But most of them require access to the internet or satellite television, resources that some elderly, less affluent and rural people may not have access to.

A 2019 survey revealed that in 85% of decile 1-3 schools 25% said their students had no home access to the internet.

There does not appear to be many local catholic programmes available on the radio.

However, the Christian Broadcasting Association has 14 hours of air time on two nationwide networks.

Radio Rhema will also be carrying its Easter programmes.

Here are some of the many Catholic resources on the web and TV:

Shine Television

There will be a special Catholic Good Friday liturgy on Shine Television 8:35 am on Friday.

On Easter, Sunday there will be is a 30-minute Catholic broadcast on Shine TV at 1:35 pm.

Shine TV is a New Zealand Christian television channel operated by Rhema Media and broadcast on Freeview Channel 25 and Sky TV channel 201.

Streaming

Many Catholic churches big and small around New Zealand are streaming Mass online daily for parishioners.

Diocesan Websites

All of the diocesan websites have links to resources that people can use in their bubble.

Bishop Dunn has announced there will be a 3 pm national Catholic liturgy available in all the websites of the different dioceses of New Zealand.

On Thursday morning the Palmerston North Diocese will be posting their weekly update containing links for livestream and prayer resources for Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter celebrations.

Social media

Many parishes and groups are holding virtual meetings to support each other and to pray together.

Source

• rhema.co.nz
• cba.org.nz
• en.wikipedia.org
• mailchi.mp
• nzherald.co.nz
• nlo.org.nz
• nzcatholic.org.nz
• voanews.com
• Image: Screenshot shinetv.co.nz

The records, collected over about 40 years, were not being used so went on sale on Trade Me with a $1200 reserve after the station decided it needed to free up space. Read more

Some of the ABC's former shortwave frequencies are now being used by China Radio International, the country's state-owned overseas broadcaster.

Some have argued that, in the age of the internet, shortwave radio is no longer important.

But many isolated communities in the Pacific still do not have reliable and effective internet connections.

Even where the internet is available, many families do not have a device of any kind that enables them to connect to it.

Dr Mollgaard from the School of Communication Studies at Auckland University of Technology (AUT) says services such as RNZ Pacific and Radio Australia have always demonstrated great propensity to stimulate democratic life and uphold media freedoms.

They also advance national interests by enhancing diplomatic positions and "bottom-line" considerations such as good trade relations he says.

The Pacific Media Centre (PMC) based in the AUT says the closure of the ABC's shortwave service in the South Pacific "is a sorry loss to people and cultures - as we know them well from the accumulation of studies and from our own media production exercises at this centre."

In a public submission to the Australian government review of broadcasting to the region, the PMC states that the situation has impelled Radio New Zealand to "stretch their resources to do more, to ‘make up' for what has been removed."

Radio New Zealand Pacific (formerly known as RNZI) broadcasts in digital and analogue shortwave to radio stations and individual listeners across the Pacific region.

Around twenty Pacific radio stations relay RNZ Pacific material daily, and individual short-wave listeners and internet users across the world tune in directly to RNZ Pacific content.

RNZ Pacific broadcasts primarily in English but bulletins in selected Pacific languages can be heard in breakfast sessions.

Source

• pacific.scoop.co.nz
• abc.net.au
• pmc.aut.ac.nz
• pmc.aut.ac.nz
• Image:asiapacificreport.nz

Sacred Music Radio which plays 24 hours a day, features religious and sacred pieces of music from the Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Zoroastrian and Islamic faiths, as well as music not directly connected with any specific religion.

Michael Vakil Kenton, one of the founders of the station, says: "Music has the ability to cut through cultural dividers, going beyond borders and boundaries, creating an atmosphere that can be subtle and indefinable, or joyous and transcending.

"Our vision is that, as a result, by appreciating the music of diverse faiths, people may find themselves realising their common ground." Continue reading

EFKS media opened with 80 percent coverage of the country.

"We hope to have complete coverage in three months," says Chairman of the General Assembly, Rev. Elder Tautiaga Senara.

Both the radio and TV outlets will be under the operational leadership of Tuiasau Uelese Petaia, a former CEO of TV One, who also ran his own television station and has wide experience in the print media.

When Tuiasau was named manager of the stations, the appropriateness of the appointment was questioned because Tuiasau has been convicted of 67 counts of theft and given an 18 month jail sentence which he completed last year.

