (NWFP) as many as 150 illegal FM stations are reported as being active in region, the local population reportedly prefering to buy local cost FM radios instead of more expensive shortwave sets. A BBC news story reports that illegal FM radio stations have mushroomed in Pakistan's north-west, it says "It is believed that there are about 150 illegal FM radio stations in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and the adjacent tribal areas." and quotes retired Brigadier Mahmood Shah as saying "The Taliban have used radio in a clever way to increase their influence and intimidate the general population" . The BBC report points out that "Setting up an illegal FM radio is cheap and easy. All you need is a transmitter the size of a small box and an antenna that can be put on a tree or a minaret.The cost of these FM transmitters range from $60 (£36.50) to $185 (£112)." FM radio is popular in the region and small receivers are widely available. Such radios don't consume much power and a set of batteries can last a long time an important consideration where there is no reliable mains supply available. The Asia Times reports that "poor people in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and NWFP prefer to buy a cheap FM transistor radio at a cost of only a dollar as opposed to a shortwave receiver, which can cost 10 to 100 times as much. And now people often don't need to buy an FM radio as most cell phones have a built-in FM radio. These local FM broadcasts are regularly tuned in by public transport vehicles. The local Pashtun population prefers to listen to and rely on the news contained in the local broadcast as compared to broadcasts beamed from thousands of miles away. They want local information in local dialects." Pakistan's Taliban radio insurgency (BBC News June 22) FM mullahs spread the Taliban's word (Asian Times June 4) Pentagon Jams Web, Radio Links of Taliban (Wall Street Journal April 18) Mysterious 'chip' is CIA's latest weapon against al-Qaida targets hiding in Pakistan's tribal belt (May 31)
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