Radio

China Radio International messes with Texas

galveston.jpg
Galveston, Texas

Galveston is a city of about 50,000 people on an island on the Texas Gulf coast. An unlikely place for a Chinese soft power push?

From The Houston Chronicle

GALVESTON, TEXAS — George Lee was stunned Saturday to hear a Chinese news agency broadcasting during the time his news and variety program usually aired on Galveston's only radio station.

“It was so bizarre, I thought I must be in a coma, and I'm dreaming this,” Lee said...

...“The thing that amazes me is why Radio International China Beijing?” said Glenn Richards, KGBC morning show producer until last weekend. “It's not really geared to anybody locally.”...

CRI has been broadcasting in the U.S. at least since 1993, usually by buying one- or two-hour chunks of air time on local stations. KXYZ 1320 in Houston once carried CRI...

...“Could the people of Galveston not care about Chinese news?” [station owner] Gabriel Arango asked. “That may be true, but apparently they didn't like Galveston news either.”

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There are currently 4 Comments for China Radio International messes with Texas.

Comments on China Radio International messes with Texas

I've spent a fair amount of time in Galveston (one side of my family actually emigrated to the US via the Port of Galveston), and as test markets go, it's highly representative of Americans who live in Galveston. That is - people in the oil, shrimping, and shipping industries (thus, quite a few Chinese). Not sure what you can learn about American audiences from broadcasting in such a place, but what do I know? Anyway, no post about Galveston would be complete with quoting the best lyrics from "Galveston" by Jimmy Webb:

Galveston, oh Galveston, I still hear your sea waves crashing
While I watch the cannons flashing
I clean my gun and dream of Galveston.

Here those immortal words performed by the equally immortal Glen Campbell, here.

AM radio still exists?

oh, good old Galveston. a lovely place to visit, nice waves there for sure!

Big up radio china, i'm happy 2 listen your station have a section for swahili language. I m happy happy an happy to knwow that .Thanx.

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