Popular broadcaster Radio One has reportedly shut down, Lebanese media outlets reported Sunday.
No official statement has, so far, been released by management and it was not immediately clear whether the radio station had become the latest victim of the economic crisis gripping Lebanon.
“RIP #radioone #radioonelebanon. Today, I lost my best car radio friend. 28 years of non- stop music and memories gone in the air,” said television show host and journalist Zaven Kouyoumdjian, via Twitter.
Media institutions, including print, TV and radio - have struggled financially in recent months.
Some organizations have shed employees and cut salaries, while others have closed down altogether.
Talk show host Rima Njeim said that the station had managed to stay open through wars.
“It is officially the worst crisis,” she tweeted.
Radio One, one of Lebanon’s oldest FM stations, was founded in 1983 by Raymond Gaspar to play international music around the clock, seven days a week.
The station aired shows day and night, including Monday Night Love Songs Special and the Breakfast Show featuring Gavin Ford and Olga.
Ford, who had been with the station since 1996 and was a beloved national personality, was murdered at the age of 53 in November 2018, an event that sent shockwaves through the country.
Ford was the second British citizen to be murdered in Lebanon within a span of 12 months.
The body of diplomat Rebecca Dykes was found on the side of a road on Dec. 16, 2017, showing signs of sexual assault.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
