Radio Voice of the Gospel

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The Radio Voice of the Gospel was a Lutheran Church international radio station based in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, starting in 1963.

[edit] History

Radio Voice of the Gospel was the brainchild of Norwegian missionary Dr. Sig Aske. It had two powerful 100kw shortwave transmitters which could reach much of Africa and Asia. It also had a medium wave transmitter serving Addis Ababa. It broadcast in English, French and a number of African and Asian languages.

[edit] Programming

Many of Radio Voice of the Gospel programs were compiled in studios in the countries to which they were broadcast. It aimed to be more general than many church-owned stations, as it broadcasted news largely based on Reuters, as well as drama and other features. The staff were international and ecumenical.

[edit] Tensions and Controversy

Ethiopia was still under the somewhat autocratic Emperor Haile Selassie and political activism and free speech were very limited in the country. It was therefore subject to some censorship and limitations, particularly on the local Amharic service.

Additionally, some of the donors came from the fundamentalist wing of the church and were clearly anxious their approach should dominate, particularly in such matters as creation.

After the Dergue took control of the country in the 1970s, the radio station was taken over by the Ethiopian government, apparently without compensation, which used it for its own international broadcasting.