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Brazil: Lula to Decriminalise Unlicensed Community Radios

Francesco Diasio — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:35:00 +0000

In January 2009, Brazilian President Lula sent a bill to Congress which would decriminalise the operation of a community radio without a license. This is a long-standing demand by community radio associations and freedom of expression organisations in Brazil.

ARTICLE 19 has in its work repeatedly highlighted the obligation on States to promote pluralism and diversity in the media, as an aspect of the right to freedom of expression. International law recognises the important contribution that community broadcasting, along with commercial and public service broadcasters, can make to realising media pluralism. We therefore welcome this initiative.

At the same time, we note that far more needs to be done to create a proper enabling environment for public interest broadcasting in Brazil. Current Brazilian regulatory policies and practices are not conducive to the development of community broadcasting. Thousands of community radios around the country are waiting to receive a license, in part due to the lengthy and inefficient licensing process, which is not adapted to their needs or situation, and in part due to the fact that an inadequate number of licences have been allocated for community radio use. Community radios still face potential civil or administrative measures for operating without a licence, which can also have a harsh impact on them.

Data provided by the Federal Police in 2007 indicate that by August 2007, 1,800 community radios had been closed down and had their equipment confiscated, and many individuals have been criminally charged for operating ‘illegal’ radios. There are many accounts of intimidation and violence by police officers and other authorities relating to these closures.

ARTICLE 19 calls on the Brazilian government to undertake a comprehensive reform of the regulatory regime for broadcasting, including creating an enabling environment for community broadcasters. Urgent measures should also be taken to speed up the processing of existing licence applications.

Jordan: Government denies Jordan valley women’ radio

Francesco Diasio — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:52:10 +0000

The Jordanian government rejected last week issuing a license for a women’s community radio station in the Jordan valley. The request was for an FM station that will not broadcast news or political programs. This is the second time that the government rejects a community radio station. No reason was given for the rejection. The 2002 temporary Jordanian Audio visual law allows the government to refuse issuing a license without giving an explanation. The decision of the Jordanian cabinet was made on January 19th 2009.

The applicant, Daoud Kuttab, expressed astonishment at the decision which he said makes no sense. “What is the message sent to media investors when after a year of running around and fulfilling all the requirements including paying the hefty initiatiion license fee and first year’s fees in advance, the government rejects the application. It would make better sense if the government would give the criteria for how it makes its decision.”

Kuttab, the founder and director of the Amman-based radio Al Balad, also complained about rejecting a station for women in a farming area. “His Majesty King Abdullah has declared 2009 the farming year and has repeatedly called on the media to pay attention to women’s rights. What is the message of the government by rejecting a license to establish a community radio station for women in a povery striken farming area,” he asked?

Radio al Balad, formerly AmmanNet was denied in November 2007 a license to establish a community radio station in the third largest Jordanian city Zarqa by the Bakhit government. No explanation was given then to the decision. An appeal of that decision to the Jordanian high court was turned down.

The idea of a station in the Jordan valley came during the 9th conference of AMARC, the global associatin of community radio stations. The conference held in Amman in November 2006. The conference held under the patronage of the Prime Minsiter was organised with the expectation that Jordan which had allowed the licenseing of private radio stations would be open to the licensing of community radio stations. Community radio is almost totally absent in the Arab region where air waves are restricted to government monopolies or commercial enertainment stations. Germany’s women’s prayer breakfast and the Norweigian government as well as local businesses have been supportive of the initiative. A weekly radio program “Zahrat al Aghwar” has been produced and broadcast on Radio Al Balad in Amman and rebroadcast from Palestinian radio stations in Bethlehem and Jericho to Jordan valley residents.

Tunisia: Stop violence against jounalists

Francesco Diasio — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 16:31:42 +0000

AMARC Europe is deeply concerned about the harrassment of Tunisian Independent journalists taking part to the new Independent Radio project, Radio Kalima.

Yesterday the coordinator of the project Dhafer Otay have been hold for the whole day by the Tunisian police preventing him to enter in the radio studios and threatening him of deeper consequences and prison if he would continue working within the radio project. This morning, the police have doubled the staff and prevented the secretary of CNLT (Conseil National Pour Les Libertés en Tunisie) to enter the office of CNLT which is in the same building, A human rights activist, Makhlouf Zouhayr, who came to express solidarity was severely beaten by them; Omar Mestiri, managing editor of the Kalima platform, was copiously insulted while he was trying to stop them. At present the Radio Kalima editorial staff is still under siege.

