World Radio Day – The Role of community Radio in the preservation and transmission of culture.

World Radio Day is an international day celebrated on 13 February each year. The Day was decided by UNCESO on 3 November 2011 during its 36th conference. World Radio Day celebrates radio as part of humanity’s history by following the various developments in our society and adapting its services. As the world changes, so does radio. Thus, during the Covid-19 pandemic, radio made it possible, for example, to ensure continuity of learning, to fight against misinformation, and to promote barrier gestures.

  Here on this World Radio Day, I am sharing my views on Community Radio and it’s role in the preservation and transmission of culture. There is no doubt that community radio has come as blessing and has a bright future up bright future. Community Radio are close to the people and very effective in promoting, preserving and transmitting the culture of people in the areas they are operating in.

     Community Radio is a type of radio service that offers a model radio Broadcasting beyond commercial and public service. Community Radio broadcasting serves Communities interest.  the content of broadcasting is largely popular and relevant to local specific audience. Community radio stations operated owned and driven by the communities they serve and provides a mechanism for facilitating individuals, groups and communities to tell their diverse stories, to share experiences and in a media rich world to become a active creators and contributors of media. In many parts of the world today, community radio acts a vehicle for the community and voluntary sector, civil society, agencies, NGOs and citizens to work in partnership to promote community development.

    Culture takes diverse homes across time and space this diversity is embodied in the uniqueness and plurality of the identities of the groups and societies making up humankind. As a source of exchange, innovation and creativity cultural diversity is as necessary for humankind as biodiversity is for nature. Cultural survival’s experience working with community radio stations over the past eight years has identified four primary contributions of radio to language revitalization and sustainability.

Community Radio

• Supports successful revitalisation of an endangered language.
• Promote language use and halts further language decline.
• Builds awareness of language loss and inspires new language learners.
• Serves as a source of alternative media for broadcasting in Indigenous communities.

One sign of the healthy community is it’s simultaneous ability to preserve and invert it’s culture I;e to conserve it’s history and heritage while developing new expressions for current times. And community radio plays an important role in preservation and propagation of culture and history of a community as community radio is reaching out to community. Community Radio can help us to gain valuable information about our history, culture and traditions. By promoting culture, Community Radio has, therefore, become a conduit for cultural development and emancipation. Community Radio stations have indeed, true to their design and mission, provided the people they serve with unequalled access to developmental information in the various areas of their like.  Community  Radio is uniquely positioned to bring communities together and foster positive dialogue for change. By listening to its audiences and responding to their needs, radio services provide the diversity of views and voices needed to address the challenges we all face..Now the time has come that the potential of this popular accessible, low cost, medium of communication should be linked with the national development objectives. The medium of communication Radio which has great potential to reach out everywhere in the country. If well supported radio can help achieve this and enhance cultural development and regional integration in India.  

Wishing a very Happy Radio Day to all.

*#KilamsCorner*