Kalistani Major History

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Radio Kaliburg returns to AM and FM Frequencies
Aims to promote Kalistani Viewpoints and culture in Terra
Kaliburg, Ananto
February 25, 5380


Radio Kaliburg Poster from outside RK studios in Downtown Kaliburg

For centuries, Radio Kaliburg has been an institution of independent radio broadcasting in Kalistan. Not affiliated with any particular Party or Government institution, Radio Kaliburg operates on the same business model that Kalistan's newspapers and magazines operate on, the subscriber model. As a result, Radio Kaliburg stands as the sole terrestrial broadcast media outlet for all of Kalistan, which is not governed by the KRTVN charter or system. The Government has encouraged the formation of other alternative radio stations in Kalistan, but most stations are online only, finding the acquisition of broadcast equipment to be for the most part cost prohibitive.

Radio Kaliburg began as a microwave station in 3290, under the handle "Radio Free Keymon" during the Keymon Crisis. The broadcast headquarters of the Radio station then served for hundreds of years as a time station, broadcasting clock signals to ships at in the Northern Anantonese Ocean for calibration as a part of the Signals Intelligence department of the Kalistani Regular Force. But the station was taken over by ardent Nationalist and propagandist Daniel de Laurent, who in 4704, reengineered the station as a shortwave broadcast station during the Bush Wars in the Anantonese. Billed as a station with 100,000 watts of power distributed over the AM, FM and SW frequencies, Radio Kaliburg's reach really only extended by shortwave, as FM was only line of sight, and AM waves were often absorbed by the water of the Ananto Strait. During the crisis, de Laurent broadcast was directed at Lourenne, specifically hoping to convince the people of Lourenne to pressure their government to sue for peace. Whether he was effective or not is unknown, but de Laurant and his spouse and co-host Claire-Louise Bisset were treated as national heroes when peace came back to the Anantonese Ocean a few years later. Soon afterward, Radio Kaliburg stopped broadcasting over AM and FM frequencies, and stuck to developing better propagation through stronger short wave technology. When not used for political purposes, Radio Kaliburg features alternative music, news and talk.

Fast forward to 5380, and Radio Kaliburg, now under the ownership of Veronica Laufer, a Kalistani businesswoman who also has a significant stake in La Moda magazine, has obtained the permits to expand Radio Kaliburg back to AM and FM frequencies. "We look forward to the opportunity to compliment KRTVN coverage in Ananto, in Northern Kalitan and in the world," said Laufer. "Radio Kaliburg is an institution in this Republic, one who does not get much attention, but also one which is vitally important as a source of alternative viewpoints and culture." Lauffer is a member of the Socialist Party, but describes herself as a political moderate. "The people of Kalistan certainly have the right to be critical of our government when it fails us. And we also have the right to comment on world events, even if that comment doesn't line up exactly with the position taken by our government."

Lauffer has hired an independent company to provide operational and artistic management of the Station. "I want to avoid any suggestion that I am interfering with the content of our station. I am merely the owner. But I am not the program manager, at any rate." The management company, Capitol Enterprises, will work with focus groups in and around Kaliburg to determine what sort of content they want to hear on the radio and how they would like it to be used. But Lauffer also noted a strategic direction for the Company. "KRTVN seems to try to be everything for everyone. We don't have to be that. We can say and do controversial things. We can play unsigned musicians, or take strong political stands if we like. I intend to give my staff that latitude."

Radio Kaliburg will be the first independent radio station in the Republic since the passage of the KRTVN Act in 4767 which sharply curtailed independent and alternative Radio. The FM signal is expected to cover the entire Kaliburg-Port Davon basin as well as all suburbs, and internet repeating towers are to be set up in Sulari, Dana, Gendaris-Eshar, Vrassa City, Nevaras City, Port Swedes, and Addisjah. The AM signal can be heard for a much wider range and will cover all of northern Kalistan and all of Ananto as well as several hundred miles out to sea (with the addition of microwave translators), and the primary shortwave frequency of 6060 kHz as well as other frequencies in additional bands, will be available throughout Terra, with primary signal propagation best in Central Artania, Northern Majatra, Keris, northern Macon, central Selaya and North Western Dovani at different points throughout the day. "Eventually, we would like to have translated news broadcasts in the langauge of the countries that our antennas are aimed at," said Lauffer. "Our goal is to present Kalistani news and international news to countries in the world. We aim at reaching as many people as possible." Radio Kaliburg can also be streamed at their website RadioKaliburg.ks