Pandora - Part 8

Media on Pandora.

 Television. 

Pandora has two broadcast television stations.  One is government-sponsored, while the other is independently owned and operated.  There are no cable television stations on Pandora or satellite television stations.

 Pandora Public Television(PPT) is a government-sponsored channel established in 1965. They operates from 6AM to 12PM, eight days a week, 360 days a year.  PPT provides mainly news, educational programming and cultural programs. (During the Silent Days of December, they show looped video footage of a snowstorm for the duration. It is one of their most popular programs.)

Island TV (ITV) is a privately owned television station established in 1995 and supported by ad revenue and a generous grant from the Royal Philanthropic Society. ITV operates from 4PM to 2AM.  Their programming focuses on entertainment and includes local talk shows, reruns of popular television programs imported from outside Pandora, locally-produced entertainment programs and live coverage of Eyfendrewbri Music Festival and the Burning Mime festival. (ITV was almost shut down in 1997 when they accidentally aired twenty minutes of a softcore porn film after midnight. A thorough investigation revealed that it was an accident and the station manager was required to apologize to the viewers.)

Radio.

There are five radio stations on the island. By law, at least 60% of all material broadcast over Pandoran radio must be produced on the island.  As such, the airwaves are dominated by Pandoran artists. Four of the stations are based in the city, while one is based on the far north side of the island.

 FM Pandora - a popular radio station that plays a wide range of music. Most of the musicians they play are local and they broadcast live from the Eyfendrewbri Music Festival each year.

 KBTF (Knit By the Fire) Radio - the most popular radio station in the city, they play a variety of programs ranging from arts and culture to dramas and comedies.

 North Tip Radio(NTR) - the only radio station based outside the city, NTR is housed near the North Tip Naval Station on the northern side of the island. NTR is an independent station and it offers a mix of programs that appeal to Pandora's more rural populace.

 Seahorse Radio - a miniscule radio station in the Seahorse District playing mostly Celtic and Irish folk music.

 The Weather Station - a government-sponsored radio station that plays soft acoustic music between weather reports. (The live weather reports are read by Janetta Kocopell, who is commonly known as 'the Weather Lady.' It is generally agreed that she has the sexiest voice of any on-air radio personality in the island.)

 Publications.

Pandora is home to a number of local publications, including newspapers and magazines.

 The Witness - established in 1619 AD, The Witness is the main newspaper on the island. It covers general news, events and issues relevant to all citizens. The paper is printed three times a week(Monday, Wednesday, Friday).  It's offices and printers are located in Karcelle.

 The Playbill - established in 1892 AD, The Playbill is a weekly newspaper that covers local arts, music and events. It is published on Thursday.  The Playbill's offices are in the Carnival District.

 The Informer - established in 1960, The Informer is a monthly newspaper covering foreign news, events and issues of interest to Pandora's outsider community. The Informer's office and printshop is in Oceanview.

 The Bull Sheet - this zine-like publication first appeared on the streets of the city in 1994. To this day, no one knows who writes it or where it's published. The Bull Sheet is full of gossip and rumors, and often features saucy photographs or drawings that skirt the edge of public decency. (But it has an Excellent crossword puzzle!)

 The Guide to Arts & Festivals (GAF) - the GAF is published quarterly and is an essential guide to all the upcoming art events and festivals in Pandora. The GAF is published by the Ministry of Culture in cooperation with the Royal Philanthropic League and the Knitting Society.

 In addition to these publications, there are many more. Each district produces its own local publication, usually printed once a month, covering news and events of specific interest to local residents. 

There are a number of hobby and special interest publications (such as Knitting Knack, for knitting enthusiasts, or The Gastropandorica, a combination recipe book and guide to Pandoran eateries.), most of them published on a monthly basis.

There is also The Royal Magazine, published annually in December. This glossy magazine contains photos of and interviews with the members of the Pandoran Royal Family. In addition, the magazine comes with a lottery ticket to the New Year's Day Ball held at the Royal Palace.

 Internet.

The internet simply does not work on Pandora. There is no way to connect to the larger worldwide web, and the locals networks that do exist are military and government. Occasionally, tech enthusiasts try to get a larger local network going, but these efforts have always failed from lack of interest.

 Phones.

Cell phones don't work on Pandora, and radio phones are notoriously unreliable. However, landlines exist and are quite prevalent in the city.  Most homes and businesses are wired up for telephone service, and there are payphones scattered around the city. Most can be found outside of Underground stations.  It costs a half-rho coin to make a call from a payphone and reversing the charges on a call is not allowed. (Did you know that in Pandora, telemarketing and telephone surveys are illegal? It's true!)

Pandoran phone-lines do extend outside the city, but service can be spotty in rural areas. Also, there are no international telephone lines, so calling off the island is impossible.