Mario Murillo's report on Radio in Colombia

Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia September 25-27, 2008Like most conferences focused on media that I’ve participated in over the years in the U.S., Colombia and around the world, the Sixth Encounter of the Network of University Radio Stations of Colombia, RRUC, provided an interesting mix of social/cultural discussion and debate, with the more practical concerns of economic sustainability and technical/normative issues affecting the many stations participating in the network.

There was a lot of talk about future collaborative projects for the network, and considerable attention was paid to RRUC’s relationship to state entities like the Ministry of Communication. A diverse mix of representatives from every region of the country was present at the conference, sharing experiences and concerns about the state of University Radio in Colombia, and its outlook for the future.

What I was surprised – and a bit disappointed, I might add - not to hear too much about in the three days of meetings that took place in the Universidad del Norte in the Caribbean coastal city of Barranquilla, was information about the internal political dynamics within the country’s many campuses, relating to student activism and mobilization, and how these issues may or may not unfold in the radio signals that are emanating from those distinct locales. Indeed, there was an almost total absence of student participants in the conference, even though it was held on the beautiful campus of one of the most important universities in the country, home to Uninorte Estereo, the university station celebrating its 25th anniversary this week.....
......In essence, of all the many presentations and panels at the event, only two focused on the issues of community and citizen involvement at the university radio stations. The first was the talk by Jaime Abello, the national coordinator of the Fundación Nuevo Periodismo Iberoamericano, FNPI, the press association founded by Nobel laureate Gabriel García Márquez. Abello painted a broad landscape of the state of news media today, not only in Colombia, but on a global scale. He made a strong case for the need for University radio stations in Colombia to strengthen its commitment to comprehensive journalism, one that goes beyond the already solid cultural reporting that is common in many of the older college stations in the country. He reminded the audience of the social responsibility the stations and universities have to their localities, and that one of those responsibilities include providing the audiences with investigative and well-researched information that can offset, even if on a small scale, many of the inherent flaws of mainstream, commercial news organizations.

The second presentation that addressed the social responsibility of university radio stations was provided by, well, yours truly. I had been invited to present a keynote speech about this broad topic by the current national director of the RRUC, Guillermo Gaviria, a Julliard School graduate and seasoned musician who happens to be the head of the Javeriana Stereo in Bogotá, one of the strongest university stations in all of Colombia. I focused on the role of the students in the spaces of broadcasting, keeping in mind that as educators and as broadcasters, most of us working in University radio have dual responsibilities: one to our audiences, and two, and perhaps more important, to our students.Just as community radio can contribute to the building of citizen participation in local settings by engaging volunteer programmers in the creation of their own messages, university radio can and should do the same, albeit under different circumstances. Challenging the notion that students were generally incapable of thinking critically and producing responsible news and information programming content for a broad audience, an opinion expressed to me by several station directors in the room prior to my talk, I discussed the importance of hearing the voices of young people in these spaces. It opened an interesting discussion amongst the participants, many of whom openly acknowledged the limited participation of students in the broader direction, production and planning of the respective stations.

For the complete presentation by Mario Murillo go to MamaRadio .

Women's Radio in Jordan

AL-SHUNA, Jordan, August 6, 2008 (MENASSAT) – Asma' Raja and Munira al-Shatti knew they would face many obstacles when they banded together to form the Zahrat Al-Aghwar (Valley’s Flower) radio station in 2006.

There were no precedents anywhere in the Arab world for a women-run radio station. Zahrat Al-Aghwar was born at the 8th conference of the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters, held in Amman in 2006. It was there that the conference's hosts, Radio Balad / Ammannet, announced that they would help establish a women-run community radio in the Al-Shuna district in the Jordan Valley. The Jordan Valley is an agricultural area on the border with Israel. It is the lowest-lying area in the world and temperatures are extremely high in summer. It is also a region marked by high poverty and unemployment.

Delays
In this context, women's rights are often neglected in favor of clan traditions, including early marriage among girls. Part of the mission that Zahrat Al-Aghwar set for itself was to testify to gender-based rights abuse, and to empower the local women, many of whom are agricultural workers.

