Azerothian Radio
Stormwind Library Archives-
Newspaper Archives- Dalaran Papers- Date: 28 AFW (twenty eight years after the First War)
"Dalaran Review"
"Long Distance Communication Takes Azeroth by Storm"
A new form of communication is sweeping over Azeroth! Six months ago, Gnomish Tinkerers created a new method of sharing information. The "G.C.S.T" short for "Gnomish Crystal Sound Transmitter" (although some people call it "radio", a Gnomish pun on the terms "rad", a gnomish word meaning "cool" and "diode" ) uses a system of finely tuned enchanted diode-crystals to allow for the transmission of Sound over long distances. The first successful test took place in Ironforge, with a team of gnomes attempting to transmit a simple greeting over a fairly short distance. A few short weeks later, they managed to send a message from Booty Bay, clear to Valiance Keep in Northrend! The devices can allow two-way communication, but it IS possible for a number of the devices to respond to only one.
This device has recently been made available to the general public, thousands of the devices have sold in the Eastern Kingdoms, with most of them going to Humans, and Gnomes. The devices are less common in Kalimdor, despite them now being strong enough to allow communication between the two continents. Recently, a transmission from King Varian Wynn went out, stating his support for the device, and his belief that it will strengthen the bonds between the races of the Alliance by allowing the sharing of culture and information between the diverse peoples of the Alliance.
Since the release of the GCST, a number of groups have started brodcasting opinions, news, and even the audio of plays to all races. And we do mean "All", the group of Gnomes who constructed the device has opted to make the GCST available to the races of the Horde! It has not taken off nearly as much has it has with the Alliance races. But some groups have been using it, the Tauren for example, use it to allow communication with their relatives in Northrend, the Tanuka. In addition, a program, which allows Tauren away from their homelands to speak with a religious leader.
Orcs have been less then open to it, mostly due to a general dislike of non-shamanistic magics. Although Warchief Thrall has ordered several for military use, with at least one going to the Frostwolf clan, in addition, Thrallmar and Honor Hold have each obtained several to maintain contact with Orgrimmar. The Blood Elves, however, have fully embraced the technology and seek to improve on it. They view it has a powerful tool of Arcane Magics are are attempting to use it for their own purposes (the devices have been enchanted in such a way to make them exceedingly difficult for the Elves to drain of arcane energies)
However, not all groups view this has a good thing. Many Night Elves have been unwilling to use the device due to it using Arcane magic to function (although there are a fair few broadcasts coming out of Darnassus) and the Goblins of the Steamwheedle Cartel have blasted the device has "inefficent" and have implied that it carries a risk of overloading and exploding. Although has of yet, no other group has been able to find evidence of these claims, leading many to believe it is just the old Goblin-Gnome rivalry going into full swing again.
We here at the Dalaran Review have also revived permission from both Stormwind and Orgrimmar to record these programs on Crystal Diodes to allow them to be saved for future generations. Of course, military transmissions are forbidden, but any civilian broadcasts we deem relevant will be archived in our libraries, and libraries all over Azeroth so that anyone, even those unable to afford the devices on their own, can simply request use of a device and a crystal and listen in!.
And, has a special addition for our readers, we have gained information that indicates that the popular Horde musicians, the "Tauren Chieftans" have been discussing the possibility of broadcasting their concerts over the HCST, many citizens of the Horde, and some Alliance citizens have shown considerable amounts of excitement at this possibility! This reporter is personally hoping he can hear one of their performances from the safety of his home in Dalaran!