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The Radio Lumière Radio
Network was inaugurated on February 20, 1959. It was begun by the
Rev. David Hartt
of the West Indies Mission (later known as World team). During its 40
years of existence Radio Lumière has grown from a single radio station on
the southern peninsula of Haiti to a network of five AM and three FM mono
stations, and one FM stereo station. These stations, linked by mountaintop
relays, comprise the only network of its kind in the country of Haiti.
This enables it to broadcast to more than 90% of the Haitian population.
In many rural areas it is the only radio broadcasting available to the
local people in either of the two local languages, Creole and French.
Much time, effort
and financial resources have gone into the development of this nationwide
service. Nor has all of this investment been in the purchase and
maintenance of technical facilities and equipment. An equal emphasis has
been placed on the programming for the network, most of which is produced
locally in the Radio Lumière studios. This programming includes
educational and cultural programs, a news service, development programs,
and many religious and evangelistic programs.
Along with the evolution of the
network came other changes. These included moving the central studios to
the capital city of Port-au-Prince in the late sixties. In the early
eighties regional production studios were inaugurated in each of the
target areas. These studios produce local programs which are then mixed
into the network offerings to give the station a local flavor.
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