Flagship UN Action for Community Radio
Access to knowledge and information is of paramount importance in improving the lives of poor and marginalized communities. In Bangladesh, the three primary sources of broadcast media (namely government-owned public service media, private media, and international media) do not effectively cater to the needs and expectations of these marginalized communities since their information sources tend to be centralized and aimed at profit-making. Community radio however, has the proven potential to remedy this situation by giving marginalized rural communities a voice and the opportunity to take part in the development process. In 2010 the Government awarded radio licenses to several community radio (CR) organizations, which are required to go on air within one year of obtaining their license, as stipulated by the CR policy. With the deadline fast approaching, five or six of these organizations are still desperately trying to secure start-up funding. This project will provide assistance to CR initiators in getting their projects off the ground. In doing so it will establish and make operational five CR stations from remote parts of Bangladesh, by providing equipment and technical, operational and maintenance training for 25 volunteers from targeted communities, thus equipping them with the necessary skills to run and maintain their stations in the long term. OBJECTIVE To establish and make operational five Community Radio stations in remote parts of Bangladesh, by providing equipment and technical, operational and maintenance training to 25 volunteers within the targeted regions.