Including Community Media Agenda into Election Manifesto on the eve of 11th Bangladesh National Parliamentary Election 2019 Bangladesh

The Role of Community Radio in Youth and Youth Women Participation and their empowerment in line with Unleashing the Power of Human Capital

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) is in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) accredited with World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) of the United Nations and UN WSIS prize winner 2016 and Champion 2017.

BNNRC's outreach extends to local, national and international forums for communicating Knowledge for Media.

BNNRC’s approach to media development is both knowledge-driven and context-sensitive, and it takes into account the challenges and opportunities created by the rapidly changing media environment in Bangladesh including community radio development giving voices for the voiceless.

BNNRC now strives for the following core interventions to contribute in achieving 7th five Years Plan of Government of Bangladesh, UN World Summit on the Information Society (UN WSIS) Action Plan, and UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) through: Community Media Development (Community Radio & Community TV Community Film) for amplifying voices for the voiceless, Right to Information (RTI) for ensuring improved livelihood of the marginalized, ICT for Development for Bridging the Digital Divide in rural areas, Amateur Radio or HAM Radio for Disaster Risk Reduction, Community Film for Social Transformation.

BNNRC is actively working to improve recognition of the community electronic media sector (Community Radio, Community TV, Community Film) & its work in and involvement with the communities.BNNRC represent the community electronic media sector to Government, Industry, Regulatory Bodies, Media, Academia and Development Partners from 2000. BNNRC is supported by contributions from different development organizations worldwide who share a commitment in building a free, independent and pluralistic community media of voices for the voiceless.Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio Communication (BNNRC) has been in dialogue with the government since 2000 pursuing to launch community radio (CR) across the country in a bid to establish right to information, good governance and to ensure human rights.

After more than ten years of such persuasion with the policy makers the concept of Community Radio came into limelight.Impact of the Community Radios in Bangladesh

·        As a result of the CR the very poor and the marginalized people now have a platform to directly express their concerns in public. The platform has created opportunities for the voiceless to make their voices heard.
·        This new media has given rural population information on issues related to social, cultural, political, economic and environmental issues. It has also facilitated the community to pursue their rights to through professional communication.
·        In regard to creating enabling environment for good governance, CRs have facilitated dialogues between public and local public representatives and government and NGO officials.
·        The CRs have created opportunities for direct communication with the local community with regard to sustainable development, special development initiatives of the Prime Minister and the 7th five-year plan of the government.
·        The CRs in the coastal regions during the recent cyclone seasons have played a crucial role in advance warnings during cyclones - Mohsena and Rowanu. Their roles in keeping the vulnerable population well informed on safety precautions during cyclones without power supply were greatly appreciated.

Community radios by now have earned its great reputation and has a separate identity among all other media in Bangladesh. Currently there are 32 registered community radio, 17 of them are on air. Over 1000 youth are working in these CRs. Among the youth, 54 % are male and the rest are female. On average the CRs altogether broadcast 144 hours of various programmes everyday. The CRs are playing important roles in sensitizing local community on issues like reducing poverty, conservation of the environment, gender disparity, upholding human rights, and rights of the societies having dalit, neglected and marginalized population, physically and addressing problems of mentally challenged people and confronting natural disasters.

Remarkable empowerment of youth and their participation in the community radio

Community Radio is popularly known as the mouthpiece of the youth. A recent radio audience survey done at the initiative of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) shows that among the broadcasters and volunteers working in the community radios are local college students and youth from marginalized societies. The broadcasters and volunteers themselves collect information for news and programmes, edit them in panels and finally present them for broadcasting. It is also learnt that among the community radio audience 52 percent are in the age group of 18-30. The survey also shows that majorities of the listeners are students (43%).

