Egyptian Radio


Egyptian Radio also known as the Egyptian Radio's General Program also popularly known as Radio Cairo is the pioneering Egyptian radio station that started broadcasting on 31 May 1934 in agreement with the Marconi Company. The General Manager of the station for the period was Said Basha Lotfi who presided over the station from May 1934 to December 1947.
In December 1947, the contract with Marconi was suspended in favour of an Egyptian national broadcasting station. The General Manager was replaced with Mohammed Beik Qasem presiding from December 1947 until August 1950.
The station is known also for its call "This is Cairo". It is considered the First Program of the ERTU.
The station had some of the best known Arab broadcasters of their time, including Ahmed Salem, Mohammed Fathi, Mohammed Mahmoud Shaaban, Hosney Al-Hadidy, Galal Moawwad, Safiyya Al-Mohamdis and Taher Abu Zeid. A widely known broadcaster, Ahmed Saiid, who became the Head of the subsequently created Voice of the Arabs, and whose voice became famous across the Middle East, was later disgraced after announcing the victory of the Egyptian Army during the Six-Day War of 1967.

Subsequent radio stations

Later on three main new radio channels were added, namely the pan-Arab The Voice of the Arabs in 1953, Egyptian Radio's Second Programme in 1957 and the pan-Arab Middle East Radio in 1964. All four stations broadcast on high powered medium wave transmitters covering most of the Middle East and North and East Africa.
Presently, ERTU, the Egyptian Radio and Television Union runs more than ten radio stations.