It was the early 1950s, and the voice of Umm Kalthoum echoed throughout the region to awaken an era of solidarity, of hope. “People used to have their ears glued to the radio,” recalls prominent Nasserist Abdallah Sennawi. It was an era defined by the cultural and political revival of Arab unity. An era defined by Sout al-Arab. On 4 July, 1953, Cairo Radio broadcast a half-hour show called ‘The Voice of the Arabs’ (Sout-Al Arab). Under the leadership of Gamel Abd El-Nasser, Sout al-Arab was rapidly distinguished for its use of highly emotional nationalist language, particularly broadcasting messages of anti-colonialism and anti-Zionism. The show consisted of news, political commentary and speeches by leading public figures. Sout al-Arab also featured iconic singers such as Umm Kalthoum and Mohammed Abd El-Wahab whose contributions led to the show’s immediate success. Affordable transistor radios were critical in the history of transnational broadcasting. From the heart of Cairo, Sout al-Arab was broadcasting the revolutionary ideas of Nasser’s regime 18 hours each day, in millions of homes across the Middle East and North Africa. By reaching across national boundaries, Sout al-Arab broke down all understandings…