But the Jordanian government has delayed the launching of the station for nearly two years now by refusing to grant Zahrat Al-Aghwar a license. According to the Jordanian Audiovisual Commission, which is responsible for issuing licenses, "The delay is due to studies being made on the radio waves. We are coordinating with the Jordanian Commission for Regulating Communications to regulate this department because the station would be on the border with Israel, which demands extreme caution against interference with Israeli radio frequencies."

Asma' Raja and Munira al-Shatti have put the lost time to good use.
In November 2006, they joined other women in a training session organized by Radio Balad in order to learn the basics of radio broadcasting. Ever since, they have been going into the field to produce radio reports, some of which have been broadcast on Radio Balad. "The complications have just motivated us even more to make the voice of our society heard," Asma' Raja told MENASSAT.

'Our voice'
So while they are waiting for official approval to launch Sawt Al-Aghwar, they launched a radio program on Radio Balad under the same name. "The title is very symbolic for us because we live in an agricultural community far from the center of Jordan and it is an area that is neglected when it comes to social services. This program is our voice, and specifically the voice of the women."

The women also convinced a West Bank radio station, Bethlehem 2000, whose signal also covers the Jordan Valley, to broadcast their program. "When Bethlehem 2000 started broadcasting our program, we felt that our dream had come true, even if only partly," Raja said.

"What is important is to be heard in every household in the Valley. I'm happy that the heads of all the municipalities in the Valley listen to our program and even respond to our remarks. This has had a real impact on the women because they felt the media has finally reached the Valley, and what has been even more significant is the fact that it is the women who are speaking out."

The broadcast has created an influx of volunteers.
Zenat al-Hariri, a lawyer for the project and herself from the Valley, said, "When I first heard of the radio station, I anticipated many problems. But after I heard the first episode on Bethlehem 2000 radio, I decided to participate because I realized it was the only opportunity for me to become active in my community, and to help the girls transcend their traditional roles in society."

Girl ambitions
Mahmoud al-Shatti is a law graduate from the Jordan Valley. He attended a series of training sessions at Ammannet offices. "My participation is about supporting women and men in realizing the roles that all community members play in their society," he said.

Awra, a girl from Al-Shura, told MENASSAT, "We are in terrible need for a voice to express our feelings as girls living in a community ruled by old customs and traditions that sometimes hinder a girl's ambitions."

Another woman participating in the project, Khulood, said the rural Jordan Valley region suffers from political and social negligence. "Government officials don't help with the weaknesses of the infrastructure, which requires serious development. I think the station will help propel the people's concerns, especially the women's, to the higher levels of government."

Zahrat Al-Aghwar has had a great deal of international help, but it has had little impact on the licensing issue. Tamara Aqrabawi, a media activist and Zahrat Al-Aghwar's project manager, said, "At the initial stage of the project, I was running against time to have a scoop in the Arab world. A women-run radio station in a community like the Valley had not been done before, and I knew the station would also prove that women were capable of leadership."

"Rural society needs to be encouraged to do more for itself. At first, I was afraid the project would be rejected. But since then I have delegated a great deal of the work to the girls because I saw how excited they were about the radio station."

Asma' Raja said her new-found journalistic skills have added a lot to her confidence. "The project has increased my personal interaction with the community. I now feel that I have a role to play in addressing women's problems and the people in my community."

Munira Al-Shatti agreed. "Now I am unafraid to speak to government officials, to follow social causes, to search for the truth and to solve problems. The journalism training has helped me with all of these things." The Jordanian government has not given Radio Al-Balad any indication of when Zahrat Al-Aghwar will be allowed to begin broadcasting.
http://www.menassat.com/?q=en/news-articles/4363-jordan-valley-girl-power

Prison Radio in Ecuador

Una radio rompe el encierro de los internos de Ibarra
A radio breaks the confinement of the Ibarra interior
El programa radial ‘La Paradoja’ se emite desde el interior de la prisión todos los jueves. Los presos por distintas infracciones participan y están contentos.
The radio program called "The Paradox" is transmitter from inside the prison every Thursday. Prisoners with different sentences are pleased to participate.

