Radio Ceylon Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
Radio Ceylon is the oldest radio station in South Asia. They say that broadcasting was started on an experimental basis in Ceylon by the Telegraph Department in 1923, just three years after the inauguration of broadcasting in Europe.In the first ever radio experiments in Colombo, gramophone music was broadcast from a tiny room in the Central Telegraph Office with the aid of a small transmitter built by the Telegraph Department engineers from the radio equipment of a captured German submarine.
The experiment was a real success and three years later, on December 16, 1925, a regular broadcasting service came to be instituted in Ceylon.
Edward Harper who came to Ceylon as Chief Engineer of the Telegraph Office in 1921, was the first person to actively promote broadcasting in Ceylon.
Harper launched the first experimental broadcast - he also founded the Ceylon Wireless Club together with British and Ceylonese radio enthusiasts in the city of Colombo. These were exciting times where radio in South Asia was concerned. Many regard Edward Harper as 'the Father of Broadcasting in Ceylon.'
Radio Ceylon has produced some of the finest announcers of South Asia among them Livy Wijemanne,Vernon Corea, Pearl Ondaatje, Tim Horshington, Greg Roskowski, Jimmy Barucha, Mil Sansoni, Eardley Peiris,Shirley Perera, Bob Harvie, Chris Greet, Prosper Fernando, Ameen Sayani (of Binaca Geet Mala fame), S.P. Mylvaganam (the first Tamil Announcer on the Commercial Service), H.M.Gunasekera, Vijaya Corea, Eric Fernando, Nihal Bhareti and Leon Belleth.
The Hindu Newspaper placed Ameen Sayani and Vernon Corea of Radio Ceylon in the top five great broadcasters of the world.