Asked about the concerns raised by the appointment, General Secretary of CCCS, Rev. Dr. Iutisone Salevao responded with a question of his own.

"Who was crucified together with Jesus, was it an angel?" he asked.

"However, he has the experience needed to realise the church's dream of operating a radio and television service for her members and the community," he said.

Initially the focus will be on youth; all programmes are to be broadcast in English and Samoan.

Salevao has previously revealed the need to address the problems faced by youth and hopes the programmes will help them choose a better road in life.

Both media are co-funded by the Council for World Mission in Singapore and London, but the church hopes for financial self-sufficiency in the future.

Source

• Talamua
• Talamua
• Talamua
• Image: Bebo

Father Roberto Francisco Daniel, 48, promoted his views in YouTube videos, a radio broadcast and a newspaper column.

In a response to the announcement of his excommunication, he said: "I feel honored to belong to the long list of people who have been murdered and burned alive for thinking and searching for knowledge."

Continue reading

Think of the recent trial of the teenager who set fire to a guest at his birthday party and thought it was hilarious. He doesn't now.

Worse, you're supposed to be jolly about being humiliated because of some dim, ancient agreement in our culture that says the prankster is a helluva dag. His victim is supposed to be a good sport and hide their anger or shame - bullied, then bullied again into denying the hurt. How hilarious.

I last tried out a practical joke when I was about 7, an age at which it's slightly excusable. I'd seen in a comic, probably a Beano, a drawing of someone pulling out a chair from behind a person trying to sit down. The victim fell to the floor in the comic, which seemed deliciously funny to me - bear in mind that I also thought Jerry Lewis was hilarious at the time - so I did it to a boy in my class.

To my surprise, nobody else thought it was funny and I saw that they were right. I've never tried anything like it since.

That's one excellent reason why I'm not a radio shock jock. Continue reading

Sources

• Rosemary McLeod in The Dominion Post
• Image: The Northern Advocate

Rosemary McLeod is a New Zealand journalist.

The move, announced by Director General of Vatican Radio, Fr Federico Lombardi, SJ, is to happen on July 1.

Lombardi said newer developments in communications technology meant the traditional radio broadcasts were no longer needed.

"Webcasting and satellite transmissions, along with rebroadcasting by local, regional and national radio stations, guarantee the widest possible outreach to Vatican Radio's programming and services. Which is why Vatican Radio believes the time has come to reduce its reliance on traditional technologies, like short- and medium-wave broadcasts, and to develop its resources in new directions," said Lombardi.

According to Lombardi, these broadcasts account for about 50% of the Radio and Television Centre's transmission time, and while Short Wave transmissions will be further reduced over the next few years the Vatican has no intention to cut the service to the likes of the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

The reduction in these broadcasts will delight the people of Santa Maria di Galeria, the neighbourhood where broadcast facility is located. Residents have long complained that the high levels of electromagnetic emissions endanger their health.

In an apparently separate move, and at the direction of Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the daily news bulletin, VIS, (Vatican Information Service) will no longer be distributed. Staff are being reassigned to the Holy See Press Office or the staff of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications news portal.

The 60,000 subscribers to VIS will have their subscriptions transferred to receive bulletins from the Holy See Press Office.

Sources

• News.va
• News.va
• Image: Bilgrimage

It is hoped that a meeting of the first women-led Community Radio Consultation which began in Tonga on 6 April will pave the way for the establishment of the first suitcase radio in Tonga.

Suitcase radios have been operating in Fiji since 2004.

In an interview on Radio Australia's Pacific Beat Sharon Bhagwan Rolls said the the suitcase radio is "literally a radio station that fits into a little suitcase. It's about 20 kilograms in weight, it has a low-powered transmitter. We work with a 100 watt transmitter, very different from the large commercial or public broadcasters. But what it gives is a small station that is easy to manage, particularly for communities that come from no broadcasting experience, and the opportunity to also travel around with your radio in a suitcase and a mast to go out and broadcast with communities."

The meeting in Nuku'alofa is the initaive of Tonga based 1325 Media and Policy Network in conjunction with Fiji-based partners Femlinkpacific.

Church leaders in Africa and Aia have, for some time, used suitcase radios to communicate with scattered small and isolated faith communities.

Source
Pacific Beat

Photo Credit
Wantok Radio