REC Networks is announcing today that it will be removing certain pre-recorded programs from Hardcore XTRA that are not directly distributed by the W0KIE Satellite Radio Network.
This includes Hardcore XTRA's presentations of:
- This Week In Amateur Radio International
- World of Radio
- Mediageek
- This Week In Tech
- Off The Hook
Programming currently fed by W0KIE (including our timeshifted reruns) will continue to be presented.
REC is also giving notice that at the end of November, our current agreement with Live365 for Hardcore XTRA is expiring and at this time, we have no plans to renew it. Many of the reasons stem around the increased broadcast costs and lower revenue recovery as a result of the new copyright laws.
Hardcore XTRA was originally started in 1999 as Powerpuff Hardcore, the second channel to the then popular webcast POWERPUFF-FM. Over time, it eventually became Anime Hardcore Radio, which at one time had 3 different format versions running at one time. Anime Hardcore Radio was repositioned as Hardcore XTRA at the beginning of 2007 to reflect the additional Japanese girlpop music, the weekend return of POWERPUFF-FM and the presentation of W0KIE technical programming to Live365.
This change also allows us to focus on Hardcore J, which is Live365's most successful Japanese radio service. REC has no plans to migrate any of the former Hardcore XTRA programming to Hardcore J.
REC regrets having to make this decision and we will explore potential alternatives prior to the expiration of the agreement.
We would like to thank our fans of Anime Hardcore Radio and POWERPUFF-FM over the years for their kind words and support. We invite you to take the next step up and discover today's music on Hardcore J. http://www.hardcorej.com
