Recognizing community radio's role of keeping grassroots communities informed, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), proclaimed February 13th as World Radio Day. There is no doubt that radio is a powerful communication tool and a low cost medium suited not only to reach illiterate, remote communities and vulnerable groups, but also has a stronger and more specific role especially for delivering emergency and disaster relief communication. In this radio program, Cultural Survival covers the Japanese tool for emergency radio broadcasting, a prototype 'Back Pack' radio system. This low cost radio system costs less than 500 US dollars. It may not be the best tool for regular broadcasting, but it certainly does the job during emergency situations.
Producer : Dev Kumar Sunuwar
Interview: Naoshige Shimura, Engineer at Basic Human Need (BHN)
Music: Remember your children: by Solidummay, used with permission
Image: Naoshige Shimura, Engineer at Basic Human Need (BHN), with a Portable Radio Back Pack System
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