Radio Free Europe - Radio Liberty

[Richard]

In case you're curious as to what we're telling our East European and SWA friends...;)

http://www.rferl.org/

The Where We Broadcast map is interesting - dragging your cursor across a country produces a pull-down of how the broadcasts are transmitted.

http://www.rferl.org/info/about/176.html

They are now headquartered in Prague, Czech Republic, vice the compound near the Chinese Gardens in Munich where I used to have to go on embassy business.

Richard's $.02 :munchin

[mojaveman]

Interesting that Radio Free Europe is now headquartered in a country that was once a member of the Warsaw Pact. This post sure brang back some memories of standing guard duty on cold winter nights in Germany. I remember having the choice of listening to the AFN station, the host stations that weren't that good, or either Radio Free Europe or Radio Moscow. I always thought that the propaganda that was broadcasted from the latter was somewhat interesting if not amusing to listen to.

Does anyone remember the Reverend Bill Creekmaugh and his short daily morning sermons on the AFN radio channel back in the early 80s?

Prague is a beautiful city by the way. Other than Paris or maybe Berlin I've never seen so many tourists from so many different countries all in one place.

[lindy]

FWIW, the Radio Liberty (Marsho Radio) North Caucasus broadcasts in Chechen are, IMO, probably the best single source of area specific information that's on the web. The Chechen correspondents phone in their reports to Prague and they appear to be unbiased (as compared to the Pro-Chechen or Pro-Moscow websites) and uncensored by the Russian security forces.
The reports often focus on actual news vice "human interest" stories that RFE/RL was known for in the past. I assume this is because the NC broadcasts are only 20 minutes and consist of Avar, Chechen, as well as Circassian languages.
As I understand it, these broadcasts are actually very popular in the Northern Caucasus.
Another benefit: these broadcasts REALLY piss off the Russians so it has to be a good thing!!! :D

[Greenhorn]

If I may add something...
Radio Free Europe is now located in new building as Richard wrote. It was mainly because of the inconvenient location of the former place, which was in the center of Prague next to the Venceslav square. The security of the old object against potential terrorist threats was not very high, even there was an APC (old BRDM) standing in front of the conquer barricades, soldiers from 43rd Airborne Battalion armed with old Czech 7,62 mod 58 assault rifles and policemen from Special Riot Unit (SPJ) armed with 9mm MP5. It was very easy for potential attackers to aim the building from any of the others high office-complex buildings around.

The security level of current location is much more better and the new building is very nice so as the surrounding.

And you are right, Prague is a beautiful city, but for local people, the never-ending lines of tourists are like nightmare =).