Radio Free Europe was established in 1950 by the National Committee for a Free Europe to promote democratic values and institutions through the transmission of information. Until 1971, the CIA funded the radio station, which was used for psychological warfare. After the public became aware of the CIA’s involvement, the station became a non-profit corporation registered in Delaware. In 1975, Radio Free Europe merged with Radio Liberty, and the station became known as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. The station’s headquarters moved to the Czech Republic in 1995, and it now broadcasts in 28 languages via radio and the internet.
Radio Free Europe is a radio organization based in Europe and the Middle East. In 1949, the National Committee for a Free Europe was formed in New York, and Radio Free Europe was established as the committee’s radio station. The headquarters of the radio station was based in Munich and the first broadcast was broadcast on 4 July 1950.
Radio Free Europe’s mission was the promotion of democratic values and institutions through the transmission of concrete information and ideas. Until 1971, the listening public was unaware that funding for Radio Free Europe came from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The funds were passed to the CIA via the US Congress.
The original purpose of Radio Free Europe was to broadcast news to the people behind the Iron Curtain. The CIA, however, used the radio station to wage psychological warfare from behind the Iron Curtain. All of the programming guidelines and much of the news were actually created by the CIA. When the public became aware of the CIA’s involvement in Radio Free Europe, the organization became a non-profit corporation registered in the state of Delaware. The International Broadcasting Bureau took over the radio station.
In 1975, Radio Free Europe had merged with the anti-Communist radio station Radio Liberty. Radio Liberty was created in 1951 by the American Committee for the Liberation of the Peoples of Russia. From then on, the station became known as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Soviet authorities at the time were constantly trying to disrupt the station’s broadcasts by jamming the radio signals.
With the fall of the Soviet Union, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty experienced many budget cuts. The station’s headquarters moved many times until it settled in the Czech Republic in 1995. The current content of the radio station is diverse and includes political news, sports and music programmes. The programs are written, produced and presented by the citizens of the country in which they are based.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has expanded to many different parts of the world. There is now a Radio Free Iraq and a Radio Free Afghanistan. Today Radio Free Europe broadcasts around 1,000 hours of content per week. It can be heard in 28 languages via radio and the Internet, and can be found on AM and FM shortwave radio.
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