Space for social Inclusive
As a result of their direct participation in the community radio programmes the following have been ensured;

The mainstream media rarely focuses on dalit community and the neglected group of the people in the society. Their social, cultural or even economic problems are rarely reflected in the mainstream media. In such a situation community radios are playing a positive role in highlighting the problems of such neglected people of the society, especially transgender and physically and mentally challenged people. Since majority of the community radio broadcasters and volunteers represent such groups of people, so they understand and hence produce news or programmes based on the interest of such segment of the population. They are able to use the talents and the experiences of the society and highlight the cultural and social problems, aspirations and other issues. The youth broadcasters are facilitating dialogues in addressing such problems.
Speed up the momentum of youth empowerment process of the neglected societies;

The dalit youth, apart from working as broadcasters in the community radios, are increasingly earning social recognition in their respective communities. Through their working experiences in the community radio many of the youth have been able to find professional work with the mainstream media. Many of them are now working in TV channels, newspapers and radio stations in the capital Dhaka. Currently a total of 34 such community radio broadcasters and volunteers are working with various media organisations in Dhaka. Some of them have been rewarded by the state and even international organisations for their contributions in highlighting problems shared in local dialect. All these respected awardees one day started their career in one of the 17 community radios.
Influence local level empowerment and ensuring right to social security programme.

The CR broadcasters produce programmes on the information of available public services and opportunities offered by the government and the non-government organization. The programme are targeted mainly for the development of livelihood of the people like transgender, disabled, dalit and poor women and children. They also broadcast information on various allowances allocated from the government for the elderly, widow, separated women, disabled, transgender, fishermen, nomad and other neglected group of people. Besides, the CRs also disseminate information on available services of the state like, vulnerable group feeding card and vulnerable group development card, maternity leave allowance and many more. Not only disseminate information but the broadcasters also ensure linking the beneficiaries of the public services to the relevant government and non-government offices so that they can demand their rights to the services.
Below are two such cases in which beneficiaries successfully for the services;
Rucharita Rani Robidas, a broadcaster of Radio Sarabela said she arranged elderly allowances and stipend for students in Palashbari upazila in Gaibandha district. A total of 26 families from nine unions and 09 students got the allowances after Rani established a formal link with the local government officials like the UNO or upazila nirbahi officer.

“I visited every house in the upazila where I identified the families and the students who I thought were eligible for the allowances and stipend. I filled up applications, paid the application fees from my own pocket and submitted them in the appropriate places,” said Rani. In the next ten years the elderly people who have registered for the elderly allowance, would receive Tk 15.60 lakh at the rate of Tk 5ooo each every month.
In a similar manner Subrato Halder of Radio Borendro of Naogaon district said he had successfully drawn attention of an assistant director of the local social welfare department about a disable person. He said that a feature was broadcast in Radio Borendro which drew the officer’s attention.  The officer had later called Subrato to know more in details about the deprived disable person. After that the person concerned was given his allowance of Tk 500 per month. “I am so proud today that I was able to pursue this for a person who would otherwise remain neglected if we did not broadcast his story,” said a smiling Subrato.
Through their continuous efforts, Subrato and Rani who also represent marginalized society, are ensuring social security services for the marginalized groups of people.

Ensuring gender equality
The rural youth women working in the community radios are making good progress. Such youth women are working as staff members or even volunteers. They are working side by side with their counterparts building their career. There are many instances of youth women holding key positions where they are taking vital decisions in the affairs of programme/news broadcasting. Currently six CR stations are headed by female station managers. The same youth women are now managing such sophisticated radio transmission technology who once had phobia. They are now operating mixture machines, computers, operating console panels, taking photos on digital cameras etc. such practice is in fact, reducing dependency on men and hence also helping in gender balance.

Youth benefits from information technology
Community Radio is highly dependent on information technology where transmitters, antenna, microphone, voice recorders, digital mixing machine, computers and other studio-based equipment are regularly used. Not only technology but the respective broadcasters are also getting hands-on training on the use of the sophisticated equipment. In such way the community radios are actually becoming places where experienced youth broadcasters are gaining skills on modern technologies.

