Today is February 13, the tenth World Radio Day. Today, thousands of journalists across the country are celebrating this day. At the request of Spain, at the call of the United Nations, Radio Day has been observed on February 13 every year since 2011.
Radio, the most effective means of communication, is accessible to the general public, inexpensive, and ubiquitous. Although the prevalence of radio is shrinking with the development of technology, radio is the only means of communication for millions of remote Nepalese. Radio Nepal is considered to be the first radio station in Nepal to start broadcasting on March 6, 2007, but it was launched in the international arena 30 years ago.
The Italian scientist who invented radio. Are Marconi. According to sources, Marconi discovered the radio wave in 1895. Only 24 years later, radio was practically started broadcasting. In October 1919, the Washington House Company opened the first practical radio station in Pittsburgh, USA. The world's first official radio broadcast was from Pennsylvania, USA in 1920. In the same decade, radios began to open widely in the United States and the United Kingdom.
According to historians, the theory of electromagnetic waves related to radio broadcasting was formulated in 1860. However, it took a long time to prove it in practice. In 1895, Marconi proved the theory that sound can be transmitted without wires. Radio is believed to have been formally invented after that. Six years later, in 1901, radio technology spread around the world after Macroni made sound signals 2,100 miles away.
Similarly, the British Broadcasting Company was established in 1922, which in 1927 became the British Broadcasting Corporation. Whatever the purpose for which Marconi invented radio, the role of radio in the development, change and transformation of society is found to be very important. It is said that radio was officially opened in Nepal only after 2007 BS.
In a media reader published by the Federation of Nepali Journalists, Badri Poudyal was quoted as saying that Radio Nepal, which has been operating unofficially for the past seven years, has become the first official radio station in Nepal. Informally, radio is played in the eastern hill districts as 'Radio Democracy'.
It is said that the same radio was later established in Biratnagar. Tarani Prasad Koirala is considered to be the first radio worker of Nepal, but it is mentioned in the 2007 Bharati magazine that Nepali radio worker Devendra Raj Upadhyay became the editor of All India Radio Delhi, which broadcasts from India. Editor Upadhyay and news anchor Ms. Leela are seen reading news on the radio in issue 1 of Bharati's Year Two.
Umakanta Acharya, 97, of Makwanpur says that foreign radios dominated Nepal at that time. According to him, radios like BBC, Vividh Bharati, All India used to broadcast programs in Nepali language. "Those programs were listened to by the general public on a licensed radio station where only a few bigwigs were present. The bigwigs used to be very proud to be able to tell the villagers by putting a 6 to 10 big battery-powered radio with a wooden frame and full velvet cloth shell, ”says Acharya. According to him, some big men used to distribute roasted maize, gundruk and mohi to the listeners. Somewhere the listeners took turns bringing corn, bread, gundruk, radish pickle, listening to the radio and eating.
Thus, the practice of listening to the radio in groups was still prevalent before the people's movement of 1963 BS. After the establishment of Radio Nepal, its programs were also very popular. Radio Nepal's programs and presenters are still in the minds of many. Before 2054 BS, Radio Nepal was the sole market. Listeners of that time still listen to the programs and advertisements broadcasted by Radio Nepal. Laxmi Bhusal's Harigaran's Thego is still hanging in the vernacular. The ad, "Elephant and elephant print slippers are the same, Nanu," is now a myth. Some advertise as an example to prove their point.
Presenters of the older generation are late Praveen Giri, late Pandav Sunuwar, Dahal Yagnanidhi, Krishna Tamrakar, Madhav Ghimire, late Vasudev Munal, Dhan Lama, Nopur Bhattacharya, Mira Rana, Tara Thapa, Shri Pradhan, Rabin Sharma, Babita Basnet, Komal Oli to Navraj Lamsal, Connoisseurs of the voices of Tika Bhandari, Amar Dhwaj Lama, Navin Dahal, Chanda Bisht and many others are still found today. Listeners still remember the names of artist director Madandas Shrestha, technician Jitendra Mahat Abhilashi, Bam Bahadur Thapa, etc., which will be aired on Saturday at 1.30 pm.
Apart from Radio Nepal, it was customary to listen to programs of other radios broadcast in Nepali language at that time. The credibility of the BBC Nepali service was evident in the minds of the people. As Radio Nepal was government-run, it seemed pro-government. Intellectual listeners used to take the BBC as a link to evaluate the facts of news related to certain events. The BBC, which became world famous for being balanced and clear, had won the hearts of Nepali listeners through its Nepali service. For entertainment, Nepali programs aired on All India, Radio Kharsang, Vividh Bharati, China International Radio and other radio programs were listened to. Today the situation has changed.
FM Radio, FM Kathmandu Radio Nepal was introduced in Nepal for the first time on 30 October 2054 BS. Later, after the law was enacted to allow the private sector to operate FM radios from 2054 BS, Radio Sagarmatha became the first private sector independent radio station in South Asia. Since then, the number of radios opened in different parts of the country has reached thousands. It is said that the number of radio workers has exceeded five thousand.
