National Radio Day: Celebrating Moldova's voice
Today is National Radio Day, commemorating Public Radio's contribution to promoting culture and national identity.
For 96 years, Radio Moldova has been a presence in our homes, bringing us breaking news, informative programs, entertainment, cultural broadcasts, distinguished guests, and quality music. For decades, generations of journalists, directors, and presenters have served the public by providing accurate and impartial information.
"Radio Moldova means music for the soul, emotions, the most beautiful memories, and feelings experienced day after day with guests and listeners; it's a way of life," says Elena Stegari, general producer of Radio Moldova. She emphasises that respect for people is always at the forefront of the work of radio journalists, who approach their work with honesty, passion, and dedication.
"I've been working at Radio Moldova for 11 years. When I first went on air, I was incredibly nervous," Stegari recalls. "My colleague, Ion Jalbă, helped me to calm my nerves, and as the broadcast went on, I started to relax and enjoy myself. A little while later, I became a presenter at Radio Moldova. Now I'm leading a new team at Radio Moldova Youth, made up of 14 young people who are passionate about radio."
The company "Teleradio - Moldova" approached Parliament last year with an initiative to establish National Radio Day on November 1st, instead of October 30th, as it was previously observed. Vlad Țurcanu, general director of the institution, noted that this allows them to honour all the people who laid the foundation of national radio in Basarabia, restoring a historical truth.
"Radio continues to be relevant today, even with the emergence of newer, more modern stations that are popular with young audiences," Țurcanu stated. "It has an extra dose of warmth, conveyed by the voices of our experienced broadcasters, honed over time. We strive to maintain this charm by modernising our forms of expression."
Radio Moldova is the voice that has been with us for generations, a landmark of unity and stability for the people, said Daniel Vodă, spokesperson for the Government, in a congratulatory message.
"Radio Moldova is not just a simple radio station; it is a reliable friend, a credible source of information, and a bridge between people, no matter where they are, at home or abroad," Vodă emphasised. "Each broadcast, each news report carries a part of our soul, of our identity and our common values. For many of us, Radio Moldova is the place where we first heard the music that moved us, where we heard the voices that guided us, and where we always found understanding and connection."
National Radio Day has been observed on November 1st since 2023. Previously, the year of the founding of national radio was considered 1930, when a Soviet station was established in Tiraspol. In reality, the first radio transmission on the current territory of the Republic of Moldova took place on November 1st, 1928, via Radio Bucharest's signal. Later, Radio Basarabia, the precursor to Radio Moldova, was created in Chișinău.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
