[cr-india] Media South Asia Workshop on Community Radio

[Ian Pringle]

Community Media South Asia

REPORT FROM KATHMANDU ­ COMMUNITY RADIO IS ON THE MOVE

Sunday, February 25, 2002

The Media South Asia workshop on Community Radio concluded on an optimistic
note here in Kathmandu last Saturday (02.23.02)

The Nepal Sectretary for Information and Communications, Prabar Adhikari
told the assembled delegates that "aspiring Nepali broadcasters could expect
their licenses to be reviewed for approval with one month."

The Pakistan delegation to the conference said that "legislation in their
country is in the making and they expected President Musharraf to sign a new
broadcast ordinance shortly that would make community radio a reality."

Although representatives from the government of India were absent, informed
sources at the seminar said that "the Indian Secretary for Information and
Broadcasting, was busy preparing a cabinet brief in New Delhi that would
open up the airwaves for community broadcasters." It was only recently that
Minister Sushma Swaraj announced in an interview on The Hoot that the
government would make a firm policy statement on community radio following
state elections in February.

The Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Information from Bangladesh, Mohammad
Abdul Hannan who participated in the workshop said that "there are
twenty-six applications for independent private radio pending. The
modalities to review these applications still have to be worked out before
the government starts handing out licenses."

Kumar Abeyasinghe, the Sri Lanka Media Secretary, also attending the
workshop, disclosed that "a large number of media laws are up for review,
making way for a more liberal media environment. While admitting the need
for community radio," he said that "specific legislation for would take some
time."

UNESCO representative Wijayananda Jayaweera reiterated UNESCO¹s position on
community radio and new technologies essential role in bridging the digital
divide. "It is a myth that community radio divides people, rather it
integrates communities. Security concerns should not be a deterrent to
governments making community radio a strong part of a three-tiered
broadcasting system: government, commercial and community radio."

Delegates from five SAARC countries including senior government policy
makers and community radio practitioners along with academics and NGOs
participated in the workshop which was organised by Media South Asia in
cooperation with PANOS and AMARC, the world community radio body.


SOON on CMSA and Kothmale.Net comprehensive reports on the workshop and from
rural Nepal.



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