Youths showing increasing trends in learning English language
In last one-decade use of internet, mobile phones and computers has considerably grown. At the same time the trends for travel abroad in particular for higher education, working overseas, business and other similar reasons have also increased to a great extent. As a result of such foreign interactions the trends of learning English has also grown. However due to weak facilities the rural population are deprived from the conveniences of learning communicative English. In the face of such problem the CRs have introduced broadcasting specially designed English learning programmes for the rural population. To facilitate off line learning, every radio station has allocated specific area in their station compound where all interested people can sit together to listen to the programmes already broadcast and practice English conversation. Currently, 17 radio station have about 13 lakh registered English learners. A survey by BNNRC among the radio listeners showed that 54 percent have gained knowledge on English language.

Challenges and recommendations
Reaching multi generation audience through various programmes is still a major challenge as the community radios do not yet have wider use of more popular social media like facebook, twiter, youtube or have the multiplatform presence. Besides, broadcasting latest information on the social SafetyNet programmes of the government is also a problem as radio stations lack capacity.
About 50/60 more such community radios, once on air, may fulfil the gaps of the community radios in addressing the remaining population of the country. Such initiative would allow giving space for the voice of the voiceless. Everyone in the rural community would have platforms to raise their voices. The policy makers would be able to hear the voices of the voiceless. The local administration would know the demands of the rural population.

17 Community Radio Programs Got the Nomination for UNICEF 14th Meena Media Award-2018, Bangladesh

A total of 17 radio programs from 6 Community Radio Stations have been nominated for 14th UNICEF Meena Media Award 2018 under radio category for their contribution in innovation in media and protection of child rights in the year 2018.

The nominated Community Radio Stations are Community Radio Nalta 99.2FM, Community Radio Chilmari 99.2 FM, Community Radio Jhenuk 99.2 FM, Community Radio Bikrampur 99.2 FM, Pollikontha 99.2 FM, and Community Radio Borendro 99.2FM. As in every year, UNICEF Bangladesh has organized this competition. Eight Community Radio Stations of the country participated in this competition under two categories –below and above 18 years of age.

The radio stations have submitted altogether 71 radio programs in the competition. These programs reflected important issues like- Children’s for children’s, Sound pollution through a high range of miking, Social media affected children and etc. Out of these 71 programs submitted by eight community radio stations, 17 programs from 6 CR Stations have got primary selection for the final stage of the selection process by the esteemed panel of judges for the Meena Media Award-2018,

The award will be distributed among the winners on 20 November 2018. It can be mentioned that Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) has been encouraging the stations and facilitating them for submission of their programs in the Meena Media Award.

The Meena Media Award was introduced by UNICEF in 2005 to celebrate excellence in both print media and electronic media and to promote child rights and greater coverage of children’s issues in the media. The award is named after Meena, a popular animation character held dear by children and adults alike in Bangladesh. Meena is a change agent in her community and her stories champion the rights of children across South Asia.

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) actively works to improve recognition of the community electronic media sector [Community Radio | Community TV | Community Film] & its work in and involvement with the communities it seeks to serve from 2000.

Now 17 Community Radio Stations are on-air in the country, aiming to ensure empowerment and right to information for the rural community. They are broadcasting altogether 144 hours program per day on information, education, local entertainment, and development motivation activities.

Around 1000 Youth Women & Youth are now working with those stations throughout the country as rural broadcasters within 6.6 million rural people in 119 upazillas under 16 districts in Bangladesh.

Speech of AHM Bazur Rahman-S21BR, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication(BNNRC)  on  25^th October 2018 at Bangladesh International Tutorial, Dhaka, Bangladesh as the special guest
on the eve of third edition of India's International Movement to Unite Nations Bangladesh Conference, 2018.

Respected Chairperson of the third edition of India's International Movement to Unite Nations Bangladesh Conference, 2018

Respected Guests, Teachers, and dear Students,

It is an honor to be invited to address this very important event on the third edition of India's International Movement to Unite Nations Bangladesh Conference, 2018 at the Bangladesh International Tutorial, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

I so grateful to all the organizers for kindly inviting me to this important event, Especially Mr. Akhilesh Jayakrishnan, Secretariat Member- International Division, India's International Movement to Unite Nations.

I have been invited here in my capacity as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC)!

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) is in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) accredited with World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) of the United Nations and UN WSIS prize winner 2016 and Champion 2017.

