Public Radio of Armenia

"Armenian Radio" redirects here. For the satirical "Armenian Radio" stories, see Radio Yerevan jokes.

Public Radio of Armenia - (Armenian: Հայաստանի Հանրային Ռադիո, Hayastani Hanrayin Radio; Armradio) is Armenia's public radio station. Established in 1926, Armenian Public Radio remains one of the largest broadcasters in Armenia. The Public Radio has three national channels. Throughout these years the public radio has been gathering, recording, broadcasting and preserving the culture and history of Armenia. Public Radio of Armenia owns four orchestras and the largest and richest sound archive in Armenia.

Public Radio of Armenia
City of license Yerevan
Broadcast area Armenia Armenia
Frequency 107.7 MHz Yerevan
First air date September 1, 1926
Format Varied
Language(s) Armenian
Former frequencies 107.6 MHz Yerevan
Owner Public Radio of Armenia
Webcast

128kbps MP3 stream

64kbps MP3 stream
Website armradio.am

Early Years

On September 1, 1926, the first experimental radio programme (25 minutes duration) called “Voice of Yerevan” was transmitted in Armenia. The first test programmes were mainly folk music programmes regularly interrupted by local news, putting into operation the first radio station in Armenia. This created new wide-range perspectives for moving the amateur radio movement forward, radiofication and planned development of radio and wired broadcasting networks.The creation of radio station made it possible to use radio broadcasting as one of the most efficient mass media for informing and educating the population. That is why radio programs were expected to cover such topics, which would interest people of different specialties and meet their needs.

On June 15, 1927, Armenian Republican Radio started to broadcast its programmes on regular basis. In the early years only Yerevan and surrounding villages were included in the broadcasting radius. Due to efforts of a group of radio lovers radio service was provided in more than 25 villages in 1927, and in another 40 the following year.

On April 6, 1927, national print media published the first radio program consisting of news and concerts.

Up till 1929 actors and journalists from newspaper editorials were being invited to conduct the radio programmes. And only in December 1929 the first radio hosts - Vergine Babayan and Suren Kananyan were invited to work at the Republican Radio of Armenia.
At the end of 1929 the Republican radio committee was formed. The committee had 12 employees and annually aired 2,160-hour programmes. In 1930s the audience was significantly expanded. New technical and creative capabilities were put in use.

During the post-war period the Republican radio opened a number of new editorial departments, extended the radius of radio transmissions, in 1947 started to operate the second channel (music and information), created new programmes and projects, increased broadcasting hours, as well as expanded its audience. In 1947 the radio committee was reorganized into radio informative committee attached to the Council of Ministers of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic.

The building of new radio transmitters was put into operation in 1957. In 1962 the whole territory of Armenia was provided with radio service. In 1965 an editorial compilation fund for recordings for author performances and radio records was formed. Radio Gold Fund contains more than 20,000 (150,000 hours) sound records, music performances, art and poetry programs and radio performances.

The invaluable collection of sound documents involves the well-known voices of Haykuhi Garagash, Vahram Papazyan, Hrachya Nersisyan, Babken Nersisyan, Hrachuhi Jinanyan, Khoren Abrahamyan, Metaqsya Simonyan, Edgar Elbakyan, Garush Khajakyan, Tamar Demuryan, Marat Halajyan, Sos Sargsyan, Vladimir Abajyan, Vera Hakobyan, Silva Yuzbashyan, Svetlana Khanumyan, Sargis Najaryan, Karen Vardanyan, etc.

Radio Day

Radio Day is a celebration of the development of radio. It is marked on 7 May, the day in 1895 on which Alexander Popov successfully demonstrated his invention. Radio Day was first observed in the Soviet Union in 1945. It emphasizes the importance and role of radio in political, social and cultural life of the country.

Public Radio of Armenia – Active member of the EBU

At the 56th General Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), held on July 7–8, 2005 in Dubrovnik (Croatia), the Public Television and Radio Company of Armenia became a fully-fledged member of this professional association of national broadcasters. Since 2004 PTRC was an associated member of the EBU. Thus, the Public Radio of Armenia gained the right to rebroadcast programs and participate in the projects of EBU.

In 2007 “Arevik” junior ensemble of Public Radio of Armenia was selected to represent Armenia for the first time at Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2007 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Arevik came second for Armenia with the song Erazanq.

In 2013 Public Radio of Armenia launched a web portal, with the help of the EBU, that connects producers and audiences of radio programmes targeted at young people across Europe. The LyunSe International portal aggregates current affairs stories from youth radio programmes across Europe and encourages interaction through a set of specialised forums. The portal’s development was supported by the EBU Partnership Programme and developed in Yerevan and Geneva.

