Proclaimed by the UNESCO General Conference, and adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012 as an International Day, February 13 became World Radio Day.
Following a request from the Spanish Radio Academy, Spain proposed to proclaim a World Radio Day; the request was supported by UNESCO, and, in honour of the first World Radio Day in 2012, London hosted a large-scale celebration events, including series of seminars, to explore ways in which radio reaches even the most remote and vulnerable communities worldwide.
The 2021 year’s World Radio Day theme New World, New Radio recalls how this medium is part of humanity’s history by following the various developments in our society and adapting its services. As the world changes, so do radio.
Thus, during the COVID-19 pandemic, radio made it possible, for example, to ensure continuity of learning, to fight against misinformation, and to promote barrier gestures. The theme New World, New Radio is, therefore, an ode to the resilience of radio and tribute to its capacity for perpetual adaptation to the rhythm of societal transformations and listeners’ new needs.
Currently, there are four radio channels in Turkmenistan, including Char Tarapdan, Miras, Ovaz and Vatan.
It is noteworthy that in addition to traditional broadcasting via a network of terrestrial repeaters on medium and ultrashort radio frequency regions, Turkmen television and radio channels are also available in satellite format.
Satellite broadcasting of Turkmen media is provided with the national communications satellite TürkmenÄlem 52°E, which covers almost all Europe, northern Africa and a significant part of Asia. The total population of the whole territory is 1.2 billion people.
Outside the country, Turkmen television and radio are most popular among ethnic Turkmens living in other countries, as well as Turkmen citizens abroad. According to experts, the audience is almost 30 million listeners.