Further, a wise word from Marshall McLuhan, from a 1969 interview, that still holds true:
"In the midst of the electronic age of software, of instant information movement, we still believe we’re living in the mechanical age of hardware." http://www.nextnature.net/2009/12/the-playboy-interview-marshall-mcluhan/ He goes on to describe the 'reactionary' response to technology by negation, a refusal to adapt to the new potential, instead, burrowing back down into a zone of comfort by restricting use of the technology to suit only existing possibilities. The infamous 'Red Flag Rule' of the early years of motoring comes to mind, when people driving motor vehicles were required by law to have a person walk in front, leading the car while waving a red flag [there is more to McLuhan's interview, of course]. Formula 1 would look pretty funny, I must admit, if conducted this way, but not quite endlessly entertaining. Understandable, but not excusable, and certainly not by our (this list) sitting down (I doubt many of you will be either standing up or lying down while reading this mail) and accepting the status quo. On the other hand, this does not mean adopting strong-arm tactics either. In fact, a better way could well be ensuring we build, nurture and encourage innovative and meaningfully appropriate uses of technology, as well as showcase policy advances made in this area, such as this empowering of emergency service broadcasting at a community radio station in Australia. Sajan, Fred - can you, (or anyone else, of course) for instance, use your expertise and experience to look at creating a general support infrastructure, within CRF if available, or else do something specific, for which funds can be sourced from umbrella as well as special-purpose NGOs? I would be glad to contribute ideas and effort to projects that explore such potential. Vickram http://communicall.wordpress.com ----- Original Message ---- > From: Vickram Crishna <[email protected]> > To: CR India <[email protected]> > Sent: Sun, 25 April, 2010 14:25:00 > Subject: Fw: [Asiapacific-general] [Fwd: History was made today] > > This is a deceptively outstanding bit of news. For many years now, since > the awful Orissa hurricane of 1998 in fact, we have been attempting to make > the > government understand (not ministers, they know perfectly well, but it is a > different matter to get policy framed in for such a purpose) that one very > vital > purpose that community radio serves is to build a loyal audience. Once this > is > done, using a radio service for emergency broadcasting becomes very > practical. > It enables, at almost no extra cost, for the local community to be informed > of > life-threatening situations in good enough time to significantly increase the > possibility of survival. Sadly, our government works in denial mode, > coming up with such ridiculous suggestions as a dedicated emergency > broadcasting > service (seriously: do they really think that over one billion people have > nothing better to do than keep radio sets tuned to a fixed frequency just in > case - being an emergency after all, not a daily matter - some critical > information needs to be conveyed. In effect, this is how AIR (now PB) > threw away its brand equity, destroying motivated listenership in region > after > region, with programming that is unsuited for the local audience. Even when > it > is the only radio station within tuning distance, people are forced to search > for entertainment and information alternatives. A side-effect of mindless > programming is the imparting of a conviction that life is better in 'the > cities'*, which are desperately growing apace - to the detriment of their > residents. *being the places where apparently all izzz well, if one can > believe it Vickram > target=_blank >http://communicall.wordpress.com > href="http://vvcrishna.wordpress.com"; target=_blank > >http://vvcrishna.wordpress.com ----- Forwarded Message > ---- > From: Shane G Elson < > href="mailto:[email protected]";>[email protected]> > To: > > href="mailto:[email protected]";>[email protected] > > Cc: > href="mailto:[email protected]";>[email protected] > Sent: Sat, 24 April, 2010 > 18:33:32 > Subject: [Asiapacific-general] [Fwd: History was made > today] > > ---------------------------- Original Message > > ---------------------------- Subject: History was made > today From: > "Ray Hazen - CEO S.C.M.A" < > > href="mailto: > href="mailto:[email protected]";>[email protected]"> > ymailto="mailto:[email protected]"; > href="mailto:[email protected]";>[email protected]> Date: Fri, > > April 23, 2010 22:52 To: "Ray Hazen - CEO > S.C.M.A" < > ymailto="mailto: > href="mailto:[email protected]";>[email protected]" > href="mailto: > ymailto="mailto:[email protected]"; > href="mailto:[email protected]";>[email protected]"> > ymailto="mailto:[email protected]"; > href="mailto:[email protected]";>[email protected]> -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Greetings > > one and all, Today history was made when Member Station > UG FM > became the first Community Broadcaster in Australia to be > officially > recognised as an > Emergency Broadcaster. Please see the media > release > attached and below for further information. Kindest > > Regards Ray Hazen CEO Southern > > Community Media Association Representing This great Southern > > Land Vibrant, Vocal and Vital P: 0409 > 533 > 891 E: > href="mailto: > ymailto="mailto:[email protected]"; > href="mailto:[email protected]";>[email protected]"> > ymailto="mailto:[email protected]"; > href="mailto:[email protected]";>[email protected] W: > > www.scma1.com SCMA Member becomes the first Community > > Broadcaster to sign Emergency Broadcasting Memorandum of > > Understanding Member Station UG FM Alexandra has become the first > > Community Broadcaster in Australia to sign a Memorandum of > Understanding > (MOU) in regard to Emergency Broadcasting. UGFM and > the Victorian Office of > Emergency Services Commissioner formalized > the MOU in at studio complex of > UGFM in Alexandra. UG FM played a > vital role in Emergency Broadcasting during > the Black Saturday fires > and continues to broadcast recovery information to > its > area. Join the Community Radio Forum. For membership details, please go to www.crforum.in
