Sudan Radio

The beginning of the radio

Sudan radio was launched in May 1940, during the Second World War, broadcasting for half an hour daily.

*In 1942 the radio stationed was transferred from Omdurman post office to a hired house in Omdurman west of the midwifes school where it started broadcasting in the medium wave 524 meters for a full hour transmission daily.

*In 1949 and for the first time the recording system on diskettes was introduced for recording songs and later plays and programs.

*The current radio station was built in 1957 where the magnetic tape was introduced.

*The microphone went out for outside broadcasting coverage for the first time in 1951.

Broadcasting Hours:

The longest period of broadcasting of 17 hours daily was reached in 1962. Opening at 6 AM and closing at 11PM. So the transmission began with half an hour extended to 50 minutes and later to an hour increasing gradually to reach 3.75 hours – and later continued expanding till it covered all through the day for 24 hours.

The Transmission Stations:

Alarda: Medium wave 524 meters – power of 50KW.

Alfetehab :Two short waves 25-60 meters – power 20KW.

Suba: Two medium waves 312- 393 meters — power of 100 KW + a short wave 41—power of 120 KW.

Reba: Medium wave 231meters —power 1500 KW.

Sudan Radio and The Digital technology:

*Digital system was first introduced in 2000 when the radio imported digital equipment in the form of computer network “a French Company NETIA”.

* in 2001 an experimental transmission was held inside the radio station premises through microphones and the system was adopted an applied with its new technology which helped in promoting the service. Hence the radio started an era of computer network in all broadcasting forms.

The News Network:

It was a change of the news work from the classical manual work to a computerized through a computer program linking the entire news desk in four stages:

1-news collection.

2-sorting out and selection.

3-final editing of the news bulletin.

4-transmission of the news bulletin.

The Audio Network:

It is the incorporation of the radio work for the stage of feeding , recording , editing, coordination and transmission , all involved in a network including a number of computer programs specially designed for the broadcasting purposes in its following stages:

1- The recording and digital treatment

2- The coordination stage.

3- The transmission stage.

Hectic work is going on in progress for the digital archiving of the contents of the audio library.

Radio Services:

1- The general program service, which is the national and main one.

2- The holy Quran service: it started in 1970 and it is concerned with the holy Quran sciences and religious programs.

3- Sudanese home service: it is a light variety program service concerned with the Sudanese family affairs, culture, and good traditions in the venue of a healthy society atmosphere.

4- The radio exchange service: started in march 2006 on the occasion of the convening of the 18th Arab summit in Khartoum. It is the first of its kind in the Arab word as it benefits from the great storage of radio materials in the Arab State Broadcasting Union.

5- Peace Radio: this service started in January 5th 2008 , as a community radio serving peace culture to further enhance the CPA and stability all over the country.

6- The European Service: it is a radio service broadcasting in English and French languages.

7- The Nation’s memory service: It is an FM service broadcasting materials from Sudan radio library contents.

8- Work is going on to launch a special service for the youth and sports.

Sudan Radio and the foreign participations

At an initiative from Sudan the idea of forming a union for the Arab states Radios was introduced. Sudan presided over the session which followed the opening meeting in Baghdad to form the union. Since the formation of the union Sudan is actively participating in all its activities, meetings, and its mutual and group exchanges.

In the radio field the ASBU introduced the V.SAT network which runs through Arab Sat satellites. The radio exchange system was modernized through the MINOS system which provides better connection with all the stats and the corporations of the ASBU member states. Sudan Radio has reflected a great information and knowledge about Sudan through the exchange network of programs news , economy , culture, and sports in addition to the transmission of joint evening programs and meetings with many Arab states .

Sudan radio is also participating in the periodical meetings which organized by the ASBU annually.

It also opened an opportunity for work and exchange of expertise with other broadcasting stations such as London, Voice of Germany and the Arabic section of china world service.