While the sinking of the Titanic might do well as a theme for public service
broadcasting, the event itself was hardly a sterling demonstration of the
compelling value of radio. Unless 'sooner or later' is a valid response to an
emergency call.
Perhaps UNESCO is better off declaring itself a World Heritage Site.
Vickram
http://communicall.wordpress.com
http://vvcrishna.wordpress.com
>________________________________
>From: sajan venniyoor <[email protected]>
>To: CR India <[email protected]>
>Sent: Monday, 14 November 2011, 12:48
>Subject: [cr-india] UNESCO picks 13 February as World Radio Day
>
>
>UNESCO this week approved a proposal 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 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.
>
>
>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
>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
