RRI Live!

Listen to Radio Romania International Live

The 80th anniversary of Radio Bessarabia

The Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation has celebrated 80 years since the opening of its first regional channel, Radio Bessarabia.

The 80th anniversary of Radio Bessarabia
The 80th anniversary of Radio Bessarabia

, 09.10.2019, 13:50

Ten years after WW1, when all Romanian provinces with a majority Romanian-speaking population, previously ruled by the neighboring multinational empires, were finally brought together under Bucharest’s authority, Romania resorted to the most effective means of communication of that time, the radio, the only one able to reach even the furthest corners of the reunified country. The Romanian Radio-Telephonic Broadcasting Company first aired on November 1st, 1928, and through successive changes, evolved to today’s Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation. On October 8, 1939, the national radio opened its first regional station, in Chisinau, the biggest city in Bessarabia, the province at Romania’s eastern border constantly threatened by Stalin’s expansionist appetite. According to historian Silvia Grosu, the opening of this radio station in Chisinau had the strategic reason of counteracting the communist propaganda of the Soviet station in Tiraspol, on the other side of the Dniester River.



Silvia Grosu: “The reserves of the Radio Romania Broadcasting Company and the new equipment purchased for Radio Bessarabia turned this station into a very important one, with an excellent signal, twice as strong as the one of Radio Bucharest and Radio Tiraspol. The latter was a strategic point and the most vulnerable one.”



Radio Bessarabia only aired for 300 days. In June 1940 the Russians annexed, following an ultimatum, Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina, and the radio station was taken over by the Soviet power. A year later, the Red Army, upon withdrawal, blew out the building hosting Radio Bessarabia and killed the staff. Radio Chisinau, now part of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation, was reopened on December 1st, 2011, Romania’s National Day, two decades after the Republic of Moldova had proclaimed its independence from Moscow.



Romania’s Ambassador in Chisinau, Daniel Ionita: ”You have proven that what is Romanian endures and in order not to lose the Romanian spirit in Bessarabia, we need a fair and strong voice, we need professionalism and support. We count on you and on the Romanian Television, through your regional stations, Radio Chisinau and TVR Moldova, to contribute to the creation of a common communication ground between Romania and Moldova.”



Pundits say that, stated out loud or not, the vocation of Radio Chisinau continues to be a strategic one. In the neighboring country, three million citizens, that is most of the population, speak Romanian and around one million have Romanian citizenship. They all have the right to accurate information, against the background of a strong Russian propaganda in the country.


(Translated by Elena Enache)


Photo: roaep.ro
Today in the News Monday, 25 November 2024

Surprising result in Romania’s presidential elections

The independent candidate Călin Georgescu takes the lead in the first round of the presidential elections in Romania.       Over 9.4...

Surprising result in Romania’s presidential elections
(foto: Polizia di Frontiera Romena)
Today in the News Monday, 25 November 2024

Closer to full Schengen accession

The Ministers of the Interior of Romania, Hungary, Austria and Bulgaria reached a historic agreement in Budapest on Friday on the enlargement of the...

Closer to full Schengen accession
Signing of the protocol (foto:
Today in the News Friday, 22 November 2024

Transition program towards F-35, launched

The Romanian Air Force’s transition program to 5th generation aircraft has been launched.   Romania’s decision to acquire advanced fighter...

Transition program towards F-35, launched
Energy (foto: EdWhiteImages / pixabay.com)
Today in the News Friday, 22 November 2024

The National Energy Strategy, adopted

Using local resources, reducing imports and making massive investments in production capacity are important elements of the new National Energy...

The National Energy Strategy, adopted
Today in the News Thursday, 21 November 2024

Political agreement on the new European Commission

    The leaders of the three major political groups in the European Parliament have given the green light to the members of the next...

Political agreement on the new European Commission
Today in the News Thursday, 21 November 2024

13 for Romania

    In Romania, presidential elections usually spark the greatest interest and emotions. Even more so this year, when the two rounds of the...

13 for Romania
Today in the News Wednesday, 20 November 2024

Romania’s natural gas, available for trading

On Tuesday, the Romanian company Romgaz launched its first issue of bonds on the Bucharest Stock Exchange, worth 500 million EUR. Romgaz is the...

Romania’s natural gas, available for trading
Today in the News Tuesday, 19 November 2024

Romania ahead of the presidential election

Next month, President Klaus Iohannis will end his second and last five-year term in office according to the Romanian Constitution. The so-called...

Romania ahead of the presidential election

Partners

Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român
Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS
Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online
Institului European din România Institului European din România
Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti
Muzeul Național de Artă al României Muzeul Național de Artă al României
Le petit Journal Le petit Journal
Radio Prague International Radio Prague International
Muzeul Național de Istorie a României Muzeul Național de Istorie a României
ARCUB ARCUB
Radio Canada International Radio Canada International
Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti” Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti”
SWI swissinfo.ch SWI swissinfo.ch
UBB Radio ONLINE UBB Radio ONLINE
Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl
creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti
italradio italradio
Institutul Confucius Institutul Confucius
BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți

Affiliates

Euranet Plus Euranet Plus
AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters
Digital Radio Mondiale Digital Radio Mondiale
News and current affairs from Germany and around the world News and current affairs from Germany and around the world
Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona

Providers

RADIOCOM RADIOCOM
Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company