I agree that the date is completely unworthy. It highlights and flags how the UN sees itself and its events as more important that any other in the world. The date selection should have been put on the public domain for the world community radio practitioners to vote. UNESCO needs to retract and find a more universally acceptable date. Did it not occur to them that most of the world see the date 13 as a inauspicious date?
UNESCO needs to wake up from 1946 and make itself relevant to the present day. May all beings be happy Rajen -- Rajen Varada Director Technology For The People 102, Katlekad, Madikeri Taluk Kodagu, Karnataka Skype rajen.varada Mobile: 9538444616 mail:[email protected] <[email protected]> www.tftpeople.org <http://www.labournet.in/> ------------------------------------------- On Mon, Nov 14, 2011 at 12:48 PM, sajan venniyoor <[email protected]>wrote: > UNESCO this week approved a > proposal<http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=105801>from Spain to proclaim > an annual > *World Radio Day. *After consulting a number of stake-holders, they chose > *13 February *as World Radio Day. The date commemorates the establishment > of U.N. Radio <http://www.unmultimedia.org/radio/english/> in 1946. > > Frankly, this is not a particularly inspired choice. > > The three 'official' options were: > July 27 - Marconi's first public wireless transmission of morse code (1896) > October 6 - Birthday of Roger Fessenden, radio pioneer (1866) > October 30 - The day Orson Welles broadcast his famous *'War of the > Worlds' *radio play in the US (1938) > > Among the alternative dates suggested was 30 November, the date of birth > of Jagdish Chandra Bose (1858), physicist, biologist and pioneer of radio > broadcasting. This date was suggested by 13 respondents, the largest > number, compared to the single respondent who mentioned 13 February. You > can read the World Radio Day Feasibility Study > here<http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/CI/CI/pdf/news/wrd_study.pdf> > . > > One can only be thankful that they didn't pick 24 March (anniversary of > the murder of Oscar Romero, Archbishop of San Salvador) or 15 April > (sinking of the *Titanic *which, come to think of it, would do nicely as > Public Service Broadcasting Day). > > Sajan > > > UNESCO Turns On the Radio <http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=105801> > By A.D.McKenzie > > PARIS, Nov 11 , 2011 (IPS) - The demise of radio has been predicted for > many years, but the medium is adapting, transforming and proving to be a > cost-effective tool in development, experts say. > > "Radio is cheap, portable and has enormous potential for local and > national growth," says Mirta Lourenço, chief of the media development > section of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural > Organisation (UNESCO). > > The Paris-based agency this week approved a proposal from Spain to > proclaim an annual World Radio Day set for Feb. 13 which will be observed > in a variety of ways by UNESCO’s 195 member states. > > "The aim is to promote community radio and also to celebrate the service > radio provides," Lourenço told IPS. "It was felt that radio had not been > adequately recognised for its many services to humankind." > > During the organisation’s two-week General Conference, which ended > Thursday, member states agreed on goals that that included raising > awareness about the continued relevance of radio especially for > "marginalised groups", and encouraging the creation of new channels by > indigenous and community organisations. > > UNESCO says that about one billion people (or one in seven of the world’s > population) still do not have access to radio. > > "We need to expand access because in a way radio is irreplaceable. Once > you buy your radio set, you have it for life and the information you > receive can make a big difference especially in rural communities," > Lourenço said. > > World Radio Day would also be used to highlight the need to "empower civil > society on the right to communicate," UNESCO says. It should help as well > to "enhance networking among broadcasters" and to promote human and > citizens’ rights. > > Radio has been used negatively for propaganda during both world wars, and > also to incite violence, as in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. But UNESCO points > out that it also has a specific role in emergency communication, disaster > relief and other areas. > > The agency has drawn up an ambitious programme, supported by Sweden, to > strengthen radio in rural areas in Africa so that broadcasters can produce > quality programmes about local concerns including agriculture and > healthcare. > > Stations run by rural women would be part of the project as well as > education on how to use new communication technologies such as texting to > reach audiences who could then text back questions or comments. > > "From what I’ve seen in many developing countries, radio is generally the > cheapest form of media for people who may not be able to buy a newspaper > every day or afford television," says Jamion Knight, a Paris-based former > radio journalist who worked in the Caribbean. > > "Having access to radio allows you to get information not only on what is > happening in your community but also on what is happening around the world, > and people are able to share information, which makes for a powerful tool," > he told IPS. > > Knight used radio to highlight issues such as post-partum depression, a > condition that had not been discussed much by media in the region. Such > reports can give women the support needed to address their feelings. > > Radio can also be used to help rehabilitate offenders, UNESCO says. One > creative project was the development of "prison radio" in Jamaica, the > first of its kind in the Caribbean. > > Both inmates and correctional officers were trained to produce and > broadcast programmes in a scheme supported by UNESCO and the Canadian > International Development Agency. One of the aims was to prepare prisoners > for reintegration into society. > > It is not clear, however, whether these and other initiatives will be at > risk in the funding crisis that UNESCO currently faces. > > On Thursday, at the closing session of the General Conference, the > agency’s director-general Irina Bokova launched an Emergency Multi-Donor > Fund to help fill a shortfall resulting from United States’ withholding of > dues following the admission of Palestine to UNESCO on Oct. 31. > > The U.S. funding cuts, based on laws dating from the 1990s, leave UNESCO > with an immediate deficit of 65 million dollars to the end of 2011, and a > further gap of 22 percent in its 653 million dollar budget for 2012-2013, > according to the agency. > > To cover the funding gap to the end of 2011, Bokova told the General > Conference that the organisation had already begun a thorough review of all > of its activities planned for November and December. > > "I have temporarily interrupted certain activities to revise their costs," > Bokova said. > > Meanwhile, the government of Gabon has announced a donation of two million > dollars, and UNESCO has set up a site where the general public can make > donations online. > > Whatever the outcome of the funding debacle, World Radio Day should still > be a boost to broadcasters, who will see their medium celebrated globally > for its positive aspects. > > The date commemorates the establishment of U.N. Radio in 1946 and was > proposed by Bokova after discussion in which several countries suggested > days that were linked to national developers of radio. > > These pioneers included Canadian-American Reginald Fessenden, the > "inventor" of audio broadcasting who was born on Oct. 6, and Italian > Guglielmo Marconi, who is believed to have made the first wireless > transmission of morse code on Jul. 27, 1896. > > Oct. 30, the day when Orson Welles first broadcast ‘The War of the Worlds’ > radio play in the United States in 1938, was also proposed but ultimately > rejected. The play caused panic among some listeners who believed that > Martians were invading Earth. > > Welles’ broadcast showed the power of radio, and the impact it could have > on communities. With World Radio Day, UNESCO says it wants to highlight and > promote that capability, but for development and social change. > > > > Join the Community Radio Forum. For membership details, please go to > www.crforum.in >
Join the Community Radio Forum. For membership details, please go to www.crforum.in
