PCJJ
| Type | International broadcaster |
|---|---|
| Country | Netherlands |
| Availability | International |
| Owner | Philips Laboratories |
|
Key people
|
Edward Startz |
|
Launch date
|
11 March 1927 |
| Dissolved | 15 April 1947, (nationalised), assets transferred to Radio Netherlands Worldwide |
PCJJ (later known as PCJ) was a pioneering shortwave radio station in the Netherlands operated by Philips Radio on behalf of Philips Laboratories, a division of Philips Electronics. It was the first shortwave radio station in Europe, and the first dedicated shortwave radio station in the world - previous stations had simulcast AM/medium wave broadcasts.
The station officially went on the air on 11 March 1927 broadcasting on 9930 kHz in a transmission to the Dutch East Indies with the words "Hello Dutch East Indies, this is PCJJ, the shortwave transmitter of Philips Laboratories in Eindhoven." PCJJ was soon broadcasting in English, Spanish, German and Dutch to a worldwide audience.
On 30 May and 1 June 1927, Queen Wilhelmina spoke over PCJJ to her colonial subjects in the Dutch East and West Indies.
PCJJ was likely the first shortwave radio stations in the world to provide distinct programming rather than a simulcast of domestic stations.
The multilingual Edward Startz joined PCJJ in 1928 and became its best known announcer. He created the light entertainment Happy Station show which became the world's longest running shortwave program and informally rechristened the station PCJ for Peace, Cheer and Joy.
In July 1927, Philips established PHOHI (Philips Omroep Holland-Indië or Philips Holland-India Broadcasting Station). The new venture originally shared PCJJ's transmitter until December 1928 when PCJJ's sister transmitter PHI was completed for PHOHI programming. PHI broadcast in Dutch to the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) and the Dutch West Indies (now the Netherlands Antilles) while PCJJ now broadcast in English, Spanish and German to Europe and the rest of the world. In 1929, PCJJ was renamed PCJ. Beginning in February 1929, PCJ broadcast experimental radio programmes on behalf of the League of Nations using the call letters PCLL. The shows were produce in Geneva and sent to PCJ by landline. The service was known as "Radio Nations" and its broadcasts via PCJ continued until the League of Nations' own transmitters, HBL and HBP were inaugurated in 1932.
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