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Radio Bulgaria turns 88

Some fun facts about the history of Radio Bulgaria

RB in the news headlines

Photo: archive

In 1936, Radio Sofia (now BNR) began broadcasting abroad via a short-wave transmitter, which became popular as Radio Elza (the abbreviation comes from the station's international code - L-Z-A). Today, Radio Bulgaria provides the world with news from Bulgaria in 11 languages - Albanian, English, French, German, Greek, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Romanian, Turkish and Bulgarian.
We decided to see how the Bulgarian press has covered the history of Radio Bulgaria over the years, and have collected the most interesting bits of information for you. 
"Many Bulgarian radio listeners are not aware of the existence of the third national programme of Bulgarian National Radio, called Radio Bulgaria. But this does not bother those who work there, because they know that many Americans have not heard of the Voice of America either," writes Duma Daily.
"There is a certain radio station that is hardly listened to in Bulgaria. Against all logic, however, it is not going bankrupt or closing down. On the contrary. It has been broadcasting for 70 years because its listeners live outside Bulgaria. This is Radio Bulgaria," wrote the 24 Chasa daily on the occasion of the radio's anniversary in 2007. 
It turns out that "foreign governments listen to Radio Bulgaria", Trud reported in 1999. 44 commercial and investment banks, 38 government ministries, 26 academic institutions and numerous consulting firms are regularly informed about developments in the country, the article went on. 
In an interview with the newspaper Narodna Mladezh in 1985, Atanas Tsenov, then deputy editor-in-chief, said: "Many listeners abroad have organised 'Friends of Radio Sofia' clubs. There are about 300 of them, all united by their interest in Bulgaria. The clubs organise exhibitions on Bulgaria. They distribute the various materials we send them - posters, books - to their relatives and friends.
There is also an interesting story related to our listeners' love for Radio Bulgaria, told in the Trud's issue of 11 October 1993. "The first thing that an Argentinian saved from the flames of his burning house were the souvenirs he had received from Radio Bulgaria". He then asked his wife to write a letter to the editor because his hands were badly burnt...".
In the same article we read other curious facts. In a small Latin American town, the people of an entire street elected a correspondence manager because stamps to Bulgaria were expensive. And a high school teacher in an Australian state taped broadcasts from Radio Bulgaria and played them on the local FM station.
An amuzing story about our colleagues in the Albanian newsroom was published in Trud in 1998. When senior editor Zoya Kostadinova visited Albania for the first time, the customs officer recognised her... when she read her name from her passport. Some time later, at another checkpoint, another journalist was also identified by a customs officer as a representative of Radio Bulgaria. 
You can read more interesting facts here, as we wrap up with a quote from the newspaper Rabotnichesko Delo: "The journalists who prepare broadcasts abroad do not enjoy the popularity of the notorious radio and television 'stars'. Their work remains invisible to Bulgarian listeners and the public at home. But the many sincere letters and reviews that have crossed many borders are a recognition and a responsibility that obliges Radio Sofia's voice to sound pure and genuine on the air".

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