«We ask Tunisian authorities to cease immediately those odious intimidations», said Mariano Sanchez, President of the European branch of the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters. «We firmly condemn the dictatorship methods put in place by the Tunisian Government, and we ask the EU to block immediately all the commercial relations with Tunisia unless the basic human rights will be guaranteed».

Since Monday the 26^th of January, Radio Kalima can also be heard through Med Info Radio satellite channel, the first all info radio channel based on community radios and independent production centres in the Mediterranean basin, a project led by the italian radio agency AMISnet.

Francesco Diasio

AMARC Europe, Secretary General

For more information:

Francesco Diasio, AMARC Europe: +39.06.8632 8312

Sihem Bensedrine, founder of CNLT +43.676757 4556

SUPPORT RADIO KALIMA EDITORIAL STAFF

CALL +216.71.254 673

Costituito gruppo di lavoro misto Creative Commons/SIAE

Francesco Diasio — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 12:35:50 +0000

Il 23 dicembre 2008 a Roma si è formalizzata la costituzione del Gruppo di Lavoro Giuridico misto, composto da rappresentanti della SIAE e dagli esponenti del gruppo di lavoro Creative Commons Italia, tra i quali, l’Avv. Deborah De Angelis ed un altro compente CC indicato, di volta in volta, per ciascuna riunione.

Il Gruppo di Lavoro Giuridico misto, che si incontrerà a Roma, presso la sede della Direzione Generale della SIAE, indicativamente ogni 15 giorni, svolgerà uno studio approfondito per dare la possibilità agli autori che hanno optato per il rilascio delle proprie opere con licenze libere, riservandosi gli usi commerciali, di affidare alla SIAE la raccolta e
distribuzione dei relativi proventi.

Il primo incontro ha avuto luogo il 9 gennaio 2009.

CREATIVE COMMONS ITALIA
Il gruppo di lavoro Creative Commons Italia gestisce, su mandato di Creative Commons Corporation (http://creativecommons.org), la versione italiana delle licenze Creative Commons, ne spiega il funzionamento e ne promuove l’utilizzo. Gestisce inoltre il sito ufficiale http://creativecommons.it, dove sono disponibili ulteriori informazioni
e notizie su Creative Commons.
Creative Commons Italia è un progetto del Centro NEXA su Internet & Società del Politecnico di Torino, http://nexa.polito.it.

Spain: Community radios from Madrid win a trial against the regional government’s proceedings

Francesco Diasio — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 12:43:23 +0000

The High Court accepts the Appeal presented by the Madrid’s association of community radios (UCRM) against their suppression on the new Decree of broadcasting of the Madrid’s regional government, Comunidad de Madrid.

The sentence emitted by the High Court accepts the Appeal noticed by the Unión de Radios Libres y Comunitarias de Madrid (UCRM) against the modification of the Decree 29/2003, by which the Comunidad de Madrid modified the normative concerning the FM radio frequencies granting. The modification of the Decree suppressed the cultural and/or not-for-profit stations and established that only the “commercial stations” and the “municipal stations” could access to the broadcasting service.

According the Decree’s preliminary recitals, the Madrid’s government suppressed the “cultural stations” because the State’s planning does not permit to grant frequencies to that kind of stations, a question
which has been denied several occasions by the Central Government. Now, the High Court overturns the Decree’s modification

Despite the sentence does not improve the community and free stations legal status, it is important since it prevents the removal of the not-for-profit stations from the broadcasting regulation; furthermore, it recognizes the UCRM and the community and free radios as interlocutors before the Administration and as a particular sector within the audiovisual landscape.

This sentence was preceded by other emitted recently by the Madrid’s High Court of Justice that quashes the Digital TV frequencies granting by the Comunidad de Madrid due to the lack of transparency.

Islas Canarias: Preocupacion por la situación de las radios comunitarias

Francesco Diasio — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:40:25 +0000

El proyecto de normativa de radiodifusión elaborado por el Gobierno Canario excluye a las emisoras comunitarias.

