75 Years of Baghdad Radio

75 years ago, a voice saying ‘here’s Baghdad’ filled the Iraqi sky. The first Iraqi radio broadcast station celebrated recently its Diamond Jubilee. The occasion was an opportunity to reminiscence the historical events that changed the face of Iraq.

On July 1, 1936, the first radio station in Iraq emerged. It is known today by two names, the Republic of Iraq Radio or Baghdad Radio.

Baghdad Radio was launched from a mud room and started off with a three-hours broadcast for three days a week.

Baghdad Radio Director: “Radio Baghdad is the third radio established after the Cairo Radio and Palestine Radio”

The radio’s morning broadcasts used to start with a Bulbul singing for five minutes. The Bulbul’s voice was later adjusted for sound necessities, but the Bulbul remained an icon that characterized Baghdad Radio. The interesting fact here is the monthly salary dedicated to the Bulbul.

Anchor: “when the radio was first established, the radio director used to take a monthly payment to feed the Bulbul.”

The Bulbul used at the radio was real at first, but when it died, King Faisal the second granted Baghdad Radio an alternative mechanical bulbul which he had bought from London. This mechanical Bulbul is still working until now. Many Iraqis call him the ‘radio’s poet’ as they thought for years that it was real and not artificial.

Baghdad Radio attracted many intellectuals and artists, and expanded during the past years at a different pace, depending on the governing regime.

Anchor: “this is a leading Radio broadcast station with its creativity and its ability to provide qualified radio cadres”

The Iraqi government has set up this radio after the young King Ghazi, who was the second Iraqi king, founded in his palace his own radio. The funny thing here is that King Ghazi was the only one working for Al Zuhoor Radio. He was the one who prepares, presents and broadcasts. Al Zuhoor Radio was heard only in Baghdad and its signals were barely detected in other cities.

Original Report: Maged Abdel-Kader
Translation by: Shounaz Mekky

Speakers:
Radio Director
Anchors

Voice:
Nadia Idriss Mayen
Shounaz Mekky
Mourad Kirche
Mahmoud Jaber