Manuel Bivar, trained as an engineer, was a director of Emissora Nacional from 1934 to 1974, especially as technical director. He also became chair of the board of directors of the public radio station, in February 1974. He had previously been invited to take up the position, however he had refused due to other duties: director of RTP and support in the technical installation of Raret, a relay station linked to Free Europe and anti-communist broadcasts to Eastern Europe. Another of his activities was his participation in the general plan for broadcasting in Angola (1961), which transformed the radio reality of that territory. One of the results was the autonomization of Emissora Oficial de Angola. Manuel Bivar had national and international technical recognition and enjoyed political influence with Salazar. While still a student at Lisbon Technical University, Manuel Bivar and colleagues conducted television experiments, which were pioneering in Portugal (1923), but the police prevented them from continuing for fear of the political impact of mechanical images.
Author: Rogério Santos, 2019
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