Nov 20, 2019
On Episode 13 of the Radio GDR Podcast, the world's only English
language podcast about East Germany, host Shane Whaley interviews
Steve Winkler who worked at East Germany's Radio Berlin
International as a Line Producer/Studio Manager.
- How Steve was initially rejected by radio station DT64 before he was hired at RBI.
- Was he vetted for the role?
- Whether he needed to be a SED party member to work at RBI.
- What can he tell us about the other Western journalists who worked at Radio Berlin International?
- Why Shane would like to interview former RBI hosts such as Robin Mitchell
- Languages/countries covered by RBI.
- What were some of Steve's duties at Radio Berlin International?
- Why so few people moved to Deutsche Welle after unification with Germany.
- Whether he keeps in touch with former colleagues from RBI.
- What Western music were they allowed to play and what kind of music was blacklisted.
- Steve's involvement in the Political Song Festival and how he got to know musicians such as Billy Bragg.
- When did he visit the West for the first time
- Why he did not support the SED regime.
- How he wanted to see the GDR reformed and not unified with West Germany.
- Whether he thinks the GDR could have been reformed by the
ruling SED or was it too late for East
Germans.
And Much More!