Radio Demerara

Radio Demerara was one of the oldest radio stations in Guyana. It was established as station ZFY in 1938, and became Radio Demerara in 1951.

History

In 1935, the demand for cricket commentary motivated the development of early radio broadcasting. Two stations came about at this time, VP3BG and VPSMR, and they were eventually amalgamed into Station ZFY.[1] Station ZFY operated from the Post Office until the building was consumed by the Great Fire of Georgetown in February 1945. After the fire it was relocated to North Road and New Garden Street. ZFY secured the first medium wave transmitter in 1945.

After being purchased by Overseas Rediffusion Ltd. in 1950, the station was renamed Radio Demerara. The station was moved to a professional studio in 1955, and in 1957 a new transmitting and receiving station was erected at Sparendaam on the East Coast Demerara. Licensing requirements included broadcasting of BBC material for 21 hours a week, and programmes provided by the Central Office of Information in London for 10 1/2 hours a week. In 1958, a second radio station by Demerara's parent company, British Guiana Broadcasting Service (BGBS), was made with a focus on broadcasting special events and sports coverage.

When the government of Guyana took over BGBS in 1968, additional facilities at Hadfield street Lodge were created and opened the station to technical aid from BBC’s Bush House in London.

After the official inauguration of the Guyana Broadcasting Corporation in 1979, the Guyana government[2] acquired all assets of Radio Demerara from Rediffusion organization, Broadcasting Relay (Overseas) Limited.[3]

Indian music

Radio Demerara had regular broadcasting of Indian music since the 1950's, starting with programing by Ayub Hamid and in 1959, Eshri Singh, who's show featured local performers of Indian musical genre.[4]

References
  1. Seymour, A.J. (1977). "Cultural Policy in Guyana". unesdoc.unesco.org. p. 53. Retrieved 2020-12-10.
  2. Mohammed, Shaheed Nick (2019-09-25). Global Radio: From Shortwave to Streaming. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1-4985-9496-7.
  3. "A brief history of radio in Guyana". Stabroek News. 2010-10-28. Retrieved 2020-12-10.
  4. Manuel, Peter Lamarche (2000). East Indian Music in the West Indies: Tān-singing, Chutney, and the Making of Indo-Caribbean Culture. CD. Temple University Press. p. 55. ISBN 978-1-4399-0570-8.
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