Mongolia Dispatch
(From Corey Flintoff's Topic)

You can travel to Dalanzadgad from Ulaanbaatar by following these tracks (the only road). Click for full picture.

Gobi Air
Bill Siemering - September 9, 2002 - #47

The famous Gobi wind tosses sand in your face, getting in your mouth. Three story Russian built apartment blocks crouch at one end of an open space bordered by small shops. In the produce stands, I find only onions potatoes, cabbages and carrots; tomatoes are the only fruit. The only cheese was hard brown fist size blocks made from fermented mare's milk.

Lunch at the best cafe' in town consists of potato, carrot and mutton soup, steamed mutton dumplings and milk salt tea. The total tab for both my translator and me is $1.34. It's the same lunch we have everyday because that's all there ever is on the menu. The cold water apartment is only $6.50 a night, soap not included. Some steers wander outside the window, occasionally raising their voices.

This is the setting for Gobi Wave Radio in this provincial capital of 10,000 in Dalanzadgad, south Gobi, Mongolia. On the air 12 hours a day, Gobi Wave does a remarkable job of serving local needs with a combination of informative and entertaining programming, all for an annual budget of $8,000 a year. [Near the northern border with Russia, a station with 60% information programming operates with an annual budget of $1,000.]

When I visited, the story on the opening of school included sound of the hand bell ringing, the kids singing and opening remarks by the principal on the daily 20:00 news program, thanks to training done by Corey when he was a Knight Fellow in Mongolia. In the afternoon, the local appointed Governor came in for his twice weekly live call-in program. The subjects were serious: what to do about the forthcoming winter, what can be done about poverty. After the broadcast he told me that the day before he had taken supplies from the Red Cross to herders who were devastated by last year's harsh winter: flour and FM radios so they could hear Gobi Wave, the only station they could pick up on FM. When Parliamentarians come to the theater to meet with voters, Gobi Wave takes their Marti and broadcasts it live.

Here are some of their popular programs.

Radio Karaoke
After playing a song, the first five listeners who call in and sing the same song then the listeners vote on the best singer. The winner is awarded the privileged of dedicating a song or sending a message.

Love's Guide
Listeners write love letters to someone in whom they are interested and if the intended recipient of this interest or affection recognizes the writer, they write back… Eavesdropping on other's love interests has universal appeal. A book of the collected letters has possibilities.

Let's Meet
Listeners call in and describe themselves, their interests, may sing a song and tell the qualities of the friend they are seeking. They are only identified by number. If a listener is interested in meeting number two…The station then calls number two describes the interested party and if they want, a meeting is arranged…

What's the News? Described as "News from the people, for the people," listeners call in their own news stories. For example, a caller describes a flock of goats that has wandered in the yard and asks the owner to fetch them. Or report a shop selling expired food or where they got a good buy on children's clothing.

Learn a Song
The three reporters play a new song and after the listeners' votes on their favorite, the reporter teaches the words.

Greetings, Thank you and I'm Sorry
…listeners send personal messages.

I was amazed to hear the small advertising announcements: a liter of airag (fermented mare's milk) for $.50 a liter; fresh locally grown vegetables; 40% of on school clothes. They charge $.03 a word and there were 15 in the morning and 30 in the afternoon; they literally walk in the door...

Community Connections
Bill Siemering - September 11, 2002 - #52

When I first did a workshop here, the translator said, "We don't have a word for 'community' as you are using it." Of course it's not the word that is important but what they do.

This station grew out of the staff of the regional station for Mongol Radio that allows them to cutaway for two hours a week; they wanted their own voice.

I know of no other station that has so closely connected the people with their government. And they are so much well integrated into the community.

Natural Life
Bill Siemering - September 17, 2002 - #55

Mongolians may not need a name for community because it is a natural part of life. One reason operating costs are low, is because much is done by barter…They are just naturally gracious and hospitable because there is no other place to stop on the steppes.

Spending three days at the station, I got to understand it by listening to folks from the inside rather than as an outsider looking in. In other words, I wasn't looking at how it fit the Western template of journalism or radio, but how it had evolved there, unique to their culture and place.

I think Mongolians also feel this connection to nature; they are a part of it. They are not separate from nature. It's part of the shamanism and Buddhism.

<< part 2 Bill Siemering in conversation w/ the Transom community.

part 4 >> Photos From Mongolia pt.1