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100 Years of Czech Radio

Radio Junior

  • On 1 March 2023, Czech Radio’s station for its youngest listeners, Radio Junior, started broadcasting from a brand-new multimedia studio that contains elements of both a radio and television studio. The studio was a present for the station‘s 10th birthday, which it celebrated on site and on air in a relaxed atmosphere full of good humour and nice guests. | Photo: APF Czech Radio

    On 1 March 2023, Czech Radio’s station for its youngest listeners, Radio Junior, started broadcasting from a brand-new multimedia studio that contains elements of both a radio and television studio.|Photo: APF Czech Radio

  • One of the main assets of public radio news coverage is its network of top international reporters who provide instantaneous information from the centre of world events along with an in-depth knowledge of the local contexts. The photograph shows the reporter Petr Voldán interviewing an Afghan soldier. | Photo: APF Czech Radio

    One of the main assets of public radio news coverage is its network of top international reporters who provide instantaneous information from the centre of world events along with an in-depth knowledge of the local contexts.|Photo: APF Czech Radio

  • When in 1929 the station Radiojournal began constructing its first transmitter near Český Brod the locals were up in arms. They feared the unusually tall masts would disrupt the clouds, affect the weather and deprive farmers of water. However, as soon as the transmitter was completed and the first piano concerto was heard on those invisible waves, enthusiasm prevailed in the general vicinity of the transmitter. The network of transmitters grew and was not only enough to cover almost the whole of Czechoslovakia – under good atmospheric conditions, the signal could be heard practically anywhere on the globe. Measuring 355 meters, the transmitter in Liblice was the tallest structure in the country. Today Czech Radio has abandoned longwave, mediumwave and shortwave and broadcasts only on FM and DAB | Photo: APF Czech Radio

    Measuring 355 meters, the transmitter in Liblice was the tallest structure in the country. Today Czech Radio has abandoned longwave, mediumwave and shortwave and broadcasts only on FM and DAB|Photo: APF Czech Radio

  • SOČR/ Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra; Radiojournal’s own full-time orchestra started up in October 1926. Today the ensemble is still on the go, under the name Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra in English. Jožka Charvát, a student of Janáček’s, was its first head. The important Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů wrote several works especially for this orchestra. | Photo: APF Czech Radio

    Radiojournal’s own full-time orchestra started up in October 1926.|Photo: APF Czech Radio

  • The Czech Radio building is not only a Czech cultural monument – it is above all the soul of the station’s broadcasting. The functionalist reinforced concrete building from the 1930s boasts a number of historical gems, e.g., unique sliding windows and a paternoster. In the basement we can find remnants of a pipe mail system, which connected the Radio with the main post office and the Czech News Agency. | Photo: APF Czech Radio

    The breakup of Czechoslovakia also meant the division of radio into the Czech and Slovak parts. The planned new building on Pankrác turned out to be oversized, and the radio eventually remained in its current refuge on Vinohradská street.|Photo: APF Czech Radio

  • 1992 – 1993 The breakup of Czechoslovakia also meant the division of radio into the Czech and Slovak parts. The planned new building on Pankrác turned out to be oversized, and the radio eventually remained in its current refuge on Vinohradská street. Broadcasts commenced from the Studio Building in 2000. The historical building in Vinohradská Street also then underwent expert renovation in the early years of the new millennium. | Photo: Khalil Baalbaki, Czech Radio

    1992 – 1993 The breakup of Czechoslovakia |Photo: Khalil Baalbaki, Czech Radio

  • Conversations from Lány [Hovory z Lán] with President Václav Havel was program that symbolised the new era of the radio. The program commenced on 11.3.1990 and enabled the president to reflect more widely on the socio-political situation of the day and to inform listeners about many aspects of presidential life. The photograph from the recording of the initial program of Conversations from Lány on 24. 7. 1998 depicts (from the left) the Director General of Czech Radio, Vlastimil Ježek, Jiří Pehe, the announcer Robert Tamchyna and President Václav Havel. | Photo: APF Czech Radio

    1990 – 2000 Conversations from Lány|Photo: APF Czech Radio

  • 1989 Velvet Revolution. The Velvet Revolution marked a fundamental change for radio. Prohibited creators returned to the radio and news could begin to function independently. After many years of subordination to state authorities, radio was defined by law in 1992 as a public medium, paid directly by a fee from listeners. | Photo: APF Czech Radio

