THE RADIO (1830-1962)
A brief historical overview:
The first radio station in Algeria was established in 1925 by some French companies to promote their sales. However, it should be noted that the first real radio station was in 1929, under the authority of the governor general, and it was used for propaganda during the centennial celebrations of the occupation organised by the French government.
Ten years later (July 1929), a decree was issued to organise French radio broadcasting in Algeria under an independent administration called National Radio Broadcasting. A year later, there were two stations, one broadcasting in Arabic and the other in French. During the same period, another station was established in Oran (1943) broadcasting in Arabic. In 1945, the French radio was merged with the Algerian radio, overseen by the governor general (composed of members: 03 Muslims, 06 with interests in radio affairs, 06 representing radio employees). This was followed by stations in Annaba (1945), Tlemcen (1946), and a station broadcasting in Amazigh(1950).
Stages of radio development:
It went through three main stages:
First. The first phase 1925-1940: The radio was directed towards the settler minority, addressing them in French. However, it recorded strong programs during the centenary celebration of the occupation.
Secondly.
The second phase 1946-1954: It was characterised by a dual discourse, where France adopted a propaganda ideology to promote its culture and endear it to the indigenous population, by broadcasting various cultural and entertainment programs...
Thirdly.
The phase 1954-1962: It was characterised by the intensification of misleading French propaganda for public opinion and the distortion of the revolutionary work.
The benefit of the liberation revolution from radio work:
The liberation revolution benefited from Arab media support to convey the voice of Algerians regionally and internationally, including the Voice of the Arabs radio studio (1952), and the establishment of the weekly Maghreb Corner. The November 1st statement was broadcast by a representative of the National Liberation Front, "The Revolution Explodes in Algeria," through the airwaves of the Voice of the Arabs radio studio, which later dedicated a program after the establishment of the provisional government in 1958 titled "Voice of the Algerian Republic."
In addition to a series of programs, the National Liberation Front worked on broadcasting from Maghreb cities, including "Here is the Voice of the Sisterly Algeria," which was broadcast from Tunisia in 1955.
The revolutionary radio: It went through two phases:
1. The mobile radio phase The phase of mobile broadcasting
The Soummam Conference on August 20, 1956, emphasised the necessity of hastening the establishment of an Algerian radio station to carry and disseminate the cause to the world. This contributed to the creation of a mobile secret radio station (Voice of Free Fighting Algeria) on December 16, 1956, broadcasting in Arabic, Berber, and French. The broadcast duration is two hours at night from the Moroccan border, and the truck moves continuously to avoid French shelling.
2. Fixed broadcasting phase The fixed broadcasting phase
It began on 12/07/1959, a period characterised by the improvement of radio broadcasting and the restructuring of the material and human resources of the radio station. A well-studied and permanent programming network was also relied upon. It also relied on strong voices proficient in the Arabic language (such as Issa Massoudi).
- The Radio of the Third Historical Wilaya, led by Si Amrouche, "The Voice of the Struggling Algeria from the Heart of Algeria," 20/08/1958
In addition to the radios of Tetouan, Tangier, Oujda, Cairo, Tripoli, and Benghazi, as well as other Arab countries like Baghdad, Damascus, and others.