WORLD RADIO DAY, 2023
Proclaimed in 2011 by the Member States of UNESCO, and adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012 as an International Day, February 13 became World Radio Day (WRD), (Le jour mondial de la radio).
Radio is a powerful medium for celebrating humanity in all its diversity and constitutes a platform for democratic discourse. At the global level, radio remains the most widely consumed medium. This unique ability to reach out
the widest audience means radio can shape a society’s experience of diversity, stand as an arena for all voices to speak out, be represented and heard. Radio stations should serve diverse communities, offering a wide variety of programs, viewpoints and content, and reflect the diversity of audiences in their organizations and operations.
Radio continues to be one of the most trusted and
used media in the world, according to different international reports.
The 24/7 Online Radio Group of stations support World Radio Day. This includes 24/7 Jazz Radio and Jazz Radio International.
RADIO AND PEACE
Welcome to World Radio Day podcast.
The theme for the 12th edition of the World Radio Day, to be celebrated on 13 February 2023, is “Radio and Peace“.
War, as an antonym to peace, signifies an armed conflict between countries or groups within a country, but may also translate into a conflict of media narratives. The narrative can increase tensions or maintain conditions for peace in a given context – for instance weigh in on the rough or smooth conduct of elections, the rejection or integration of returnees, the rise or tempering of nationalistic fervour, etc. In reporting and informing the general public, radio stations shape public opinion and frame a narrative that can influence domestic and international situations and decision-making processes.
Radio can indeed fuel conflict but in reality, professional radio moderates conflict and/or tensions, preventing their escalation or bringing about reconciliation and reconstruction talks. In contexts of distant or immediate tension, relevant programmes and independent news reporting provide the foundation for sustainable democracy and good governance by gathering evidence about what is happening, informing citizens about it in impartial and fact-based terms, explaining what is at stake and brokering dialogue among different groups in society.
“… since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed.”[1]
That is the reason why support to independent radio has to be viewed as an integral part of peace and stability. On World Radio Day 2023, UNESCO highlights independent radio as a pillar for conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
[1] Constitution of UNESCO. Adopted in London on 16 November 1945
LIZ CORBIN INTERVIEWS NOEL CURREN
For World Radio Day, Liz Corbin has interviewed Noel Curren, Director of the European Broadcasting Union. He reflects on the role of public service media in times of crisis, with a specific focus on the role of radio in preventing conflict and sustaining peace. You can listen to the interview on Coaching at Work Radio or the podcast below. Liz Corbin is Head of News at the European Broadcasting Union.
“World Radio Day 2023 – Interview with Noel Curren – Director European Broadcasting Union”
Official hashtag:
#WorldRadioDay
Further information:
- UNESCO
- United Nations
- World Radio Day – wiki