    1989 Velvet Revolution|Photo: APF Czech Radio

  • 1980 – 1985 Caution, sharp turn! One of the most listened to programs was Slovak Radio’s Caution, sharp turn! [Pozor, zákruta!] . Its success was not only due to its motoring reports, but also its good international music. That type of music found it easier to get onto the airwaves from the Bratislava studio than from Prague. | Photo: APF Czech Radio

    1980 – 1985 Caution, sharp turn!|Photo: APF Czech Radio

  • The main technological breakthrough in the seventies involved the  fully fledged advent of stereo in radio broadcasting. In 1970, news reporting received its own national station called Star [Hvězda]. The photograph shows an editor from the news editing team in the 1980s. | Photo: APF Czech Radio

    The main technological breakthrough in the seventies involved the  fully fledged advent of stereo in radio broadcasting.|Photo: APF Czech Radio

  • The Soviet occupation destroyed any hope for a revivalist process in Czechoslovakia and for Czechoslovak Radio’s ability to broadcast freely. The establishment of a government Office for Press and Information meant the revival of censorship. Political vetting took place in April 1970 and led to extensive personnel purges, as a consequence of which a full third of the employees had to leave the radio. | Photo: APF Czech Radio

    The Soviet occupation destroyed any hope for a revivalist process in Czechoslovakia and for Czechoslovak Radio’s ability to broadcast freely. The establishment of a government Office for Press and Information meant the revival of censorship. |Photo: APF Czech Radio

  • 1968 Victims of the fight for radio; One of the first victims was a toolmaker from the Prague Transport Company, Milan Kadlec, who had been knocked down along with a number of others by an out of control freight vehicle on the corner of Vinohradská and Italská Streets. Crowds of people attended his funeral in the Church of Saint Matthew in Prague (in the photograph). Milan Kadlec and the others who fell trying to defend the radio in August 1968 are remembered today by a memorial plaque next to the main entrance into the Radio Building on Vinohradská Street. | Photo: APF Czech Radio

    Battle for Czech Radio 1968 - One  of  the first victims was Milan Kadlec, who had been knocked down along with a number of others by an out of control freight vehicle on the corner of Vinohradská and Italská and Italská Streets.|Photo: APF Czech Radio

  • 1968 Battle for Czech Radio; The small revolution that Czechoslovak Radio underwent in the 1960s ended with the invasion of the troops from the Warsaw Pact. The Radio Building became the site of the greatest clashes between the outraged public and the soldiers of the foreign armies. Czechoslovak Radio was occupied at 9 am on 21 August, but it proved possible to maintain the broadcasts despite the occupiers’ attempts to disrupt them. | Photo: APF Czech Radio

    The small revolution that Czechoslovak Radio underwent in the 1960s ended with the invasion of the troops from the Warsaw Pact. The Radio Building became the site of the greatest clashes between the outraged public and the soldiers of the foreign armies.|Photo: APF Czech Radio

  • 1960 – 1967 Gott, Neckář, Kubišová….; Popular music experienced an exceptional boom. Artists brought with them contemporary Western influences. This was also assisted by hit parades and rankings of popular music that had been taboo until that time. The radio play underwent its own renaissance and several of its incarnations also received international awards thanks to the exceptional acting personalities and the new generation of directors. | Photo: APF Czech Radio

    Popular music experienced an exceptional boom. Artists brought with them contemporary Western influences. This was also assisted by hit parades and rankings of popular music that had been taboo until that time. |Photo: APF Czech Radio

  • 1948 – 1959 — The monitoring service; The news at the beginning of the 1950s was distinguished by a departure from the classic provision of information in favour of “constructive” broadcasting. This was intended to educate the listeners and to motivate them to fulfil the first five-year plan. Bohuš Ujček, a rising star in the field of political broadcasts, reported from both the countryside and from state enterprises for the Radio Newspaper. | Photo: APF Czech Radio

    The news at the beginning of the 1950s was distinguished by a departure from the classic provision of information in favour of “constructive” broadcasting. This was intended to educate the listeners and to motivate them to fulfil the first five-year plan.|Photo: APF Czech Radio

  • 1945 – 1948 — The monitoring service; After the war, a  monitoring service was established under Czechoslovak Radio and based in the National House in Karlín. Its almost fifty employees monitored the news reports of several tens of international stations 24 hours a day. The results of their work were used in circulars that served the needs of various ministries, state bodies and own radio news service. | Photo: APF Czech Radio

    After the war, a  monitoring service was established under Czechoslovak Radio and based in the National House in Karlín.|Photo: APF Czech Radio

