RADIO AND TV MARCH AHEAD

More than 100 years passed since the day when the Russian scientist Alexander Popov demonstrated his "storm indicator" which was the pro­totype of modern radio receivers.

Great progress has been made in radio engineering, radio communi­cations, radio broadcastings and television since that time. We have be­come so used to these means of communication that we can't imagine our life without them.

In the modern world, radio and television play an important role as a mass media of infor­mation and as a means of people's political and cultural education.

There is hardly a spot on the whole vast territory of Russia where there is no radio. The voice of Russian radio is heard all over die world. Today a great number of radio broadcasting stations in our country transmit all-day long programmes to other countries in about 50 languages.

Modem means of radio engineering cover the greater part of the globe with long, medium and ultra-short radio waves. New radio stations are being built and equipped with the most modern instrurnents.

Television is also developing rapidly in our country. At present Russia has a TV system which is among the largest in the world. It includes 120 TV centres which make their own programmes. The construction of the world's biggest television centre, the Moscow centre, which is housed in the 533-metre high Ostankino television tower had been completed by 1970. All programmes which are broadcast by the Moscow centre are in colour TV broadcasts go out from Moscow every day on about 15 channels and total about 200 hours of broadcasting in every 24-hour period. There is a regular international exchange of TV programmes as well. Our television is linked up with Intervision and Eurovision international systems.

Work on the improvement of space television and broadcasting is of great interest. The application of powerful outerspace relays makes possible televising programmes directly to huge territories.

The aim of Russian radio and TV is to provide listeners and viewen with an objective review of events taking place in Russia and in the world.