R 364
97-H 6998
Passed in House
Jun. 12, 1997


H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

RECOGNIZING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN RADIO HOUR

WHEREAS, " Heritage, culture, tradition; Armenians are proud of it and wherever Armenian songs are heard, there Armenia lives..." These moving words introducing the Armenian Radio Hour have been spoken by Russell Razmig Gasparian hundreds of times and have been heard by thousands of enthusiastic listeners for the past fifty years. One of the longest-running ethnic broadcasts in the nation, this remarkable program has been, and continues to be, a beacon for news, music and current events for the Armenian-American community in Rhode Island and the southern New England area; and

WHEREAS, The Armenian Radio Hour began when independent radio was in its infancy and was broadcast from WRIB located in the former Narragansett Hotel in downtown Providence. Fifty years since its humble beginnings in 1947 this program is now broadcast "live" every Sunday morning to a listening audience of more than 65,000 people; and

WHEREAS, The splendid accomplishments of the Armenian Radio Hour led to its being inducted into the Museum of Television and Radio in New York last December 18, 1996. A tape of the entire 50th anniversary program, to be broadcast on June 15, 1997, will become a permanent part of the museum; and

WHEREAS, Since its inception, the voice of the Armenian Radio Hour has been Russell Razmig Gasparian. Without any formal training in radio broadcasting, he soon enjoyed a large following and aired his show from various local radio stations. His fine efforts have earned him the plaudits of various community, religious, social, and charitable groups. He has been honored by the Armenian Martyrs Memorial Committee, been given the "Keys to the City" of Providence, received the 1991 Medal of St. Sahagian and St. Mesrob, and was named "Armenian of the Year" in 1992; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations is hereby pleased and proud to join the thousands of admirers of the Armenian Radio Hour in celebrating the program's 50th anniversary. Dedicated to preserving the rich Armenian heritage and culture, the Armenian Radio Hour is a labor of love which continues to serve the Armenian people of Rhode Island and southern New England. May it continue to provide this magnificent service for many, many years to come. As the Armenian Radio Hour's traditional closing remarks make clear, "Making you happy makes me happy."; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the producer and host of the Armenian Radio Hour, Russell Razmig Gasparian, on behalf of everyone who has ever been a part of this excellent program.



As always, your comments concerning this page are welcomed and appreciated.

Thank you for stopping by!