Thursday is not a visiting day in the Center for REhabilitation of Ibarra, but the tension builds before 2 PM. A group of detainees, men and women, quickly cross the main steps and enter into a long multi purpose building. Psychologists Roberto and Margarita Ramires (the are not related) head the group. All enter an area of two by three meters where they tape each weekly program, "The Paradox"


El jueves no es día de visitas en el Centro de Rehabilitación de Ibarra, pero el ajetreo se acentúa momentos antes de las 14:00.
Un grupo de reclusos, hombres y mujeres, cruza con rapidez el pasillo principal y entra en una estrecha habitación de uso múltiple. Los psicólogos Roberto y Margarita Ramírez (no son parientes) encabezan al grupo. Todos llegan a un área de dos
por tres metros, donde se graba semanalmente el programa radial ‘La Paradoja’.

Prisoners both with and without sentencing, are under the director of the center, Angel Castilla, and Psychologist Ramirez. During the hour that the program lasts (2:00-3:00) the prisoners concentrate.

Lo hacen reclusos con o sin sentencia, bajo la conducción del director del centro, Ángel Castillo, y del psicólogo Roberto
Ramírez. Durante la hora que dura el programa (de 14:00 a 15:00) el rostro de los internos resplandece.

When we started. many were afraid of the microphone and preferred to observe. Now there are 12 of the prisoners who are happy to give voice to those behind bars; to break the prejudice and to demonstrate that the prisoners are also sentient human beings, explained Freddy Ponce, sentenced to eight years for trafficing 2.5 kilos of drugs.

“Cuando empezamos, muchos temíamos al micrófono y preferíamos observar. Ahora, esta docena de personas se siente
satisfecha de dar voz a quienes permanecen tras las rejas; de romper prejuicios para demostrar que los internos también somos seres humanos sensibles”, explica Freddy Ponce, sentenciado a ocho años por traficar 2,5 kilos de droga.

La alegría de los internos es contagiosa y, por instantes, el sencillo lugar se asemeja a la cabina de cualquier estación de radio.

“’La Paradoja’ empezó a comienzos del 2007. Es un programa terapéutico neurolingüístico que consigue cambiar la actitud de los reos, mediante la práctica de actividades vinculadas con el arte, la danza, el teatro y la radio. “Soy el director del programa, pero la meta es conseguir que los internos lo dirijan”, dice Ramírez.

La Paradoja salió al aire hace seis meses y ya se han grabado 21 programas. Radio Universitaria es la matriz la señal los jueves y RTU y la Voz de Imbabura lo retransmite los sábados.

La radio-revista comienza con el saludo del Director. Luego sigue el segmento Café en Piedra, donde se abordan temas del día, poesía y reflexiones. El equipo investiga cada tema, se hacen reuniones para aprobar los criterios, se cuida el tiempo de participación y hay espacio para el debate.

“Lo paradójico de este trabajo es hacer educación, liderazgo y formar a los jóvenes desde la cárcel. Empezamos este proyecto con 40 internos formados en liderazgo. Con ellos se buscaron equipos prestados y se gestionaron los espacios gratuitos en tres emisoras. “Hoy estamos en el aire, pero queremos conseguir nuestros propios equipos en el Ministerio de Cultura”, dijo Castillo.

Richard Romero ha cumplido cinco de los seis años que le dieron por asalto y robo. “He tenido la oportunidad de capacitarme y desarrollarme. Este programa me ha cambiado y cuando salga quiero trabajar por el bien de mi familia, la cual me espera y apoya”.

A las 15:00 concluye el programa y el grupo deposita las hojas del guión y los cuatro micrófonos sobre el escritorio negro.

UN May Cancel UN Women's Radio Program

Derva Berkowitz speaking at the 60th Anniversary of the UN Commission on the Status of Women

This is an Appeal from Frieda Werden of WINGS Women's International News Gathering Service:
Word just arrived that the UN is poised to cancel the program "Women" produced by UN Radio's English service. There is no other program focused on women that I know of coming out of UN media. You can find it for streaming and downloading on the website http://radio.un.org

My letter said that the women's coverage of the UN for radio needs to be expanded. A tremendous amount is happening in the UN involving and affecting women, but nowadays campus media, community media, and women's media are all being denied press passes to cover press conferences and events put on by the UN.The woman on the left in front is Bissera Kostova, from former Yugoslavia, current producer of UN Radio "Women".Diane Bailey doing an interview for Book Talk she was a longtime producer of UN Radio's "Women".

