The 16 years of the first Republic in Portugal was an era of political instability. In 1926 the political scenario of the country completely changed. Due to the 28th May Revolution, a military government of nationalist nature and anti-parliamentary was established. So it started a National Dictatorship, later known as the New State (Estado Novo). This dictatorship only came to an end on the 25th April 1974, when a military coup overthrew the government. The Radio would then play an important role in giving light to the revolutionary act and ending that period of 48 years of dictatorship.
This essay will attempt to find out how National Radio, the very first Portuguese national broadcasting radio, was serving the political regime as an ideological channel of the New State between 1933 (when it was first created) and 1945 (by the end of Second World War).
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Role of Censorship
3. The Secretariat of National Propaganda (SPN)
4. The Evolution of National Radio
4.1 First Phase – between 1933 and June 1935
4.2 Second phase - August 1935 and the end of 1940
4.3 Third phase - 1941 to 1945
5. Social Memory and Political Identity
Research Objectives and Key Topics
This essay explores how the Emissora Nacional (National Radio) functioned as an ideological instrument for the Portuguese "Estado Novo" (New State) regime between 1933 and 1945, focusing on its role in legitimizing political power and constructing a collective national identity.
- The relationship between radio broadcasting and the dissemination of state ideology.
- The impact and implementation of prior censorship on media content.
- The development of the Emissora Nacional across three distinct historical phases.
- The role of the Secretariat of National Propaganda (SPN) in shaping cultural policy.
- The construction of social memory and the "policy of spirit" as regime-stabilizing tools.
Excerpt from the Book
First Phase – between 1933 and June 1935:
Is the phase of experimental transmissions, as the National had not yet been officially opened. It was one phase in which there is especially a concern with the technical development. The radio has followed “the important moments of life of the regime. One of the first radio reports, in October 1934 aimed to report the opening of the telephone system of the area north of Lisbon chaired by the Head of State” (Ribeiro, 2005: 110). In March 1935, before the official opening of the station, “the head of government introduced Fernando Homem Christo in the National Radio, with its mandate to monitor and debug the hassles and political ideological deviations everywhere in spoken area of the station, while the ultimate goal was the creation of a Public Service to exercise control of the content broadcast in order to maintain the station as the official voice of the regime” (Ribeiro, 2005: 113). Christ tried to set some rules in order to establish a propaganda line, since a major disruption in programming was notorious. To this end he proposed that all broadcasting texts would be written by people who showed sympathy for the regime, so that the entire broadcast would reflect the ideals of the government.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Provides an overview of the political transition in Portugal from the First Republic to the New State and the initial research goal regarding radio as an ideological tool.
2. The Role of Censorship: Examines how the regime utilized legal decrees and prior censorship to control media content, ensuring alignment with the principles of the 1926 revolution.
3. The Secretariat of National Propaganda (SPN): Discusses the creation of the SPN under António Ferro and its mission to cultivate a "policy of spirit" and a specific image of the Portuguese people.
4. The Evolution of National Radio: Details the chronological progression of the station across three phases, analyzing its technical development and shift toward official propaganda.
5. Social Memory and Political Identity: Analyzes the theoretical intersection of radio, social memory, and the regime’s effort to replace democratic ideals with a mystified, traditional national identity.
Keywords
Estado Novo, Portugal, National Radio, Emissora Nacional, Salazar, Propaganda, Censorship, Social Memory, António Ferro, Ideology, Dictatorship, National Identity, Radio Broadcasting, Political Power, Folklore
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this work?
The work investigates the function of the Portuguese National Radio as a medium for broadcasting regime-supported ideology and maintaining social order under the Salazar dictatorship between 1933 and 1945.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The main themes include political censorship, the influence of the Secretariat of National Propaganda, the construction of a collective national identity, and the use of radio to legitimize government authority.
What is the primary research question?
The research asks how the Emissora Nacional served the political regime as an ideological channel and to what extent it functioned as a propaganda instrument during the specified timeframe.
Which scientific approach is utilized?
The essay adopts a historical and analytical approach, utilizing existing historiographical research and media theory to contextualize the development of the National Radio.
What is covered in the main section?
The main section covers the institutional history of the station, the implementation of censorship, the impact of the SPN on cultural content, and the socio-political evolution of the radio through three distinct phases.
Which keywords best characterize the research?
Key terms include Estado Novo, Salazar, Propaganda, Censorship, Social Memory, National Radio, and Ideology.
How did the radio influence public perception?
The radio aimed to distract the population from real national problems by promoting a "myth of honoured poverty" and rural harmony, ultimately reinforcing state-sanctioned traditional values.
How did censorship operate within the radio station?
Censorship was pervasive, with all broadcasts, including songs, news, and lectures, being strictly examined to prevent any deviation from the principles established by the 1933 Constitution.
What distinction is made between an authoritarian and a totalitarian regime?
Following Hannah Arendt's theory, the author suggests that the Salazar regime was authoritarian rather than totalitarian, as it focused on censorship and the control of memory rather than mass mobilization.
How did the station change after 1941?
From 1941, the station was more formally linked to the Secretariat of National Propaganda, shifting focus toward "high culture" and adapting its discourse toward the Allied powers following 1943.
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- Sofia S Oliveira (Autor:in), 2009, The Emissora Nacional Radio as a support for a new Portuguese identity between 1933 and 1945, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/156107
