Radio Canada International
 |
|
| Type | International public broadcaster |
|---|---|
| Country | Canada |
| Availability | International |
| Owner | Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |
|
Launch date
|
February 25, 1945 |
|
Former names
|
CBC International Service (1945-1970) |
|
Official website
|
rcinet.ca |
Radio Canada International (RCI) is the international broadcasting service of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Prior to 1970, RCI was known as the CBC International Service. The broadcasting service was also previously referred to as the "Voice of Canada". In June 2012, shortwave services were terminated and RCI became accessible via the exclusively via Internet. It also reduced to services in five languages (in contrast with the 14 languages it used in 1990). CBC also ended production of RCI news.
The idea for creating an international radio voice for Canada was first proposed as far back as the 1930s. The CBC Archives website, however, has no archived news stories showing the historical documents where this early shortwave service is discussed. Several studies commissioned by the CBC Board of Governors in the late 1930s had come to the conclusion that Canada needed a radio service to broadcast a Canadian point of view to the world.
By the early 1940s, this need was also recognized by a series of Parliamentary Broadcasting Committees. Finally, in 1942, Prime Minister Mackenzie King announced that Canada would begin a shortwave radio service that would keep members of the Canadian Armed Forces in touch with news and entertainment from home. The CBC International Service became a reality with the signing of an Order-in-Council on September 18, 1942.
By the end of 1944, both the production facilities and the transmitting plant were ready for test broadcasts. These tests, which began on December 25, 1944, were broadcast to Canadian troops in Europe in both English and French. Psychological warfare in German to Europe began in December 1944 as well. The German section was staffed by refugees such as Helmut Blume and Eric Koch and would go on to broadcast "denazification" programming as well as broadcasts aimed at East Germany during the Cold War.
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Wikipedia