ZNS 1540 signal restoration likely to take 30 days

The Broadcasting Corporation of the Bahamas (BCB) has announced that the initial assessment of the damage caused by thieves to 1540 AM’s transmission facilities suggests restoration of the signal is expected to take around 30 days.

The corporation has therefore discontinued normal programming of 104.5 FM for the time being and is providing 1540 AM’s signal on 104.5 FM . Programming on 107 FM is unchanged.

Police are actively investigating the theft of copper from the Broadcasting Corporation’s South Beach transmitter site that disrupted the national radio station 1540 AM transmission shortly after 10am on Thursday. The broad daylight robbery occurred when two men in a truck reportedly with BEC markings pulled up and advised the security officer on duty that they were there to check the transformer.

Immediately upon the departure of the vehicle, the station went off air. It was discovered that copper bands around the tuning huts had been removed. The stolen copper links the tuning huts to the transmission tower. The police were immediately contacted and are investigating.

This is the third theft of copper from the South Beach site since 2006. Each time, transmission of the 1540 AM signal to the Family Islands has been disrupted. Three persons were charged and convicted in connection with the last theft.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Broadcasting Corporation said: “Management again takes this opportunity to apologise for the break in 1540 AM’s transmission and advises its loyal listeners in the Family Islanders that they continue to enjoy 1540 AM programming on Channel 40 on the Cable network and wishes to assure listeners that everything possible is being done to restore normal service as speedily as possible.

Source: Media Network, tribune242.com