Treufeldt traces how Estonians made broadcasting serve their people

Historian and broadcaster Indrek Treufeldt is preparing a book about the history of Estonian broadcasting for its 100th anniversary, ERR reported. The anniversary will be marked on December 18.

Treufeldt told the television programme Terevisioon that the history of broadcasting is so extensive that it is impossible to capture all of it in one book.

He said the story was particularly surprising during the Soviet occupation. In Moscow’s view, broadcasting was a propaganda channel, while Estonia’s proximity to Finland encouraged broadcasters to work in a Western style and fill it with socialist content.

“Estonians made a kratt that knew how to serve the Estonian people,” Treufeldt said, describing how local broadcasting developed within those constraints.

Treufeldt said the origin of the Estonian word for broadcasting, ringhääling, was precisely documented. On November 22, 1923, Indrek Rikand, head of the Post, Telegraph and Telephone Administration, wrote in an office book that a new word was needed for the emerging phenomenon. Rikand considered himself a writer, and his proposed word eventually prevailed. A year earlier, a translator had also debated the word broadcasting in the press.

Treufeldt will present a historical radio series on Vikerraadio dedicated to the anniversary. Beginning in mid-September, it will cover different periods in broadcasting history, including the wartime period when there were two radio stations, one German and one Soviet. The series will use sounds from the archives and, for more recent periods, authentic radio programmes and audio documents.

He said much of the early archive is missing for tragic reasons. The March 9, 1944 bombing largely destroyed a valuable archive in the Estonia theatre building. When German forces left Estonia, they took many audio documents with them. An additional loss occurred during flooding on Gonsiori Street in the 1960s.

Treufeldt’s book on the history of broadcasting is due to be published towards the end of this year. On August 31, a temporary exhibition of archival photographs was installed at the Ringhäälingu bus stop in front of the radio and television buildings. The stop was temporarily renamed from Gonsiori.