10 Year Radio Anniversary
This summer marks the 10-year anniversary of Ninos Nirari’s radio program. He first began the program at the request of the late Rabi Homer Ashurian, who was then serving on the board of the Assyrian Universal Alliance Foundation (now the Assyrian Cultural Foundation). The first episode aired in early June, 2011.
The weekly radio program was originally called Gawneh, which means “colors” in Assyrian. Mr. Nirari decided to give it that name because it represented the diverse number of topics that the show covered. Topics included general education, history, news, poetry, religion, sports, etc. Additionally, Mr. Nirari would frequently interview famous Assyrians during the program, including singers, politicians, and poets. Initially, the show ran for one hour, on Monday evenings from 7:00 to 8:00 PM. However, due to its immense popularity, it ran for three hours by its second year, on Tuesday nights from 7:00 to 10:00 PM. Although the program aired on a Chicago radio station, people who did not live in the Chicago area could also access it through the internet.
One popular segment of the program was called Morayeh, which means “competitions.” During that portion of the show, Mr. Nirari would ask a question and then invite his listeners to call in to answer it. The first person to answer the question correctly usually received a gift card that could be used at a local Assyrian business. Thus, the program not only connected and educated its listeners, but also helped promote and support local Assyrian businesses.
Today, Ninos Nirari’s radio program is called Qala Mhadyana, which translates as “The Guiding Voice.” It airs every Saturday afternoon from 3:00 to 4:30 PM Central Standard Time on 1590 AM, a Chicago radio station. However, the program is also available on the radio station’s website, https://www.wcgoradio.com/, as well as livestreamed on the Assyrian Cultural Foundation’s Facebook page, once a month.
Although the radio program’s name has changed, its contents have not. It continues to cover a diverse range of topics, making it a unique listening experience. Congratulations, Ninos Nirari, on providing 10 years of wonderful content on your radio program!