Rádio MEC celebrates 100 years and announces special programming

Rádio MEC celebrated 100 years this Wednesday (20) at an event at Teatro da Caixa Nelson Rodrigues, in Rio de Janeiro. The public broadcaster, which has content aimed at education, art and culture, was created in 1923 by scientists Roquette-Pinto and Henrique Morize. To mark the historic date, a special schedule was announced that will enter the broadcaster’s schedule over the next few months. Among the novelties, the highlight is the series starring the writer Ruy Castro, which will air on Sundays at 10 pm, starting on the 23rd. It is based on the author’s book, Metrópole à Beira-Mar. Also planned are: the program Memória: Rádio MEC 100 anos, with 100 historical programs from the collection; the presentation of the National Symphony Orchestra on May 10th, live, on the radio; the broadcast of the Rio das Ostras Jazz and Blues Festival (June 8-11); the concert with Petrobras Sinfônica at the National Museum (September 7); and the MEC 100 Years Radio Prize (September 25). The director of Content and Programming at Empresa Brasil de Comunicação (EBC), Antonia Pellegrino, said that one of the priorities of the new management is to digitize the collection of Rádio MEC. “This is very important to ensure that it doesn’t get lost, as we saw in the case of the collections of some museums in Brazil. It is also a way of making our collection available for consultation by researchers, students and the curious. And it is a necessary step for Radio MEC to be classified as a Brazilian intangible heritage by IPHAN [Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional], a recognition of the importance and contribution that radio has made to Brazil as a disseminator of culture and science”. Executive Manager of Radio at EBC, Thiago Regotto, reinforced that the moment is favorable to invest in the growth of MEC and bring it even closer to the public. “There are a lot of cool things that we can do in the current scenario, which was difficult to execute before due to budget difficulties. Today, public communication and Radio MEC appear as priorities. So we’re going to do everything we can to reach more people, to feature different and relevant content on the schedule.” In addition to the news, Rádio MEC promises to continue strengthening the programs that receive positive feedback from the public. This is the case of Blim-Blem-Blom, led by composer and music producer Tim Rescala for 11 years. “The program is very popular with families. I have this feedback, which makes me very happy, also for the music teachers, who use the program in the classroom. So, this shows that this didactic and educational aspect, which marks the radio, puts us on the right path. We are managing to bring classical music to children in a playful way”. Photo: Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil The president of the EBC, Hélio Doyle, recalled that the centenary of the MEC is proof that the pessimistic predictions about the end of the radio did not materialize. And that the broadcaster will continue to adapt and be an important means of communication in Brazilian society. “I heard the story that radio was going to end when television came along. Afterwards, there was talk of the end of radio because of the internet. The radio revitalizes itself, renews itself. And it will not cease to exist because it is the means of communication most accessed by people. It is what arrives more easily, which depends less on sophisticated technologies. Whether in the interior of the Amazon or anywhere else, radio gets there. It will not end, it will recreate itself”. History MEC was the first radio station in Brazil. Successor of Rádio Sociedade, created on April 20, 1923 by Edgard Roquette-Pinto and Henrique Morize, it played an important role in the musical and cultural formation of the country. On July 5, 2022, it was declared Historical and Cultural Intangible Heritage of Rio de Janeiro. Donated in 1936 to the Ministry of Education, Rádio MEC has been managed since 2007 by the EBC. With around 50,000 recordings and productions, the station has a wealth of recordings by personalities such as Getúlio Vargas, Monteiro Lobato, Cecília Meireles, Manuel Bandeira, Fernanda Montenegro and Carlos Drummond de Andrade.

Agência Brasil