Genre light entertainment Language(s) English | Running time 1 hour | |
Other names La Estación de la Alegría Country Netherlands (1928-1995) Home station PCJJ (1928-1947)
Radio Netherlands (1947-1995) | ||
The Happy Station Show was the world's oldest international radio programme, having originated in 1928 on shortwave radio until 1995 when it was cancelled. By this time, it was the second oldest radio show still on the air behind only the Grand Ol' Opry which began three years earlier. Happy Station's run was interrupted from 1940 until 1946 due to World War II. A syndicated show with the same name and similar format started in 2009, however this has no link to the original show.
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History
The program premiered on November 19, 1928 and was broadcast first by the private Philips Radio station PCJJ (later PCJ), and from 1947 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. In particular, the Startz-era of the show featured special formats such as a voyage by sound where Startznarrated tours to distant locations assisted by sound effects. Later, the show 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 program from its inception until his retirement in December 1969. Tom Meijer took over the English and Spanish versions until his own retirement in 1993. 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 the 1990s when it was canceled by the management of Radio Netherlands.
Taiwanese show
On March 12, 2009, a weekly programme with the same name and similar format was started as an independent broadcast produced by Taiwan-based PCJ Media via Radio Miami International (WRMI), which was also transmitted globally through podcasting and Internet streaming audio. However the WRMI shortwave transmissions were discontinued in March 2010. This programme is not produced in the Netherlands and has no involvement from Radio Netherlands Worldwide.