after 62 years the BBC has axed the programme ‘Calling The Falklands’ which was last broadcast friday night at 9:30UTC.
The BBC said in February: Calling The Falklands began in 1944 as a weekly compilation of record requests and personal messages from friends and relatives to the islanders. During Argentina’s invasion of the islands in 1982, Calling the Falklands became a daily programme and assumed great importance for providing information about the political and military developments on the islands as well as in Britain and Argentina. Since the conflict, Calling The Falklands has become a regular transmission of news of interest to the islanders, featuring a press review, extracts from Parliamentary debates and personal messages from friends and relatives. Calling The Falklands currently broadcasts for 15 minutes twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays at 2130 GMT. The final programme will be broadcast on Friday 31 March 2006.
what will the population do now, well the BBC has signed a deal to help develop local capabilities in broadcasting. perhaps some enterprising person will step in an provide ‘Empire’ news to the islanders via other methods like internet distribution..