主播大秀

“Govorit London” (“London calling”), said the announcer on the evening of Sunday 24 March 1946, thus starting the 主播大秀’s regular broadcasts in Russian to the Soviet Union.  According to the 1947 主播大秀 Yearbook, during that first transmission the 主播大秀 reminded its listeners “of the dark years of 1940 and 1941, when the Nazi invaders and their Fascist satellites seized almost all the major wireless stations in Europe, except those in the Soviet Union and Britain”, of the part the 主播大秀 had played in the war and how it must now play its role in helping to promote the peace.  “We must help to cement the bonds of understanding between the Nations and particularly between Britain and her Allies,” said the 主播大秀 in its first broadcast in Russian.

A little earlier – on 5 March 1946 - Churchill had appeared in Fulton, Missouri, to deliver his famous speech in which he mentioned the Iron Curtain. The British Prime Minister accused the Soviets of expansionism.  Residents of Europe were warned of a “Communist fifth column”.  In the Soviet Union, Stalin responded, talking to Pravda: “Mr Churchill and his friends in England and the USA give something of an ultimatum to non-English speaking nations: admit our supremacy voluntarily and all will be well – otherwise war is unavoidable.” 

It was against that setting of a nascent Cold War that the 主播大秀’s regular broadcasts in Russian started.  According to the same 主播大秀 Yearbook, 主播大秀 Russian broadcast news as well as items on science, medicine and culture; jazz music; football commentary.  It also brought its listeners the voices of Soviet leaders talking at international events outside the USSR. 

The brief of the 主播大秀 Russian service was to give: “a dispassionate presentation of the facts, both of world events (which would include a great deal that was concealed from the Soviet public) and of British and world opinion on the Soviet Government and its policy, giving the true proportion both of favourable and unfavourable opinion”. 

In other words, the imperative to deliver the news without any bias and to represent a full range of opinion.  These are the same principles that shape our work today: the delivery of unbiased, impartial as well as balanced and comprehensive information, though I don’t think we’ll ever stop the "passionate" element of the debates!

Veterans of the 主播大秀 Russian service like to reminisce about a time when it was considered ill-mannered for male presenters to appear in front of the microphone without a tie. This was a period when newsroom typists - mostly women, as befits the times - held up elegant, long, thin cigarette holders even as they worked their typewriters; when in the 主播大秀 canteen, waiters served food on fine china and offered silver cutlery with which to consume it.

Nostalgia aside, though, these same veterans will waste no time in reminding you that, throughout the Soviet era, the 主播大秀 provided our audiences in Russia with an opportunity to see beyond the party-controlled flow of information.  No wonder that the jamming by the Soviet authorities, that started in 1949, continued, on and off, until 1987. 

Over the decades that saw the fall of communism and very different realities emerging across the post-Soviet region, we have replaced shortwave radio with digital broadcasting; we are now on TV; we reach our audiences via social networks and messenger services. Our reporters (with or without ties) use selfie sticks to deliver multi-platform stories; our engineers are working on a system of automated translation and computer-generated voice-over of video material.  Virtual reality, 360 video and a great deal more is on the way – certainly bringing new dimensions, but also new challenges in the way we reach the diverse Russian-speaking audiences.

But what remains unchanged is our objective: to tell Russian-speakers about the world - and to tell the world about Russia and its neighbouring states. 

As with all anniversaries, today we remember the past and also look forward into the future. In the next few months we plan to launch several exciting projects. They will be part of the 主播大秀 World Service’s biggest expansion since the Forties. Read us, watch us and feel free to share your views with us and engage in the global conversation. And please join us in wishing 主播大秀 Russian a happy 70th birthday.

Artyom Liss is Regional Editor, Europe, 主播大秀 World Service.