MOSCOW, October 29 (RIA Novosti) — On this day 85 years ago, on October 29, 1929, Radio Moscow, now known to the world as Radio VR, began its first international broadcast, transmitting in German. It would soon begin broadcasting in French and English as well. The service has come a long way since then, covering many dramatic events and global changes along the way, and now broadcasts in over thirty languages.
In honor of the occasion, the station’s staff has been celebrating, reflecting on the past and recalling what makes the radio station so special to them and their listeners.
Estelle Winters, a veteran broadcaster with the station since 1990, noted on the occasion that the station “has been shaping Russia’s image worldwide, introducing the country to the world and highlighting its stand on events worldwide.” Commenting on the station’s spectacular development, Winters said that “today, one can listen to the Radio VR’s programs in 33 languages — both on the air and on the Internet.” Winters is excited about the evolution of the station’s ability to communicate with listeners, noting that “millions of people have joined us on social networks such as Twitter and Facebook. And, of course, we continue to receive letters from our listeners. Thank you all! Let’s keep up the dialogue!”
Hailing the professionalism of the station’s staff, broadcaster Gregory Petukhov noted that, “to paraphrase a famous Russian saying, a journalist in Russia is more than just a journalist. People working for our English-language service have to be translators, announcers, producers and – sometimes — even try their hand at singing.”
Earlier this year, the Voice of Russia network, now known as Radio VR, became part of the Rossiya Segodnya international multimedia news agency. Commenting on the decision, Petukhov noted that while “this may be considered a turning point in the history of our radio station…our major strategic goal remains unchanged, [which] is to provide prompt, balanced and unbiased coverage of world events and to offer audiences abroad the Russian perspective on the news.”
