AHM Bazlur Rahman-S21BRChief Executive Officer

Bangladesh NGOs Network forRadio and Communication

ceo@bnnrc.net

State of Radio Broadcasting

in Bangladesh

Public Service BroadcastingBangladesh Betar/Radio

12 Regional MW and 27 FM

300 H program

Commercial Broadcasting

12 FM Stations total 25

Community Broadcasting14 Stations + 2 Newly Approved

120 H Program

International Broadcasting

BBC, NHK, CRI & VOA

Internet Radio

Campus Radio

Human Needs and Rights

Knowledge Societies

Pluralism

Human Needs and RightsHuman Needs and Rights

Knowledge SocietiesKnowledge Societies

PluralismPluralism

Knowledge

Creation Dissemination UtilizationPreservation

Knowledge Knowledge Knowledge

Mission of Community Mediain Bangladesh

Straggle for Community Radio

Movement Started from 1998

Community Radio Policy by Ministry of Information 2008

14 Community Radio Approved by Ministry of Information 2010Community Radio on-airfrom 2011

Community Radio Strategy 2011by Ministry of Information

Again,125 Initiators applied for CR17 September, 2013

Primary selection for Security 5124 October, 2013

Picture: Curtsey – Internet /Face book

Picture: Curtsey – Internet/Face book

Picture: Curtsey – Internet/Face book

Why Community Broadcasting

Current trends of Information SocietyThe reality, if current trends continue, might be very different, the dream might become a nightmare

1. The fruits of human creativity – from academia to media, from indigenous medicines to music- are being privatized, ownership concentrated into the hands of a few, and access restricted to those who can pay ;

2. The airwaves, for radio, television and telecommunications, are being sliced up and sold to the highest bidder ;

3. The internet, once a promising new public sphere, is increasingly commercialized and controlled ;

4. The media, controlled by the MNCs, sell consumerism to people, and people to advertisers, and now media machines is very much aggressive!

A frame Work for Action

Global Drivers:- UN World Summit on the

Information Society

(UN WSIS) 2003 & 2005- UN Convention on the Rights

of the Child UN MDGs- UN Convention Against

Corruption- UNCAC- UN FCCC

National drivers- Right to Information law 2009

of Ministry of Information- ICT Policy 2009 of Ministry

of Science and ICT- 6th Five Years Plan of Ministry

of Planning and Finance 2012

Collaboration and Policy support

Approaches to Sustainability& ChallengePolicy level :Community Radio Policy 2008National Strategy on CR Policy 2011

Institutional Level:Advisory CommitteeMonitoring CommitteeBy-Laws/ HR & Financial Policy

Social Level: Management Committee In line with Community ownership & Control & Community EngagementIn line with program

Financial Sustainability :A non-profit business ModelCR Trust Fund DevelopmentAdvertisement PolicyPartnership with Local Government

Major Challenge:- Community Mobilization- Regular Operation- Skills for Staff

Program & Community Broadcasters

Total Hours : 120 Hours

Total Community Broadcaster

Youth: 284

Youth- Women 252

Future Plan for Community Radio- On-going 2013, 14 Operational CR + 2- By 2014 at-least 60 CR Station- By 2021 300 CR Stations

Community Radio in DRR

As part of addressing the risk of Cyclone Mahasen,

Six Community Radio Stations in coastal region of Bangladesh have broadcasted 514 hours program for 5 days continuously from May 11 to May16.

Community Radio Nalta 99.2 (Satkhira),

Community Radio Sundarban 99.2(Koyra, Khulna), Community Radio Lokobetar 99.2 (Barguna Sadar), Community Rural Radio Krishi Radio 98.8 (Amtali,Barguna),

Community Radio Naf 99.2 (Cox’s bazar,Tekhnaf) and Radio Sagargiri 99.2 (Sitakunda, Chittagong)  

A total of 391 staffs and volunteers and

more than 20,000 listeners’ club members were involved constantly in disseminating disaster preparedness message and information to the local community.

The community radio stations broadcasted latest weather bulletin and other govt. directives after every 15-30 minutes. The radio staffs and volunteers produced and broadcasted different types of programs in different formats (like news, magazine, talkshow, discussion etc.) regarding pre, during and post-disaster measures.

The directives from Deputy Commissioner (DC) and Upa Zila Nirbahi Officer(UNO), interview of experienced Red Cross officials have been broadcasted.

Interviews and directives regarding early preparedness measures regarding utilization of Cyclone shelter, crop harvesting and preservation by local elected representatives like UP Chairman, Mayor, Female vice chairman and members of upazila parishads, Deputy Director of Cyclone Preparedness Committee, Agriculture officer and health officer have been broadcasted.

Interviews [on disaster preparedness] of local journalists, trained and experienced development activists were broadcasted. people who took shelter in the center also talked on community radio so that the others feel inspired to come to the shelter.

Public Service Announcement (PSA) was broadcasted by quoting bulletin of National Broadcasting Authority. Analysis and views have been broadcasted basing on the news published on national and international mass media, Members of Listeners clubs sent early warning by Mobile messages for non-covered radio region.