I propose 9 February - the day the Supreme Court of the world's largest democracy ascertained that airwaves is a public property.
In any case, 9th Feb should be our National Free Radio Day. Stalin 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 > -- Stalin K. Director Video Volunteers - Empowering Community Voices Phone : (W) 0832-2281032 (M) 99235-94635 Skype: stalink1234 www.videovolunteers.org/ http://twitter.com/videovolunteers Watch our videos: indiaunheard.videovolunteers.org
Join the Community Radio Forum. For membership details, please go to www.crforum.in