BNNRC's outreach extends to local, national and international forums for communicating Knowledge for Media. BNNRC’s approach to media development is both knowledge-driven and context-sensitive, and it takes into account the challenges and opportunities created by the rapidly changing media environment in Bangladesh including community radio development giving voices to the voiceless people.

  

I will speak more about community radio and Media literacy, but first, let me make some remarks on the information and knowledge society for the students and on the pursuit of international development goals like SDGs!

All of you know we are living in so-called Information and Knowledge societies: As a very ordinary person (VOP) I would like to raise some questions;

My questions are:

• Who generates and owns information and knowledge in our society? Is it utilized for the private benefit of a few or the public benefit of many?

• How are knowledge and information disseminated and distributed? Who are the gatekeepers?

• What constraints and facilitates the use of knowledge by general people or student’s community to achieve their goals in line with daily life.

• Who is positioned best, and who worst- Who’s loss and who’s gain to take advantage of this knowledge and Information?

Current knowledge and information trend are:

The Information and Knowledge Society, we are told, is upon us.

The promise is for a knowledge-based society, yielding untold dividends for education, health, development, democracy, human rights, communication rights and much more.

Seamless networking and knowledge flow from major capital cities/ urban to village/rural hut- bazzer and back again.

The reality, if current trends continue, might be very different; the dream might become a nightmare

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 only.

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

The Internet, once a promising new public sphere, is increasingly commercialized and controlled;

f.The media, sell consumerism to people, and people to advertisers. And all most media radio TV and print hijacked by economic power/ highly corrupted corporate sector.

Broadcasters to Individual Casters – Everyone has Youtube, FB, and Tweeter

Based on this horrible situation: Media could contribute:

Strengthening the public domain, ensuring that information and knowledge are readily available for human development, and not locked up in private hands only;

Ensuring affordable access to, and effective use of, electronic networks in a development context, for instance by innovative and robust regulation and public investment;

Securing and extending the global commons, for both broadcast and telecommunication, to ensure this public resource is not sold for private ends;

Balancing information surveillance and censorship, Government or commercial;

Supporting student-centered media, traditional and new. Say like Student Radio, Student TV

Mr. Chairperson:

Let me now turn to community broadcasting in rural Bangladesh for Giving Voice to Local Communities in line with Youth and Youth Women.

Now I would like to share you Potentials of Community Media in Bangladesh

Community Radio has created scope for the poor and marginalized community to raise their own voice; it becomes the voice for the voiceless. This new-media outlets opened scope to establish their rights of Information and communication in the social, political, cultural and environmental arena.

Scope widened for poverty reduction and sustainable development because of the rights to raise the voice of the community and accessibility to knowledge and information.

Scope opened for the exchange of dialogue between local elected representatives, govt. and NGO professionals for the sake of establishing good governance. 

Direct linkage established between the community and the main sectors reflected in SDGs and 7th 5-year plan.

Scope created for Social debate, inclusion, and preservation of cultural diversity by ensuring the inclusion of the marginalized community.

Community Radio is now able to play a more active role in Disaster

Risk Reduction (DRR) due to the establishment of an effective

linkage between the govt. departments and local/rural community.

Let me now turn to Media and Information Literacy for the Students and Teachers:

Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that ‘Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Media and information literacy (MIL) equips students and teacher with competencies needed to seek and enjoy the full benefits of this fundamental human right

Media and Information Literacy (MIL) in Bangladesh is a challenging field of media development today. Student’s community cannot easily access relevant information and voice their concerns.

Media literacy also helps students to manage content and communications, and protect themselves and their families from the potential risks associated with using these services.

1.  Accessing media and information: technical skills for accessing suitable media and information sources

2.  Using media and information: content decoding skills and responsible strategies for applying content to one’s daily life

3.  Evaluating media and information: the ability to judge the credibility, accuracy, and objectivity of sources

4.  Creating media and information: critical attitude and skills in how to construct media and information

5.  Participating in media: critical attitudes and knowledge of where and how to interact with journalists and editors of media, as well as with other citizens via old and new media

6.  Knowing how media work: knowledge about media and information systems, organizations, routines and effects

7.  Demanding media quality and rights: critical demand for and defense of good media and information sources

I am very much looking forward to developing conversations about all of these issues with you throughout the coming months, and to listen to what you have to say about how best to support from our side for starting media literacy process at your educational campus in line with Student Radio and Student TV in Bangladesh. 

