Bulgarian National Radio Celebrates 78th Anniversary

The Bulgarian National Radio celebrates Friday the 78th anniversary since its establishment by a decree of Tsar Boris III.

In occasion of the anniversary, BNR offers a special program lineup during the day while in the evening the date will be marked by a gala concert with the participation of the radio's Big Band and Bulgarian pop diva, Lili Ivanova. The concert will air live on the radio and online. The radio will bestow its traditional annual awards under the name of its first director "Sirak Skitnik."

The team of the BNR "Horizont" (Horizon) program is the nominee for the award over their 40th anniversary and their leadership in national radio journalism.

On January 25 1935, Boris III orders the radio broadcast to become State property.

Until that date there has been a radio station in Sofia managed and owned by the public organization known as "Hometown Radio". Many of the Bulgarian intellectual elite at the time have participated in the organization and the broadcasts. The cities of Varna and Stara Zagora had similar regional broadcasts, managed on the same principle.

Panayot Todorov aka Sirak Skitnik (Orphan Wanderer) was appointed as the first Director of the State Sofia Radio. By becoming State property, the radio was able to expand its program lineup to include not just news, but music and educational programs. The first radio musical bands in Bulgaria were also created.