Jerusalem Calling
Radio station in Palestine (est. 1936)
Jerusalem Calling was the radio station established by the British Mandatory Authority through its broadcasting wing, the Palestine Broadcasting Service. It broadcast in three languages, Arabic, English and Hebrew.
The English broadcasts were under the name Jerusalem Calling. The Hebrew language transmissions were under the name Kol Yerushalayim i.e. The Voice of Jerusalem (in Hebrew קול ירושלים), whereas the Arabic language broadcasts of the station used the name Iza'at al Quds i.e. Radio al Quds (in Arabic إذاعة القدس).
Establishment
On March 30, 1936, the Palestine Broadcasting Service began radio transmissions from Ramallah.
Staff were recruited for five hours of daily broadcasts in three languages, English, Arabic, and Hebrew and training given by the BBC.
The Hebrew language transmissions were eventually called Kol Yerushalayim (The Voice of Jerusalem) after arguments with Arab leaders following the Jews original intention to call them 'Kol Eretz Israel' (The Voice of the Land of Israel). Transmissions in Hebrew were limited to one hour per day.
The Arabic languages broadcasts continued as Radio Al Quds (in Arabic إذاعة القدس).
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Jerusalem Calling” is radio station in Palestine (est. 1936). The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Jerusalem, Calling and Radio, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “radio station in Palestine (est. 1936)” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Nov 13, 2024. The linked authority identifier is Q6426942. VIAF identifies the subject as 308278749. None of the 2 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1936.
A single description cannot reconcile every naming convention, rebuilding phase or administrative transfer associated with a place. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Jerusalem Calling”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Jerusalem Calling primary sources, Jerusalem Calling archive and Jerusalem research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Jerusalem Calling”?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Jerusalem Calling” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.