Thank you for listening.

Bangladesh: Cabinet Approves New Act to create Independent National Broadcasting Commission for Radio, TV and Online Mass media

The draft of the ‘National Broadcast Act 2018’ was approved at a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister HE. Sheikh Hasina at the Secretariat on Monday.

“The new law was drafted after discussions with all stakeholders,” Cabinet Secretary Md Shafiul Alam said at a briefing after the meeting.

The proposed law would form a seven-member National Broadcast Commission that would be appointed through recommendations from a search committee.

The commission will give broadcast licenses and will be the sole authority on the registration of online media outlets apart from the Ministry of Information.

In addition to the formation of the independent commission, the new law provides details regarding the appointments of the commissioners, the qualifications necessary, the length of their terms, the conditions for their resignation or removal, their ranks and remuneration.

In this opportunity, Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication(BNNRC) would like to congratulate to Hon’ble Prime Minister, Hon’ble Information Minister, Hon'ble State Minister and Hon'ble Secretary of Ministry of Information, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh for Approving New Act to create Independent National Broadcasting Commission for Radio, TV and Online Mass media in Bangladesh.

Please note that AHM Bazlur Rahman-S21BR, Chief Executive Officer of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication(BNNRC) has one of the members of National Broadcast Act 2018 draft committee and subcommittee under the Ministry of Information.

Community Radio Policy 2017 Bangladesh

Community Radio Installation, Broadcast and Operation Policy 2017 in Bangladesh: English Version

Ministry of Information, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh has announced New Community Radio Installation Broadcast and Operation Policy 2017 by Bangladesh Gazette on 8 February 2018.

According to the preamble of Bangladesh Gazette, At the age of the enormous development of science and information technology the world turns to be a ‘Global Village’. It has been assumed that the importance of radio has declined at the age of the global domination of electronic media but in reality, the importance of radio hasn’t decreased in developed, developing & least developed countries. Moreover, radio is playing the vital role by its new initiatives of creative programming to develop education, culture, humanitarian values, and awareness for the cross-section of people of the society. In continuation of these realities, a number of community radios have been installed which are dedicated to the different grass root communities and population of the society of Bangladesh.

These radio stations, known as community radio have been operating in local dialects of the peripheral communities, and with their participation and management. Community Radios are engaged with the help of modern knowledge and technology to bring positive change in the society by local folk culture.

Community radio is the “Voice of the Voiceless”. To expand and smoothen the role of community radio as a tool of social progress, it was felt to formulate a new and timely policy by terminating the existing community radio installation, broadcast & operation policy. As a result, the Community Radio Installation, Broadcast and Operation Policy 2017 has been formulated.

For English Version: 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Oz9pKYN2KD414zApZtdhqcHfkwT9Rl3G/view

SDG 10: DALIT YOUTH & YOUTH WOMEN IN COMMUNITY RADIO: THE BEGINNING OF A NEW ERA FOR REDUCING INEQUALITY OF VOICE POVERTY IN BANGLADESH

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) is implementing its Community Media Fellowship Program for Dalit youth & youth women in Media and Journalism aiming to ensure the access of Dalit communities to the mass media with support from Free Press Unlimited.

The duration of the Fellowship Program is three months. This is the sixth batch of the program engaging the rural marginalized youth communities in collaboration with Free Press Unlimited. The activity has started on 1st June 2017 and will continue up to 31st August 2017 in line with Sustainable Development Goal 10.

Total of 16 fellows has been working at 10 community radio stations in the country under the program.   Already They have produced and broadcasted altogether 160 audio programs (news bulletin/case study/life sketch etc.)  and prepared 32 reports and feature for the local newspaper. These programs and reports covered the issues like education of girl and children, women empowerment, their rights, child marriage, mother & child’s health, adolescent health, disability, transgender, ethnic and Dalits news and some success story.