Public Radio of Armenia – International news

On August 8, 1947 the decision was made to create an editorial group, which would prepare radio programs for Armenians living abroad. The first programme of this department was transmitted on Short Wave on August 10, 1947. USSR People’s Artist Vahram Papazyan reported the joyous news of kicking off the permanent programmes for diaspora. From 1957, in addition to broadcasts to the Middle East and Near East, broadcasts to the Western European countries were launched.

Currently Public Radio of Armenia is the only mass media in Armenia, which provides programmes in 14 languages (English, French, Spanish, German, Russian, Georgian, Arabic, Turkish, Farsi, Azerbaijani, Kurdish, Yazidi, Assyrian and Greek) www.armradio.info

International Public Radio of Armenia

International Public Radio of Armenia (Armenian: Հայաստանի հանրային ռադիո) is the international broadcasting service, established in 1967 under the label Radio Yerevan.[1] International Public Radio of Armenia broadcast on shortwave before 2006, then switching to online broadcasts. It broadcasts in a number of languages, including Armenian, Arabic, Azerbaijani, English, Farsi, French, Georgian, German, Russian, Spanish, and Turkish.

Ensembles and Orchestras

Ensembles are necessary to enrich the radio fund. They give a chance to record the present treasures of music at the same time reserve the recordings for the future as real cultural treasures in order to broadcast them for the future generations. It is particularly significant to have folk and symphonic orchestras within the station.

Currently the Public Radio of Armenia owns four orchestras – “Sayat-Nova” Minstrel Song Ensemble, Symphonic Ensemble, Folk Instruments Ensemble after Aram Merangulyan and “Arevik” junior ensemble. Each of them has left an indelible imprint on the history of Armenian radio.

The Symphonic and variety orchestra was founded in 1954. For already 20 years it is headed by Honoured Art Worker of Armenia Yervand Yerznkyan. Throughout these years he has been successfully collaborating with RA People’s Artist Martin Vardazaryan.

In 1978, 35 years ago, the first professional children’s ensemble was created in the Committee of TV Radio of Armenia, by the efforts of Gagik Ghazaryan and Rafael Badalyan: The ensemble was called “Arevik". Under the leadership of the first artistic director, composer Robert Petrosyan , the ensemble recorded several dozen songs for the radio gold fund. Cassettes were issued in the legendary "Melodia" firm. “Arevik” participated in many Transcaucasian international competitions and was awarded the laureate more than once. In 1986, Walter Hovhannisyan became the artistic director of the " Arevik “ ensemble. Under his leadership, the ensemble travelled, giving concerts in almost all the cities of the former Soviet Union. “Arevik” ensemble gave solo concerts in the United States, Iraq, Jordan, Bulgaria, Syria, and Lebanon and fascinated not only our countrymen but also the foreign audience. Six movie films were shot, 8 cassettes and more than 600 stock records were recorded about “Arevik”ensemble. In 1997 Armen Divanyan, a composer, took over the artistic leadership, and during his leadership all the beautiful traditions of the ensemble were maintained .In 2007, for the first time Public Radio’s”Arevik “ensemble raised the Armenian flag in Junior Eurovision contest, which was held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. To the delight of all Armenians "Arevik" returned home with a second honorary award. The “ Arevik” ensemble toured to United States, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Lebanon, Georgia and the Russian Federation by the invitation of the diaspora. In 2009, Armen Gevorgyan became the artistic director of the ensemble, who gave a new breath and freshness to “Arevik” ensemble’s playlist and the arrangements. "Arevik” ensemble’s new program was gladly accepted in Yerevan and in other regions of Armenia. In 2010, the ensemble was awarded the "Best children's video "award at the "National Music Awards” ceremony. In 2011, "Arevik” ensemble again travelled to the USA to give solo concerts. Since January 2012, a composer, conductor and musical stylist Vahe Hayrapetyan took over the artistic leadership of the “Arevik “ensemble. Until the end of 2012, the ensemble held recitals in Yerevan, Gyumri and Kapan. At present the ensemble works on a new playlist, without forgetting its already popular songs. The new children's repertoire consists of folk songs, dance songs and game songs. Both then and now, the talented children attend the "Arevik” ensemble with love, enthusiasm and energy, enjoying happy childhood music. Singing and dancing, laughing and applauding, the "Arevik ensemble is spreading smiles and happiness throughout the world for the Armenian and foreign children.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Jerome S. Berg, Broadcasting On The Short Waves, 1945 To Today (McFarland, 2008), p159

External links