[cr-india] Strengthening CR -- the World Radio Conference in Sri Lanka

[sajan venniyoor]

[From MC Rasmin, Sri Lanka Community Radio Forum]

The world radio conference under the theme of ‘strengthen the radio
movements and empower communities in Sri Lanka’ has taken place in Colombo.
A network of community broadcasters, working towards community broadcasting
for social development in Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka Development
Journalist Forum (SDJF), brought together more than 30 broadcasters
representing Uva community radio, Kothmale Community Radio, Saru Community
radio, Sasura Community Radio, Telradio, Vayamba voice, Ruhunu voice,
Kandurata FM, Vasantham FM, Sri Lanka broadcasting corporation, Nenasala
telecenters and different universities  for the first World Radio Day.

The Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) of Sri Lanka,
the national ICT apex body, partnered with SDJF in organising the
conference. ICT Agency of Sri Lanka extended its fullest technical input in
order to make this conference more successful. ICT Agency of Sri Lanka has
continuously been supporting Sri Lanka development Journalist Forum (SDJF)
for the cause of connecting community broadcasters.

The conference was divided into three major sessions such as hearing the
challenges from the ground, assessing the challenging policy environment
for community radio broadcasting in particular and radio broadcasting in
general and the future pathway for it.

The fact that the policies which exist are not supporting the citizens to
bring up the community voice was explored by the senior lecturer of the
media department of the Kelaniya University,  Vijayanada Rupasinga. The
major issues such as lack of communication with the government, lack of
civil society involvement, lack of lobbying among different policy players
and lack of knowledge among community radio workers about the policy
environment were identified as immediate hindrances in designing a better
policy to promote and regulate community radio movements. Furthermore, the
unfair situation of criticizing the role of government of Sri Lanka without
any communication with it was also emphasized by Saman Rajapaksha, lecturer
from the same university. He stressed the fact that there should be series
of communication and dialogue with government stakeholder on this cause and
which is not been happening currently.

At the same time, there are other sessions which arrived at the following
conclusion.

1.       Any radio comes under government preview shouldn’t name as
community radio. What Sri Lanka need at this juncture is radio fully won by
people.

2.       UVA community radio representative and the newly elected national
coordinator of SDJF stressed that UVA is the only community radio

3.      Sri Lankan government should be made clear that the need of
community radio is not to challenge the government or the mainstream radio
but to create a strong platform in order to cater the development need of
the disadvantaged and to create a platform where civil society can voice
the issues affecting them. There is a huge amount of people’s interests and
information needs which are not catered by the commercially driven private
and government mainstream radios.

4.      It was also shown as a good sign that government has clearly
supported SARU community radio which is a real community radio set up
accordingly to the community radio principle and was not processed by
relevant organization or the final proceeding in calling bid for the
transmitter. Until a genuine community radio era is flourished, all the
community based – regional radio stations have to absorb the features of
community broadcasting in order to create a positive environment for the
future community radio.

5.      For the first time in the history of Sri Lankan community radio
industry, a national forum was formed by Sri Lankan development journalist
Forum (SDJF) to carry forward a collected mandate in triggering the
communication with government and all the other stakeholders.

6.      The deputy country director of USAID Sri Lanka, Christopher Wyrod
explained the fact that domination of the commercially driven radio and
other media is not a challenge for a real community radio and radio
movements.

 7.      Sri Lanka development Forum (SDJF) was requested by the
participants, o write to ICT Agency of Sri Lanka, CEMCA and AMARC seeking
the technical inputs in order to host an international conference on future
community radio in Sri Lanka and work towards lobbying the need of news
radio policy. The head of SDJF M C Rasmin, accepted the suggestion of the
participant.

 8.      A unique fact was despite the nationwide private bus strike, all
around the country, participants have managed to come by their own means.
Some participants have walked longer ways due to the heavy traffic jam and
lack of transport facilities which prove the thirsty amongst the community
broadcasters to re-strengthen the radio movement in Sri Lanka.  The country
director for Search for Common Ground, Nawaz Mohammed also attended the
conference Charing a session.  Sri Lanka developments Journalist Forum
(SDJF) will prepare an extended conference report in due cause and make it
available for the public awareness.

M C Rasmin
Director/CEO
Sri Lanka Development Journalist Forum (SDJF)
8/5, Liyanage Mawatha, nawala, Ragagiriya
Office - +94112 87 70 07
Web – www.ldjf.org, Mail – rasmin (at) ldjf (dot) org
Skype – mcrasmin
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