RADIO LOME FROM 1953 TO THE PRESENT

I-HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

The first programme named “Radio Crochet” was broadcast on Thursday 13 th August 1953 at 9 am from a car fit with two record players, a tape recorder and an amplifier.

Broadcasting from this center was taken over from a transmitter of 200 watts situated in the Posts and Telecommunication offices at Nyekonakpoe, a suburb of Lomé the capitale.

In the beginning Radio Lomé broadcast 2 or 3 times per week with 2 or 3 hour programme per day from 5.30am.

This timing has progressively increased since 1953:

1953: 2 hours 30 minutes

1954: 5 hours 30

1957: 10 hours

1959: 64 hours

1963: 74 hours

1971: 100 hours

1976: 129 hours 30 minutes.

From 1991, this increased to 133 hours per week or 19 hours per day from 5.00 am composed of 77% of the programme in French, 21% in local languages and 2% in English. The transmitting center was moved from Nyekonakpoe to Togblékopé an outskirt north of Lomé the capitale about 10 km from the production center where the transmitters are established: a transmitter with a medium wave of 1 kilowatt. Offered in 1953, a short wave transmitter of 100 kilowatts offered in 1964 and two others with 50 kilowatts offered respectively in 1970 and 1974.

A transmitter of 20 kilowatts has been received in 1990.Due to the lack of spare parts, the use of most of these transmitters is becoming difficult for Radio Lomé but it possesses 4 big transmitting centers and 5 relay centers with less than 1 kilowatt.

Radio Lomé has embarked on a digitalization programme since March 17, 2003.

II-THE DIGITAL ARCHITECTURE IN PLACE TODAY.

Our channel is not totally digitalized. We are using computers (thirty out of forty are connected to internet.

Windows XP system is used by the accountancy for the personnel planning and the material management. Software programme such as Cool Edit Pro2 Music Match, MP3 Tunes are used for the production. We have a server with low capacity. Until now Radio Lomé is still using nagra marantz3. We have 2 studios out of four for live programmes and two others for recording programmes.

Radio Lomé broadcasts 24 hours over 24 hours since 2003 and is on line at www.radiolome.tg

III- RADIO LOME PERSONNEL STATISTIC TABLE

CATEGORIES	FEMALES	MALES	TOTAL
A1	0	9	9
A2	3	17	20
B	9	24	33
C	3	10	13
Permanents	29	53	82
Freelance	15	53	68
Total	59	166	225

IV- OURS NEEDS

We need complementary trainings in digital archiving, editing (montage), and in the use and maintenance of transmitters.

We hope to be able to broadcast on satellite in the near future.

Komlan KOUDAKPO

Head, Programme Division

 

---