[grc] Thanks for participating in World Radio Day

[Frieda Werden]

There are quite a few audio submissions from North America on the AMARC web
page devoted to World Radio Day 2016.  Cool!  You may be interested in this
statement from another region:

1. Statement by AMARC Asia-Pacific on the occasion of the World
      Radio Day 2016 (Suman Basnet)


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Message: 1
Date: Sat, 13 Feb 2016 11:50:27 +0545
From: Suman Basnet <sumanbasnet at amarc-ap.org>
To: AMARC WIN General elist <amarcwingeneral at lists.amarc.org>
Subject: [Amarcwingeneral] Statement by AMARC Asia-Pacific on the
        occasion of the World Radio Day 2016
Message-ID: <D2E4C8D5.7F657%sumanbasnet at amarc-ap.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Statement by AMARC Asia-Pacific on the occasion of the World Radio Day 2016

On the occasion of the World Radio Day 2016, AMARC Asia-Pacific, the
regional chapter of the World Association for Community Radio Broadcasters
(AMARC) greets community radios of the Asia-Pacific region. This is an
important occasion to celebrate community broadcasting and to review the
values we bring into the lives of our local communities across the region
and the world.

This year, the UNESCO theme for World Radio Day is ³Radio in Times of
Emergency and Disaster.²  The theme resonates well with our recent
experiences of broadcasting at times of grave calamities in the Asia-Pacific
region.

A landmark decision in the annals of community radio history was made in
India when the Government allowed setting up an emergency radio in Cuddalore
district, which along with other parts of Tamilnadu state had come under
devastating floods on November 8, 2015. Community radio advocacy efforts
towards making emergency radio stations a reality in South Asia began in
earnest post the Kosi floods in 2008. The Cuddalore emergency radio is a
milestone achievement not just for India but also for the entire
Asia-Pacific region where community broadcasting is closely linked to
disaster risk reduction and management.

Speaking on the occasion of World Radio Day, Ramnath Bhat, Acting President
of AMARC Asia-Pacific has said that today is an occasion to recollect the
hardship and challenges that community radios in Nepal lived through during
the April 25, 2015 earthquake and the subsequent aftershocks. In spite of
horrible conditions brought about by all-around loss of lives and
properties, as well as losses suffered by the community broadcasters of
their buildings and equipment, the fact that many community broadcasters
fought back to be on air to serve local communities is truly commendable. He
has thanked partners and donors for their generous support for rebuilding
community radios and called for their continued support ³as the challenge is
far from over and community radios in Nepal require continued support to
regain their full operational capacity.² Speaking on behalf of the Regional
Board of AMARC Asia-Pacific, Mr. Bhat expressed satisfaction that AMARC was
able to provide significant assistance to community radios that had suffered
from the earthquake.

Today is also an occasion to applaud, once again, community broadcasters
such as Radio Abante in the Philippines, as well as community radios in
Bangladesh, Fiji Islands, and across the Asia Pacific region ­ from Pacific
to South East Asia and from East Asia to South Asia ­ for the invaluable
service that they bring to the local communities at times of great distress
and challenge.

National policy or the lack of it remains the greatest hurdle to bringing
the services of community broadcasting to those that need it at the hour of
an emergency. ³I would like to call upon the governments of the Asia-Pacific
region to take note of the good examples set by community radios and take
active initiative in establishing legislative atmosphere that is conducive
for the growth of community broadcasting. It is to be noted that many of the
countries where community radios are playing an important role in community
building are operating in a Œpolicy-void¹ or Œpoor-policy¹ conditions² Mr.
Bhat said.

Evidence shows that community radio is the medium that is most accessible
and reaches the widest audience in the quickest possible time.

-END-

Throughout the day on February 13, use the hashtags #WRD_AMARC,
#WorldRadioDay <https://twitter.com/search?q=%23WorldRadioDay&src=typd>  and
#RadioSavesLives <https://twitter.com/search?q=%23RadioSavesLives&src=typd>
to identify your posts on social networks. You can also visit AMARC¹s
campaign page <http://amarc.org/?q=node/2522>  to listen and download
thematic audios produced by community radio stations. Want to add yours?
Please see the details here. <http://amarc.org/?q=node/2516>

On February 13, let's celebrate community radio together! Join us! Thank you
for your participation!

---
Through service to members, networking and project implementation, the World
Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) gathers more than 4,000
community radios, federations and community media stakeholders in more than
150 countries.

For further information, please contact:

Suman Basnet
Regional Coordinator, AMARC Asia-Pacific
sumanbasnet at amarc-ap.org <mailto:sumanbasnet at amarc-ap.org>
Kathmandu, Nepal.
Office phone: +977 1 5554811






-- 
Frieda Werden, Series Producer
WINGS: Women's International News Gathering Service www.wings.org