site.btaUPDATED Exhibition Titled "90 Years BNR: The Radio of Generations of Bulgarians" Opens with LIK Magazine Presentation

An exhibition titled "90 Years BNR: The Radio of Generations of Bulgarians", featuring photographs and archive documents from the holdings of the Archives State Agency and BTA, opened at the radio station's building in Sofia on Tuesday. The event was accompanied by a presentation of the February issue of BTA's LIK magazine, titled "BNR: 90 Years Later"

Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) Director General Milen Mitev recalled that BNR marked its 90th birthday on January 25. On that date in 1935, King Boris III issued a decree by which radio broadcasting in Bulgaria became state property.  

He recalled that many things happened during those 90 years. The institution operated in three different Bulgarias - until [the communist takeover in] 1944, between 1944 and 1990 (after the 1989 transition to democracy], and in today's Bulgaria. "Through all these years, times have changed, and so has the National Radio. What has remained unchanged, however, is that from the very beginning, it has always been filled with people who work with dedication and passion - people who prioritize their audience and strive to be as helpful as possible," Mitev said.

The exhibition

This exhibition presents documents which evoke surprise, pride, confusion and even anger, Mitev said, adding that the photographs include lists of people who owned radio sets and reports assessing the reliability of those people. "But even things that may stir some anger in us are important to remember because if we forget history, we are doomed to repeat it," Mitev said. In his words, each of these documents carries a fragment of history that should not be forgotten, "to remind us of the path we have travelled and ensure we never again reach a point where such lists exist".

The exhibition will be staged in premises of the BNR regional stations and in Bulgarian cultural institutes abroad.

"I believe that these 90 years behind us are just the beginning and that our strongest years are yet to come. We must embrace this optimism because, as a media organization, it is our duty to inspire the entire Bulgarian society with it. We need to show that our existence has meaning, that the values we uphold matter, and that together, we can strive for a better future for the whole society," said Mitev.

The history of society as a whole

Archives State Agency Director Mihail Gruev said that in a way, the BNR anniversary is also a celebration of the Bulgarian archives and of society as a whole because the radio's nearly century-long history reflects Bulgaria's journey through three different eras.

"We have tried to recreate this history through the exhibition," he said. "I believe we have achieved something valuable and meaningful - an account of the social and political context in which the history of the radio has unfolded."

Assoc. Prof. Gruev said the radio used to be more than just a source of information in the past. "It was also culture and quickly became a way of life, shaping Bulgaria's cultural scene during the interwar period. Radio lectures by renowned Bulgarian scholars give insight into the country's academic landscape. The presence of writers and artists in leading roles at the radio reflects the cultural life of the time. The radio brought together the most prominent figures of the era, proving that institutions are built by people. Our goal was to present not just the institution, but also the people who contributed to it," said the director of the Archives State Agency.

"I believe we have created a well-balanced exhibition, one that offers a panoramic view of the radio and its life. It is something that all three institutions - BNR, the Archives State Agency and BTA - can take pride in," said Gruev.