International Community Radio Taipei

Infobox Radio Station
name = ICRT


area = Taiwan
branding = -
slogan = -
airdate = 16 April, 1979 (previously Armed Forces Network Taiwan)
frequency = 100.7 FM (Taipei, Kaohsiung), 100.1 FM (Taichung)
format = English music
erp = 3x 30 kilowatts
class = -
callsign_meaning = International Community Radio Taipei
owner = Taipei International Community Cultural Foundation
website = [http://www.icrt.com.tw/ www.icrt.com.tw] |

International Community Radio Taipei(台北國際社區廣播電台 Pinyin: Táiběi Guójì Shèqū Guǎngbō Diàntái), ICRT, is Taiwan's only English language radio station. Prior to 1979, the station served the U.S. military community in Taiwan as the United States Armed Forces Network Radio Taiwan (AFNRT). When the United States broke diplomatic ties with the Republic of China in 1979, the American business community with the help of the ROC government, reorganized the station into ICRT.

The radio station enjoyed immense popularity during its first fifteen years. The station offered two channels: FM100 and AM576. Both channels provided similar content of foreign pop and rock except that FM100 also had daily 5-minute news at the top of every hour, one-hour morning and evening news programs, and three hours of classical music on Sunday nights.

ICRT's news coverage was renowned during the first fifteen years. Live top of the hour news segments were broadcasted twenty four hours. Members of the news team would often travel to the onsite scene of the news event and make their report there. Reporters also covered sensitive or controversial subjects about Taiwanese politics when Taiwan just came out of martial law.

The station started to suffer from operating challenges in the 1990s. The ROC government liberalized the radio market, forcing ICRT to face competition from other radio stations. AM576's programming lineup became weaker and lacked DJs to cover the entire twenty-four hours of air time, resulting in an automated juxebox system to replace the DJ. Eventually AM576 only broadcasted the BBC World Service and CNN Radio and then was permanently off the air in 1999. News coverage in FM100 was gradually downsized.

Despite these setbacks, ICRT's ratings remain within the top ten in Taiwan. It continues to provide important short East-West cultural exchange segments in its programming. ICRT also produces a show every Sunday to cater the growing population of Southeast Asian laborers and domestic workers in Taiwan.

DJ Line Up

DJs = Joseph Lin, Emily David, Stevie G, Melvin Tan, Rick Monday, Ron Stuart, Tito Gray, TJ, Harry Jones, Geena Lee [http://www.geenalee.com] , Eric Tu, Louisa Lee

News Team = Bill Thissen, Gavin Phipps, Jeffrey Mindich, Mike Woodward, Tim Berge, Eric Gau, Eryk Smith, Jane Lee and Liz Tsai.

References

*Fox, Butterfield (May 22, 1979). Taiwan Radio in English Beams Assurances on US Ties. "The New York Times", p. A2.
*Kristof, Nicholas D. (January 4, 1992). The Voice of Taiwan Speaks English. "The New York Times", p. 4.
*Leonard, Andrew (July 1992). Taiwan Twist. "Columbia Journalism Review", p. 16.
*Phipps, Gavin (May 16, 2004). A Quarter Century of Community Radio. "Taipei Times", p. 18.

External links

* [http://www.icrt.com.tw Official site]
* [http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2004/05/16/2003155761 "Taipei Times" article on ICRT] Source: Pinyin translated by [http://www.cozychinese.com/convert/ CozyChinese.COM]