Happy Station Show
Encyclopedia
The Happy Station Show is the world's longest-running international radio programme, having originated in 1928 on shortwave radio. Its run has been interrupted twice - from 1940 until 1946 due to World War II and again from 1995 when it was cancelled until its revival in 2009.
first by the private Philips Radio station
PCJJ
(later PCJ), and from 1946 by Radio Netherlands
. Separate English
and Spanish
versions were broadcast, in addition to the multi-lingual version. It could be received all over the world. Popular music from Europe
and various other countries was mixed with vintage
recordings and multilingual chatter, switching back and forth between English, Spanish and Dutch by hosts each Sunday. It became popular since it gave listeners a chance to travel in their armchair during a period when international
travel
was difficult for most people. It also pioneered call-in shows, in both the English and Spanish versions, during the latter part of the 1970s. The show followed a format
of light entertainment
, special guests, music, and information about Dutch life. Edward "Eddie" Startz presented the programme from its inception until his retirement in the early 1970s. Tom Meijer took over the English and Spanish versions until his own retirement. He was followed by Pete Myers and Jonathan Groubert for the English version. Jaime Báguena was host of the Spanish version, La Estación de la Alegría, until the end of 1990s when it was cancelled by the management of Radio Netherlands.
), which was also transmitted globally through podcasting and Internet streaming audio. The producer and presenter of this version is Canadian expatriate Keith Perron
, who in the past has worked for Radio Canada International
, Radio Havana Cuba
, China Radio International
, Radio Netherlands
and other shortwave broadcasters. The new programme is not produced in Holland and has no involvement from Radio Netherlands Worldwide save that Perron has been given permission by RNW to use the Happy Station name.
Tom Meijer, who hosted RNW's Happy Station in the 1970s and 1980s is involved as a consultant, and makes occasional on-air contributions. Meijer's successor at RNW, Jonathan Groubert, has also appeared as a guest on the show.
The new production is produced in Taipei
, Taiwan
, Republic Of China, and the over-air version was initially broadcast on shortwave from WRMI's transmitters in Hialeah, Florida
, in the United States
.
The show ceased broadcasting on WRMI in March 2010 but continues as a weekly podcast and internet radio show via the PCJ Media website and is also relayed over the air on several FM, medium wave, internet radio and short wave stations around the world.
History
The program premiered on November 19, 1928 and was broadcastBroadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
first by the private Philips Radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
PCJJ
PCJJ
PCJJ was a pioneering shortwave radio station operated by Philips Laboratories of Holland, a division of Philips Electronics....
(later PCJ), and from 1946 by Radio Netherlands
Radio Netherlands
Radio Netherlands Worldwide is a public radio and television network based in Hilversum, producing and transmitting programmes for international audiences outside the Netherlands...
. Separate English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
versions were broadcast, in addition to the multi-lingual version. It could be received all over the world. Popular music from Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and various other countries was mixed with vintage
Vintage
Vintage, in wine-making, is the process of picking grapes and creating the finished product . A vintage wine is one made from grapes that were all, or primarily, grown and harvested in a single specified year. In certain wines, it can denote quality, as in Port wine, where Port houses make and...
recordings and multilingual chatter, switching back and forth between English, Spanish and Dutch by hosts each Sunday. It became popular since it gave listeners a chance to travel in their armchair during a period when international
International
----International mostly means something that involves more than one country. The term international as a word means involvement of, interaction between or encompassing more than one nation, or generally beyond national boundaries...
travel
Travel
Travel is the movement of people or objects between relatively distant geographical locations. 'Travel' can also include relatively short stays between successive movements.-Etymology:...
was difficult for most people. It also pioneered call-in shows, in both the English and Spanish versions, during the latter part of the 1970s. The show followed a format
Radio format
A radio format or programming format not to be confused with broadcast programming describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. Radio formats are frequently employed as a marketing tool, and constantly evolve...
of light entertainment
Light entertainment
Light entertainment is a term used to describe a broad range of usually televisual performances. These include comedies, variety shows, quiz/game shows, sketch shows and people/surprise shows.-Light entertainment in Britain:...
, special guests, music, and information about Dutch life. Edward "Eddie" Startz presented the programme from its inception until his retirement in the early 1970s. Tom Meijer took over the English and Spanish versions until his own retirement. He was followed by Pete Myers and Jonathan Groubert for the English version. Jaime Báguena was host of the Spanish version, La Estación de la Alegría, until the end of 1990s when it was cancelled by the management of Radio Netherlands.
Revival
On March 12, 2009, the program was resurrected as an independent broadcast produced by Taiwan based PCJ Media via Radio Miami International (WRMIWRMI
WRMI is a shortwave radio station broadcasting from Miami, Florida, United States. WRMI is a commercial radio station that sells airtime to businesses and organizations. According to its station record from the Federal Communications Commission, WRMI's broadcast target zones are the Caribbean,...
), which was also transmitted globally through podcasting and Internet streaming audio. The producer and presenter of this version is Canadian expatriate Keith Perron
Keith Perron
Keith Perron is a Canadian expatriate international broadcaster currently based in Taiwan.Born and raised in Montreal, Perron entered the broadcasting profession at the age of 17 with local station CKUT...
, who in the past has worked for Radio Canada International
Radio Canada International
Radio Canada International is the international broadcasting service of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation . Until 1970, it was known as the CBC International Service and was sometimes referred to as the "Voice of Canada" in its early years.- The early years :The idea for creating an...
, Radio Havana Cuba
Radio Havana Cuba
Radio Havana Cuba is the official government-run international broadcasting station of Cuba. It can be heard in many parts of the world including the United States on shortwave at 6000 kHz and other frequencies...
, China Radio International
China Radio International
China Radio International , the former Radio Beijing and originally Radio Peking, founded on December 3 of 1941, is one of the three state-owned media in China along with China National Radio and China Central Television in the People's Republic of China .As the PRC's external radio station, CRI...
, Radio Netherlands
Radio Netherlands
Radio Netherlands Worldwide is a public radio and television network based in Hilversum, producing and transmitting programmes for international audiences outside the Netherlands...
and other shortwave broadcasters. The new programme is not produced in Holland and has no involvement from Radio Netherlands Worldwide save that Perron has been given permission by RNW to use the Happy Station name.
Tom Meijer, who hosted RNW's Happy Station in the 1970s and 1980s is involved as a consultant, and makes occasional on-air contributions. Meijer's successor at RNW, Jonathan Groubert, has also appeared as a guest on the show.
The new production is produced in Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, Republic Of China, and the over-air version was initially broadcast on shortwave from WRMI's transmitters in Hialeah, Florida
Hialeah, Florida
Hialeah is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 226,419. As of 2009, the population estimate by the U. S...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The show ceased broadcasting on WRMI in March 2010 but continues as a weekly podcast and internet radio show via the PCJ Media website and is also relayed over the air on several FM, medium wave, internet radio and short wave stations around the world.