To enhance these fellows’ understanding, knowledge and skills on community mobilization and  journalism in line with Women-Child and Dalit issues a two-day long training workshop on “Fellowship for Youth and Youth Women in Community Media and Journalism” was organized on 17 August 2017 at YWCA Conference Room, Mohammadpur in Dhaka

The objective of the program is to facilitate in creating an enabling environment for the Dalits youth and youth women and enrolled in the media and journalism for developing as professional community media journalist in line with the Sustainable Development Goal 10 (SDG10).

During the workshop the Dalits youth and youth women fellows learned about  basic journalism, news source, techniques of interview, challenges and way forward during interview, overview of  Dalit Communities in Bangladesh and  their sufferings and challenges, scope  of radio  reporting on Dalit Communities, radio news and program formatting, writing features in line with women, child and Dalit issues for newspaper, investigative reporting, technique and scope of investigative reporting for community media, process and technic of community mobilization and linking Dalit people with social safety net through Community Radio, Sustainable Development Goal, and appropriate use of social media and  promoting  issue based radio programs through social media.

The sessions were facilitated by Mr. Amin Al Rasheed, Joint Editor (news & current affairs) of Channel 24, Mr. Altaf Parvez of Alternative Research and Development Specialist, Mr. Nazrul Islam, Director (Training and Program), National Institute of Mass Communication, Government of the People Republic of Bangladesh, Ms. Rabeya Baby, Editor (Mohila Ongan/Women Page) of Daily Ittefaq, Ms. Farzana Rupa, Senior Journalist of Ekattor TV, Ms. Shahnaz Sharmin, Chief Reporter of Nagorik Television and Mr.  Jahangir Ahmed, Assistant Coordinator (Web & Social Media) of  BNNRC.

Mr. Reza Selim, Director, Amader Gram of BFES was attended as the closing ceremony where Mr. Avra Bhattacharjee, Deputy Director – Dialogue and Outreach, Dialogue and Communication Division, CPD and representative of the Citizen’s Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh and Ms, Elita Karim, musician and youth journalist and Editor of Star Youth Page of the Daily Star were attended as the as a guest in the training workshop.

A total of 26 participants from 10 Community Radio Stations participated in the program. Among the participants, there were 16 Fellows and 10 Mentors attending in this course.

The fellow participants were namely Johan Soren from Community Radio Padma, Rajshahi, Dalia Akter from Community Radio Lokobetar, Barguna, Sunity Sinha from Radio Pollikantho, Moulvibazar, Jahangir Alam & Nomita Chowdhury from Community Radio Mahananda, Chapainawabganj,. Luttfonnahar  Happy & Sharmin Nahar from Community  Radio Chilmari, Kurigram, Sharmin Akhtar Ankhi from Radio Sundarban, Khulna,  Moly Rani Das & Ridoy Lal from Radio Bikrampur, Munshiganj,  Tumpa Rani Paul & Subrata Halder from Community Radio Borendra, Naogaon, Lima Begum & Kamrun Nanar Tania from Community Radio Meghna, Bhola, Lata Rani Rabidas & Khilon Das from Community Radio Sarabela, Gaibandha.

The mentors were Sadi Mahmood Community Radio Padma, Abida Sultana from Community Radio Lokobetar, Tahmid Ahmed from Community Radio Pollikantho, Md. Noyon Ali from Community Radio Mahananda, Mizanur Rahman from Community Radio Chilmari, Robiul Islam from Radio Sundarban, Md. Musfiqur Salahin from Radio Bikrampur, Shahrina Sultana Jui from Community Radio Borendra, Mosume Das from Community Radio Meghna, Afsana Mimi from Community Radio Sarabela.

It is to be mentioned here that since 2013 there were 87 youth women from 16 Community Radio Stations who have received this Fellowship on Journalism under the fellowship program.

The Community Radios are becoming an active ground for organizing dialogues at rural level. These dialogues will help the rural mass to find out their own voice and ensure leverage their free opinion in respect of social, economic, political ,cultural and environmental issues.