大象传媒

Each year on June 21st, the 大象传媒 World Service broadcasts a programme of requests from friends and family of the scientists and staff overwintering at four British bases in Antarctica. Hear a selection here. Festivities on midwinter's day are as traditional as those of Christmas.

The base commanders rise early to cook breakfast for their staff, presents are exchanged, there are sports and even, weather permitting, a mad streak in the snow! Feasting continues before they gather round a shortwave set to listen to the traditional broadcast packed with greetings from their family and friends back home together with music requests and messages from the British Antarctic Survey and a few celebrities.

Finally the Antarctic horror movie The Thing is screened. For those who know the plot, perhaps it is just as well there are no longer sledge dogs in Antarctica.