Egyptian Radio also known as the Egyptian Radio's General Program (إذاعة البرنامج العام transliterated as Iza'at El-Bernameg Al-Aam) also popularly known as Radio Cairo (in
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...
إذاعة القاهرة transliterated as Iza'at al Qaahira) is the pioneering Egyptian radio station that started broadcasting on 31 May 1934 in agreement with the
Marconi Company
The Marconi Company was a British telecommunications and engineering company that did business under that name from 1963 to 1987. Its roots were in the Wireless Telegraph & Signal Company founded by Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi in 189 ...
. The General Manager of the station for the period was Said Basha Lotfi who presided over the station from May 1934 to December 1947.
In December 1947, the contract with Marconi was suspended in favour of an Egyptian national broadcasting station. The General Manager was replaced with Mohammed Beik Qasem presiding from December 1947 until August 1950.
The station is known also for its call "This is Cairo" (in
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...
هنا القاهرة pronounced Houna al Qaahira). It is considered the First Program (in
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...
البرنامج الأول) of the
ERTU
The Egyptian Radio and Television Union (ERTU; ar, إتحاد الإذاعة والتلفزيون المصري ''Itteh'ad Al-Edhaa'a wa at-Televezyon al-Mis'ri'') is the public broadcaster of Egypt, operated by the Egyptian government. It is a me ...
(
Egyptian Radio and Television Union
The Egyptian Radio and Television Union (ERTU; ar, إتحاد الإذاعة والتلفزيون المصري ''Itteh'ad Al-Edhaa'a wa at-Televezyon al-Mis'ri'') is the public broadcaster of Egypt, operated by the Egyptian government. It is a me ...
).
The station had some of the best known Arab broadcasters of their time, including
Ahmed Said, Ahmed Salem, Mohammed Fathi, Mohammed Mahmoud Shaaban, Hosney Al-Hadidy, Galal Moawwad, Safiyya Al-Mohamdis and Taher Abu Zeid.
Subsequent radio stations
Later on three main new radio channels were added: the
Voice of the Arabs (صوت العرب) in 1953, the Second Programme (البرنامج الثاني) in 1957 and the pan-Arab
Middle East Radio (إذاعة الشرق الأوسط) in 1964.
All four stations broadcast on high powered
medium wave transmitters covering most of the Middle East and North and East Africa.
Presently,
ERTU
The Egyptian Radio and Television Union (ERTU; ar, إتحاد الإذاعة والتلفزيون المصري ''Itteh'ad Al-Edhaa'a wa at-Televezyon al-Mis'ri'') is the public broadcaster of Egypt, operated by the Egyptian government. It is a me ...
, the Egyptian Radio and Television Union runs more than ten radio stations.
See also
*
List of radio stations in Egypt
Radio broadcasting in Egypt began in the 20th century, in 1924 as privately owned and operated community stations. Later, in 1934 private ownership and operation were abolished and radio broadcasting was nationalized ever since.
By the early 19 ...
References
External links
Egyptian radio website
1934 establishments in Egypt
Radio stations established in 1934
Radio stations in Egypt
{{Egypt-radio-station-stub