[cma-l] 13th February proposed as World Radio Day

[CMA-L]

UNESCO <http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/>’s Executive Board has
recommended the establishment of a World Radio
Day<http://www.worldradioday.org/>.
The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova <http://www.bokova.eu/>, has
suggested the date of 13 February: the day when UN radio was first
established in 1946 <http://www.un.org/av/unfamily/radio.html>. The new World
Day <http://www.worldradioday.org/> will raise awareness about the
importance of the medium, facilitate access to information through radio,
and enhance networking among broadcasters.

Radio is recognised as a low cost communications medium, specifically suited
to reach remote communities and vulnerable people: the illiterate, the
disabled, women, youth and the poor, while offering a platform to engage in
public debate irrespective of people’s educational level. Furthermore, radio
has a strong and specific role in emergency communication and disaster
relief. There is also a changing face to radio services which, in the
present times of media convergence, are taking up new formats such as
broadband, mobiles and tablets. However it is said that up to a billion
people still do not have access to radio services today.

UNESCO <http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/> started a comprehensive
consultation process in June 2011. It included a wide range of stakeholders
i.e. broadcasting associations; public, state, private, community and
international broadcasters; UN agencies; funds and programmes; topic-related
NGOs; academia; foundations and bilateral development agencies; as well as
UNESCO <http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/> Permanent Delegations and
National Commissions.

Among the responses received, 91% were in favour of the project. The project
leader, the Academia Española de la Radio <http://www.academiadelaradio.es/>,
received over 46 letters of support from diverse stakeholders, including the
Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU) <http://www.asbu.net/www/en/home.asp>,
the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU)<http://www.abu.org.my/abu/index.cfm>,
the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB) <http://www.aub-uar.org/eng/>,
the Caribbean
Broadcasting Union (CBU) <http://caribunion.com/>, the European Broadcasting
Union (EBU) <http://www.ebu.ch/>, the International Association of
Broadcasting (IAB)<http://erc.unesco.org/ong/en/directory/ONG_Desc_portal.asp?mode=gn&code=701>,
the North American Broadcasters Association
(NABA)<http://www.nabanet.com/nabaweb/>,
the Organización de Telecomunicaciones Iberoamericanas
(OTI)<http://www.esmas.com/oti/>,
BBC <http://www.bbc.co.uk/>, URTI <http://www.urti.org/>, Vatican
Radio<http://www.radiovaticana.org/inglese/enindex.asp>,
etc. A World Radio Day Feasibility Study
[PDF]<http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/CI/CI/pdf/news/wrd_study.pdf>provides
more details about the consultation process.

The date of 13 February, the day United Nations radio was first established
in 1946 <http://www.un.org/av/unfamily/radio.html>, was proposed by
the Director-General
of UNESCO<http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/about-us/who-we-are/director-general/>.
The objectives of the Day <http://www.worldradioday.org/> will be to raise
greater awareness among the public and the media of the importance of radio;
to encourage decision makers to establish and provide access to information
through radio; as well as to enhance networking and international
cooperation among broadcasters.

The consulted stakeholders also proposed ideas for the programme of
celebration: extensive use of social media, annual themes, a dedicated
website enabling virtual participation, special radio programmes, radio
programmes exchange, a festival involving key partners, and so forth.

The Executive Board recommends that the upcoming General Conference
proclaims a World Radio Day on 13 February
<http://www.worldradioday.org/>and that the Director-General
of UNESCO<http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/about-us/who-we-are/director-general/>submits
the final resolution to the United
Nations General Assembly <http://www.un.org/en/ga/> for endorsement.

Source <http://www.worldradioday.org/>.
\\

Community Media Association
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http://www.commedia.org.uk/
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Canstream Internet Radio & Video <http://www.canstream.co.uk/>
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