24/10/2002
24/10/2002 On 24 October, Villa Suso Palace in Vitoria became a radio studio for the day, as the Buenos días programme broadcast by the RNE National Spanish Radio - Radio 1 moved its entire team to the Alavan capital in order to emit a special programme on the ´Encounters with the Cathedral´ initiative organised by the Santa María Cathedral Foundation. The presence of the RNE formed part of a series of Radio Open Days inaugurated by Radio Euskadi on 11 October this year with its programme Boulevard Magazine.
For five hours, the RNE afforded the general public a glimpse of the behind-the-scenes activity that takes place during the broadcasting of a radio programme. The restoration of the Santa María Cathedral was the main subject of discussion during the popular Radio 1 morning magazine. Antonio Jiménez, director of Buenos días, undertook to give the audience a blow-by-blow account of this unique project which has won much international acclaim.
The team directed by Jiménez, which consists of over 20 people, visited the archaeological excavations and works currently being carried out in the Old Cathedral the previous day, learning about the history, problems and solutions proposed as part of the recovery project. All this was analysed in great detail during the five hours that the programme lasted, thanks to the participation of a number of key figures.
Buenos días started broadcasting from Vitoria at 8.00 in the morning, focusing first on political issues and current affairs. From 10.00 onwards, the programme turned to less serious matters and concentrated instead on the Old Cathedral. Antonio Aguilar, Provincial Minister for Public Works and Town Planning and president of the Santa María Cathedral Foundation, and Gonzalo Arroita, managing director of the Foundation, explained the basic characteristics of the project.
The programme also featured an audio tour of the building, seasoned with the humour and congeniality of figures such as Javier Capitán, Luis Figuerola, José María de Juana, Citizen García, Oscar Cabero, Carlos Latre and many other professionals.
On 11 October, Radio Euskadi broadcast a similar programme from the new Visitors Centre, located just next to the cathedral building. The programme Boulevard Magazine, directed by Almudena Cacho, offered listeners an in-depth look at the different aspects of the restoration project. Among other things, the programme featured a live interview with the British writer Ken Follett, who visited the Old Cathedral the same day in response to an invitation by the Santa María Cathedral Foundation.