  • 1945 - The May Uprising and the fight for the radio; Czech Radio played an exceptional role in the May Uprising of 1945. Radio broadcasts helped organise the uprising and cooperation of the insurgents. The photograph most probably depicts two such fallen civilians at the intersection of present-day Vinohradská and Balbínova streets. | Photo: APF Czech Radio

    Czech Radio played an exceptional role in the May Uprising of 1945. Radio broadcasts helped organise the uprising and cooperation of the insurgents.|Photo: APF Czech Radio

  • A total of fifteen radio personnel died during the six years of Nazi persecution. The reporter František Kocourek was one of them. After being arrested twice and likewise refusing to collaborate with the Gestapo twice, his life ended tragically at Auschwitz in May 1942. One of Kocourek’ s last photographs (in the middle) was taken at Vyšehrad on 7 May 1939, from where he was broadcasting a live report on the official interment of the earthly remains of Karel Hynek Mácha in the cemetery there. | Photo: APF Czech Radio

    A total of fifteen radio personnel died during the six years of Nazi persecution. The reporter František Kocourek was one of them (in the middle)|Photo: APF Czech Radio

  • In the 1930s, the Radiojournal radio company persistently organised a large number of promotional events intended to spread awareness of the significance of the radio among the citizens of Czechoslovakia and to acquire new licence holders. A promotional bus equipped with speakers for group listening sessions often travelled around the country, especially to rural areas. In 1937, the number of licence holders in Czechoslovakia reached one million. | Photo: Czech Radio

    The promotional bus equipped with speakers for group listening sessions often travelled around the country, especially to rural areas. In 1937, the number of licence holders in Czechoslovakia reached one million. |Photo: Czech Radio

  • 1928 – 1932: The rapid development of radio, The photograph from 27 October 1928 im - mortalises the president in the audience hall at Prague Castle during a  speech to the representatives of the government upon the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Czechoslovak Republic. The recording of this speech was only the second audio recording to be stored in the Radiojournal archive on a gramophone record: the first was a recording of his speech to some children one day earlier. | Photo: archive of Czech Radio

    The photograph from 27 October 1928 im - mortalises the president in the audience hall at Prague Castle during a  speech to the representatives of the government upon the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Czechoslovak Republic.|Photo: archive of Czech Radio

  • May 1923, broadcast of a musical performance from the scout tent in Kbely | Photo: archive of Czech Radio

    May 1923, broadcast of a musical performance from the scout tent in Kbely|Photo: archive of Czech Radio

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Photogallery

Hiking through Drbákov-Albertovy skály

  • Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

    Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

  • Bartůňek’s lookout, named after Karel Bartůněk, who helped build a nature trail here | Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

    Bartůňek’s lookout, named after Karel Bartůněk, who helped build a nature trail here|Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

  • The Bílá skála lookout spot | Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

    The Bílá skála lookout spot|Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

  • The Drbákov-Albertovy skály national nature reserve | Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

    The Drbákov-Albertovy skály national nature reserve|Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

  • Heather on White Rock (Bílá skála) | Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

    Heather on White Rock (Bílá skála)|Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

  • There are chains on some sections of the trail for safety reasons | Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

    There are chains on some sections of the trail for safety reasons|Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

  • Monument to František “Robin” Veselý by the Albert lookout spot | Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

    Monument to František “Robin” Veselý by the Albert lookout spot|Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

  • View of Slapy Dam and Shark Bay | Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

    View of Slapy Dam and Shark Bay|Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

  • View of the Vltava River from Albert Rocks | Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

    View of the Vltava River from Albert Rocks|Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

  • Tthe viewpoint that follows the White Rock | Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

    Tthe viewpoint that follows the White Rock|Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

  • Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

    Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

  • Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

    Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

  • Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

    Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

  • Monument to František “Robin” Veselý by the Albert lookout spot | Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

    Monument to František “Robin” Veselý by the Albert lookout spot|Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

  • Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

    Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

  • Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

    Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

  • Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

    Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

  • František Veselý | Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

    František Veselý|Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

  • The Albert lookout spot | Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

    The Albert lookout spot|Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

  • U Křížku crossroads | Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

    U Křížku crossroads|Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

  • Drbákov-Albertovy skály trail | Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

    Drbákov-Albertovy skály trail|Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

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Video

Czechia in 30 minutes

Czechia in 30 minutes

Czechia in 30 minutes
John Bok | Photo: Ian Willoughby, Radio Prague International

EP80: John Bok

Pre-1989 dissident John Bok, whose parents met in England during WWII, looks back on a fascinating life. Close at one time to Havel, he stood up to the StB more than most.

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