Radio Romania Building, Bucharest

Radio Romania Building, Bucharest
Originally uploaded by Jonathan Marks.

This giant building from the communist era, still houses Romanian public broadcast networks. The overseas service, Radio Romania International, operates from offices just above the blue sign.

Just after the execution of Nicolae Ceauşescu on December 22nd 1989, I remember listening to the English service of what was called Radio Bucharest in those days. The female announcer, Frederica, was playing Christmas music and very emotional that this was the first time in her broadcast career that she was able to play religious music. Cassette label says Saturday 23rd December 1989, around 1415UTC, 11940kHz.. Radio Bucharest had a distinctive sound on the audio as though an audio compressor had been turned up too higher.

Some of the halls in the building have changed very little over the decades. It certainly isn't earthquake proof.