A century of Lithuanian radio: from Esperanto lessons to early fears of technology

One hundred years ago, on June 12, 1926, the first words broadcast by Kaunas Radio—“Alio, alio… Lietuvos radijas, Kaunas” (Hello, hello… Lithuanian Radio, Kaunas)—marked Lithuania’s entry into the age of radio, as reported by LRT.

The initial transmission could be heard on around 300 radio receivers, though the exact number of listeners remains unknown. In its early years, the station aired just one hour of programming per day, gradually expanding its role as a key medium for information and culture.

Early radio broadcasts were met with curiosity and suspicion. Some blamed radio waves for extreme weather, while others saw the medium as a potential replacement for traditional schools. Listeners also voiced complaints about music choices, with early criticism in 1928 over the dominance of classical music and calls for simpler songs.

Historian Dr. Titas Krutulys notes that radio was expected to serve a national educational mission, a view strongly supported by military officers, clergy, and teachers. However, poor pronunciation by broadcasters was a frequent source of frustration.

Lithuania’s adoption of radio was relatively late compared to other European countries. While the U.S. began broadcasts in 1916, the UK in 1922, France in 1921, and Germany in 1923, Lithuania aligned more closely with Scandinavia. Ireland and the Balkans followed later, with Albania and Andorra among the last to introduce radio.

Initially, radio did not become an immediate part of daily life. Programming grew slowly, from a few hours a week to 7–8 hours a day by the eve of World War II. The number of radio sets also increased rapidly, from 300 at the start to 80,000 by 1939, though Lithuania still lagged behind countries like Denmark or the UK in relative terms.