Radio Taiwan International
Encyclopedia
Radio Taiwan International (RTI) is the English name and call sign of the international radio service, the Central Broadcasting System (CBS) of the Republic of China
, commonly known as Taiwan
. It is a government-owned station that broadcasts in 13 languages around the world, with a majority emphasis on Mandarin
language broadcasts over shortwave into China
.
(KMT) government quartered in Nanjing
(Nanking), mainland China. During the Second Sino-Japanese war
the KMT was forced by Japanese advances to relocate the radio station, along with the capital city, first to Hankou
in the central Hubei Province and then to Chongqing
(Chungking) in south-central China.
After the conclusion of the Second World War which saw the surrender and withdrawal of Japanese forces, the KMT and the Communist Party of China
(CPC) resumed their civil war
. The defeated KMT retreated to Taiwan in 1949 and the Central Broadcasting System moved with them.
(BCC), known as the Voice of Free China
. Radio Taipei International broadcast to China and to an international audience; by contrast, the Voice of Asia was broadcast to the Asia-Pacific region only and offered a lighter format than RTI. In 2002 the Voice of Asia call sign was dropped to leave Radio Taipei International as the sole broadcasting name for the service. This was in turn changed to Radio Taiwan International, to avoid confusion on the part of listeners, who had trouble associating Taipei with Taiwan
In addition, via domestic AM radio and shortwave, CBS also broadcast three different "networks" in Chinese (mainly Mandarin) to the mainland. These networks were the News Network (a news and information-oriented service), the Variety Network (a music and features-oriented service, also known as the Mandarin Program, Perspective Program, or the Pop Network Program), and the Dialect Network (programming aimed at the minorities of China). In time, the Variety Network was renamed the General Network, the News Network became the Mainland Network, and eventually the Mainland, General, and Dialect Network were merged in with Radio Taiwan International. One consequence of this was that CBS could no longer broadcast domestically in AM radio.
Programming is carried in various Chinese languages plus English, Japanese, Indonesian, Thai, Vietnamese, Spanish, German, French and Russian.
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
, commonly known as Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. It is a government-owned station that broadcasts in 13 languages around the world, with a majority emphasis on Mandarin
Standard Mandarin
Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Chinese, also known as Mandarin or Putonghua, is the official language of the People's Republic of China and Republic of China , and is one of the four official languages of Singapore....
language broadcasts over shortwave into China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
History
The Central Broadcasting System was founded in 1928 as the voice of the KuomintangKuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
(KMT) government quartered in Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
(Nanking), mainland China. During the Second Sino-Japanese war
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
the KMT was forced by Japanese advances to relocate the radio station, along with the capital city, first to Hankou
Hankou
Hankou was one of the three cities whose merging formed modern-day Wuhan, the capital of the Hubei province, China. It stands north of the Han and Yangtze Rivers where the Han falls into the Yangtze...
in the central Hubei Province and then to Chongqing
Chongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
(Chungking) in south-central China.
After the conclusion of the Second World War which saw the surrender and withdrawal of Japanese forces, the KMT and the Communist Party of China
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
(CPC) resumed their civil war
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought between the Kuomintang , the governing party of the Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China , for the control of China which eventually led to China's division into two Chinas, Republic of China and People's Republic of...
. The defeated KMT retreated to Taiwan in 1949 and the Central Broadcasting System moved with them.
Current status
After undergoing restructuring during the period 1996–98, CBS broadcast to mainland China and the rest of the world under the call sign Radio Taipei International and the Voice of Asia. Radio Taipei International essentially replaced the international radio services of the Broadcasting Corporation of ChinaBroadcasting Corporation of China
The Broadcasting Corporation of China , BCC, is a broadcasting company in the Republic of China. It was founded as the Central Broadcasting System in Nanjing in 1928.-History:...
(BCC), known as the Voice of Free China
Voice of Free China
The Voice of Free China was the international broadcasting station of the Republic of China from 1949 until 1998. During the Cold War era the station was the source of Chinese Nationalist propaganda largely aimed at discrediting the People's Republic of China and buttressing the Nationalists'...
. Radio Taipei International broadcast to China and to an international audience; by contrast, the Voice of Asia was broadcast to the Asia-Pacific region only and offered a lighter format than RTI. In 2002 the Voice of Asia call sign was dropped to leave Radio Taipei International as the sole broadcasting name for the service. This was in turn changed to Radio Taiwan International, to avoid confusion on the part of listeners, who had trouble associating Taipei with Taiwan
In addition, via domestic AM radio and shortwave, CBS also broadcast three different "networks" in Chinese (mainly Mandarin) to the mainland. These networks were the News Network (a news and information-oriented service), the Variety Network (a music and features-oriented service, also known as the Mandarin Program, Perspective Program, or the Pop Network Program), and the Dialect Network (programming aimed at the minorities of China). In time, the Variety Network was renamed the General Network, the News Network became the Mainland Network, and eventually the Mainland, General, and Dialect Network were merged in with Radio Taiwan International. One consequence of this was that CBS could no longer broadcast domestically in AM radio.
Broadcasting details
Radio Taiwan International broadcasts to the following countries and regions:- Australia and New Zealand
- China
- Europe
- Indonesia
- Japan
- Korea
- North America on WYFRWYFRWYFR is a shortwave radio station located in Okeechobee, Florida, United States. The station is owned by Family Stations, Inc., as part of the Family Radio network, and broadcasts traditional Christian radio programming to international audiences....
at 5950 kHz and 9610 kHz between 5 p.m./6 p.m. Eastern until 3 a.m./4 a.m. - The Philippines
- South Africa
- South America
- South Asia
- Southeast Asia
Programming is carried in various Chinese languages plus English, Japanese, Indonesian, Thai, Vietnamese, Spanish, German, French and Russian.
See also
- Media in TaiwanMedia in TaiwanThe media in Taiwan is considered to be one of the freest and most competitive in Asia. Cable TV usage is high and there is also a wide selection of newspapers available covering most political viewpoints.-Cable television:...
- English language print media published by the Government Information Office
- Taiwan ReviewTaiwan Reviewis a general-interest English-language monthly published by the Government Information Office of the Republic of China . Its purpose is to inform English readers around the world of what takes place in the island-nation.-History :...
- Taiwan JournalTaiwan JournalTaiwan Journal is an English-language weekly newspaper published by the Government Information Office of the Republic of China . Its purpose is to inform English readers around the world about current events taking place on the island nation...
- Taiwan Review
- Voice of Free ChinaVoice of Free ChinaThe Voice of Free China was the international broadcasting station of the Republic of China from 1949 until 1998. During the Cold War era the station was the source of Chinese Nationalist propaganda largely aimed at discrediting the People's Republic of China and buttressing the Nationalists'...