We've never been able to get a substantial amount of serious coverage out of network media on women's issues. Who is going to cover the United Nations for us? Contact for your letters and emails of feedback and support:
Diane Bailey
Chief, English Language Unit
United Nations Radio
United Nations, Room S-850F
New York, NY 10017
http://www.un.org/radio>http://www.un.org/radio
mailto:baileyd@un.org>baileyd@un.org

LA VOZ DE GUAICAIPURO

Daniel Del Solar recently visited a small radio station in Venezuela in the region known as Los Teques. The studio has a large portrait of Oscar Romero, the priest who was killed by death squads of the right wing government in El Salvador.The radio station has an emphasis on ecology.Daniel del Solar was interviewed on their afternoon talk show.Their bulletin board lists tasks to be performed by volunteers and scheduled meetings.
This is their disk and record archive. They have three small rooms in a mountainous neighborhood outside of Caracas.
This Guaicaipuro station is very small. This is the engineer. Community radio in Venezuela has been growing in the past few years. The spectrum which was used mostly by large commercial stations is now divided between many small community radio and tv channels. A few weeks ago the Venezuelan government denied the renewal of a license for transmission of RCTV, a large commercial station, charging that the station had been instrumental in fomenting and supporting the attempted coup. This caused a great deal of reaction by the corporate press and many NGOS in the US, who saw this as censorship. Despite those charges, that station was not "closed down" -- they did lose their government license to the public airwavess but the right wing commercial station continues with their anti-Chavez attacks on cable and the internet. The spectrum that they were using will be divided between thirty small community stations. (However this claim which I got from a response article is disputed by the comment below from the director of Artevision and a producer at Simon Bolivar University in Venezuela .)Radio Guaicaipuro is one of the many community media outlets which has been supported by the Chavez government.
Comments:
Anonymous said...
With all due respect, but I find your comments at least inaccurate and frankly, very misleading.

For instance, when you say "that station was not closed down - they did lose their government license to the public airwavess but the right wing commercial station continues with their anti-Chavez attacks on cable and the internet." you seem to ignore that only 15% of Venezuelans have access to Internet or Cable TV. The truth is that for the vast majority of Venezuelans the station has been in fact "shut down". They are not longer allowed to watch it, if they wanted to.

Also when you say "The spectrum that they were using will be divided between thirty small community stations" you seem to be badly misinformed. Firstly, this is not technically possible, but more important, the spectrum is being used by a new state-controlled TV station (the 5th) called TVes. It is very hard to believe that you didn't know that.

RCTV was not only shut down, but its broadcasting network was confiscated by the State. In fact, TVes is currently using this equipment - for free- to reach the Venezuelan audiences.

Finally, community stations are a great idea. Some of them existed before Chavez came into power and did a very good job for their communities. Unfortunately, during Mr Chavez administration the vast majority of them has been converted into government propaganda outlets. With the government having the right to close stations whenever it wants, and being the only source of funding for this so called "community" stations, believing that these stations are truly independent voices is just a very naive dream

Truly yours,

Rafael Hidalgo

4:49 AM


DeeDee Halleck said...
Thanks for your comment. I had read an earlier comment that there would be 30 smaller stations set up-- perhaps they are local versions of TVes?

If you are the same Rafael Hidalgo who runs Artevision, could you give any information about what sorts of pressures you are getting from the government or from outside sources, funding and other wise? Given the long history of destabilization by the US of progressive states within Latin America, I would think that there is a big opportunity now from places like the Inter American Development Bank, World Bank, etc, for those who would be willing to take a strong anti-Chavez stand.

By the way, I did a film called The Gringo in Mañanaland about the US and Latin America.
I have a spanish version which I could send to you.
dhalleck@ucsd.edu

7:50 AM