[cr-india] BANGLADESH: Rural broadcasting and good governance

[Frederick Noronha (FN)]

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Message: 4
   Date: Tue, 09 Mar 2004 08:18:28 +0600
   From: "AHM.Bazlur Rahman" <bnnrc at bd.drik.net>
Subject: Rural Broadcasting and Good Governance

Village Broadcasting
and Good Governance

AHM Bazlur Rahman(S21BR)
bnnrc at bd.drik.net

Good Governance is the most conversant among the development issues that
being discussed in Bangladesh now. Not only the government departments all
the non-government lobbies also are being prepared to face out the
challenges of development in the 21st century. Broadcasting, free flowing
and exchanging of information is very important in establishing Good
Governance because in a closed and hidden environment no transparency,
accountability and or participation is possible. We think, Village
Broadcasting can play a great role to ensure Good Governance.

Existing Broadcasting system and people in rural area

In the existing broadcasting system there are some Government patronized
institutions like Bangladesh Television (BTV) and Radio Bangladesh and on
the other hand, Channel I, ATN Bangla, NTV Radio Metrowave, VOA and BBC FM
that are patronized by non-government bodies. If we assess the broadcast
programs we may realize how these programs satisfy the demands or desires of
the rural people. The level of choice and the level of feedback are very
important factor in relation to the access of rural people in information. 
Unfortunately the media monitoring system in our country is very poor. 
There is no statistical information about the participation of the rural
people in media. The rural people are virtually looked over from the sector
of production, decision-making and planning level in the name of
participation. It is to say that, a decentralized broadcasting management is
necessary to ensure the participation of the entire rural population in the
central broadcasting. Because so nearer to the rural people the broadcasting
media would be established so much access and participation would be
ensured. For an example, the Government of Sri Lanka has established
successfully an entire rural participation and access in Kothmale and
Mohavelly. People are making both programs and decisions in full-fledged
there. The central broadcasting authority hardly interferes them except only
the central news broadcasting. The villagers are having the necessary
information about agricultural management, Current technologies, insect
controlling management in agriculture, diseases and market prices through
the radio there.

Due to the Central Broadcasting System the contents of the programs can not
satisfy the daily needs of the villagers in our country. We should go for
the Village Broadcasting System as soon as possible by assessing what
impacts of the programs are there on the villagers for whom these are
produced in the finance of World Bank, ABD of other else.

Now we may discuss on how Print Media influences the Village livelihood. 
The strength of the print media in our country is that they are now able to
publish news in free and independent environment. But the weakness is that
the literacy of the population is only 40.3 now, as a result the 60 percent
of the population are not able to participate in this media. Besides, due to
the developed technology a great deal of changes comes to the printing day
by day but along with this the price of the newspapers is increasing,
therefore, it is difficult for the villagers to buy it. As the result, it
fails to make an appeal to the extensive illiterate people of villages. 
Besides, while the owners of the newspapers are not in the same class and
moreover due to the economic interest they are not ready to fix the price
within the effort of the rural population though it is possible. What impact
comes by the central broadcasting system and or the print media may a matter
of research but it is clear that in view of now days these media are not
capable of playing an effective role.

Villagers can not read newspapers due to the illiteracy and besides,
literate villagers can not read newspapers due to the high price, therefore,
village broadcasting especially Radio and TV can influence the illiterate
people very much effectively. But due to the centralized broadcasting system
people are deprived of that opportunity. Community Radio and or Television
can strengthen village broadcasting and it indicates the open and free
flowing of information in the free and independent society that is very
important for establishing Good Governance. The Central Broadcasting System
is Government or individual ownership centered and the impact and control of
these deprives people especially the illiterates from the information about
the ill deeds of the government and the national or international profit
seekers.

Village Broadcasting is recent in our country. Generally it runs for
people's interest as it is corresponded by the people come from various
professions and classes. Here are some recommendations for the Village
Broadcasting system:

1.To establish Broadcasting Centers at the rural level by the Government
initiative. It would be Village Radio or Village Television so that peoples
around 30-50 miles may enjoy the broadcast programs.

2.To make opportunity to promote Community Radio and Television at the rural
level by non-Government initiative.

3.To compose village broadcasting guideline but it would not be profit
making. Community broadcasting would be facilitated on the basis of neither
profit making nor loosing concern.

At the end we want to say that, Good Governance actually indicates that
environment in which people may have all the information continuously from
the government or non-government sources. Good Governance and Transparency
is in the same way where no expenditure needs for per hour. The quick
implementation of the two is possible only in the political well wishing. 
In the village broadcasting system community radio and television may
facilitate the government of non-government information to the people
regularly as well as the people may express their opinion and point of view
through it.

Therefore, the village broadcasting may play the effective role to ensure
this both way information flowing by which it will helpful to achieve the
good governance, desired economic, social and political concerns.

AHM Bazlur Rahman-S21BR working with BNNRC as Chief Executive Officer
(Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication), BNNRC do like to see
the rural people has the easy, quick and low cost access to global
communication so that they are enrich and updated by knowledge.

BNNRC is a executive member of Bangladesh Working Group on World Summit on 
the Information Society (WSIS), a collaborative efforts by Government of 
Bangladesh -NGOs and CSOs of Bangladesh.

BNNRC is affiliated with World Association of Community Radio Broadcaster 
(AMARC) ONEWORLD .Net, ONEWORLD Radio, Inter World Radio and Developing 
Countries Farm Radio Network (DCFRN), World Association for Christian 
Communication (WACC) South Asian Community Media Association .
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