El pasado 19 de diciembre el Gobierno Canario hacía público el contenido del Proyecto de Decreto de Radiodifusión, y lo ha sometido a trámite de audiencia pública antes de su aprobación definitiva. El texto elaborado no recoge la existencia de emisoras comunitarias ni cita la posibilidad de que
entidades sin ánimo de lucro accedan a frecuencias viniendo a indicar que el decreto se destina a emisoras comerciales. El propio texto de decreto recoge lo siguiente:
“…Es objeto del presente decreto la regulación del servicio de radiodifusión sonora en ondas métricas con modulación de frecuencia para su gestión indirecta por personas físicas o jurídicas privadas con la finalidad de difundir cualquier tipo de programa con emisión de publicidad o empleando fórmulas de patrocinio comercial…”

El Gobierno Canario no ha tenido en consideración las propuestas y sugerencias realizadas desde AMARC-Europa y por las radios comunitarias canarias a la hora de elaborar este Decreto.
Tampoco se ha tenido en consideración la recomendaciones del Parlamento Europeo que en su resolución del 25 de septiembre pedía el ““…reconocimiento legal a los medios comunitarios (TSC) como grupo definido, junto a los medios de comunicación comerciales y públicos, cuando
no exista este reconocimiento legal…”.

Cararias dispone de 156 frecuencias pendientes de adjudicar. En la actualidad operan más de 400 emisoras privadas pero sólo 44 de ellas cuentan con licencia ya que desde 1990 no se otorgan concesiones.
En Canarias hay una importante trayectoria de emisoras comunitarias, la más antigua es Radio Guiniguada en Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, que emite desde hace 25 años, sin haber podido tener posibilidad de contar con un reconocimiento legal.

Marino Sanchez, presidente de AMARC-Europa, al conocer el contenido del Proyecto de Decreto ha mostrado su preocupación ante el desinterés del Gobierno Canario de renonocer a las emisoras comunitarias.

Para más información:
Mariano Sánchez
Presidente de AMARC-Europa
mariano.sanchez@radiovallekas.org

Community television goes national in Scandinavia

Francesco Diasio — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:04:27 +0000

New broadcast technology as digital terrestial television (DTT) will create new opportunities for non-commercial community television. Today such a television station is confined to cable and thus not being able to reach all citizens in its coverage area.

On January 8th 2009 the Minister of Culture will inaugurate ”Frikanalen” – the new Open Channel in Norway, which will be broadcast from Oslo on the national DTT-network. The DTT-network established in 2008 is now reaching 98 percent of the Norwegian households. Frikanalen is a non-profit open channel for NGOs and today has 57 member organisations from start. Since October 2008 Frikanalen has been test broadcasting in the afternoons but will later this year broadcast 24 hours a day.

In Denmark the Ministry of Culture has proposed a new media regulation that will make it possible to broadcast non-commercial regional or national community television on the DTT-network from November 2009. NGO’s will be able to choose broadcast over one of eight regions solely or nationally to all regions. This will make it possible to create two levels; a geographical and an idea oriented/public interest level. The channel will be part of the public service multiplex in the DTT-network. The annual state support of 3.5 million euro (financed by the TV license fee) to non-commercial local television broadcast on cable will cease 2010 and will be shifted to support this regional/national community television on DTT instead.

Denmark has a long tradition of non-commercial community television on cable (and on UHF in Copenhagen) in contrast to Norway where community television has been very limited. In Sweden, the first country in the world to switch off analogue television, the cablebound Open Channels have asked to the government to open the DTT-network for community television.

At a seminar preceding the inauguration there will be MP’s from the Norwegian parliament present as well as from the European parliament (Karin Resetarits). I will be one of the speakers at the seminar.

It might be a good idea to spead the news about what is developing in Denmark and Norway to media politicians in other countries in the EU. DTT might become the best opportunity for a viable community television in Europe.

From: Christer Hederström, Community Media Forum Europe, Stockholm, Sweden

Lezioni di tecnica e manutenzione.

Marzia Coronati — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:23:47 +0000

Siamo sempre a Mbuji Mayi. L’impianto wi-fi è stato montato. Oggi sono iniziati i corsi di formazione, sia tecnica che giornalistica. Ospite della puntata, Solange Mulanga, della radio RTIV, che sta partecipando al corso.
Scarica la quarta puntata in MP3

In questa quarta puntata, grazie alla partecipazione di Solange, si parla anche della crescita e del riconoscimento della professionalità delle donne nelle radio del Congo. Nei fatti le donne sono sempre più protagoniste e dimostrano di avere pari capacità dei loro colleghi anche a livello tecnico e di gestione delle nuove apparecchiature.
Domani si torna a Kinshasa per l’ultimo appuntamento con la Scommessa e per il bilancio finale della missione di appoggio alle radio indipendenti della Repubblica Democratica del Congo.

Sinergie ad alta quota

Marzia Coronati — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:36:43 +0000

Le istallazioni internet sono quasi terminate a Mbuji Mayi, regione del Kasai, Congo. Le antenne sono state poste su piloni alti trenta metri, in modo tale da far passare la connessione da una radio all’altra: trenino di bit e segnali elettronici che servirà a sviluppare le sinergie tra le emittenti comunitarie di questa cittadina.

Ospite della terza puntata della Scommessa, Donat Muamba, Rateproka. Scarica l’mp3 della puntata

Di sinergie parla in questa terza puntata de “La scommessa” Donat Muamba, responsabile della Rateproka, rete locale delle televisioni e delle radio comunitarie del Kasai. “Nel 2005 abbiamo creato una redazione comune”, racconta Donat, “e da allora le cinque radio comunitarie di Mbuji Mayi lavorano insieme per coprire avvenimenti importanti”. All’ordine del giorno il tema dell’ alimentazione, con appelli ai cittadini a sviluppare ancor di più la produzione e l’allevamento degli animali, per permettere alla cittadina di avere una sorta di indipendenza alimentare. “Per il governo provinciale l’agricoltura è una delle prime priorità, ed è ovviamente una priorità anche per le radio, che producendo trasmissioni in comune possono permettersi di lanciare messaggi sulle cinque frequenze unificate che fanno parte di questo lavoro in sinergia”, spiega il responsabile di Rateproka. Ma l’alimentaazione non è l’unico tema in agenda: il 3 maggio scorso, giornata internazionale per la libertà di stampa, le cinque emittenti hanno trasmesso programmi sulla libertà di espressione; e poi messaggi ai genitori per incentivarli a mandare i bambini a scuola, commenti sulle politiche di governo e tanto altro.

L’impianto wi-fi è quasi pronto… e i tecnici locali?

Marzia Coronati — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:51:40 +0000

Seconda tappa della Scommessa, la trasmissione radiofonica che racconta il progetto Pari, Poli di Appoggio alle Radio Indipendenti. Siamo ancora a Mbuji Mayi, sempre impegnati nella messa in rete di cinque radio comunitarie che riceveranno un segnale via satellite che verrà distribuito wi-fi, senza fili, alle radio, tramite una rete cittadina. Nessuna difficoltà tecnica, ma c’è molto da lavorare sulla formazione di tecnici locali.

Seconda puntata del nuovo ciclo della Scommessa. Ospite della puntata: Samuele, Ingegneri Senza Frontiere – Scarica l’mp3 della puntata

Il lavoro, spiega Samuele, uno dei nostri tecnici informatici, è per molti aspetti complicato. “La scommessa più grande non è riuscire a costruire l’impianto, ma riuscirlo a fare qui, in Africa. I problemi più grossi cioè non sono mai tecnici, ma sono ostacoli organizzativi, logistici e soprattutto di formazione”.
Insomma, la difficoltà non sta nel puntare la parabola verso il satellite, ma nel convincere le persone del luogo di quanto sia importante tenere attaccato un gruppo di continuità o staccare i cavi di alimentazione quando c’è un temporale.
Samuele, che fa parte di Ingegneri Senza Frontiere, prima di andare in Congo ha lavorato in Burkina Faso. “In entrambi i Paesi, pur così diversi tra loro, abbiamo riscontrato una mentalità simile: cioè una scarsa volontà di cambiamenti; speriamo di riuscire a dare a queste persone la spinta giusta”.