Existing Broadcasting Systems and People in Rural Areas
In the existing broadcasting system there are some Government patronized institutions like Bangladesh Television (BTV) and Radio Bangladesh. On the other hand, Channel I, ATN Bangla, NTV Radio Metrowave, VOA and BBC FM that are run by non-government bodies. If we assess the broadcast programs we may realize how these programs satisfy the demands or desires of the rural people. The level of choice and the level of feedback are very important factor in relation to the access of rural people in information. Unfortunately the media monitoring system in our country is very poor. There is no statistical information about the participation of rural people in the media. The rural people are ultimately looked past by the sector of production, decision-making and planning level in the name of participation. It is to say that, a decentralized broadcasting management is necessary to ensure the participation of the entire rural population in the central broadcasting. Because so nearer to the rural people the broadcasting media would be established so much access and participation would be ensured. For an example, the Government of Sri Lanka has established successfully an entire rural participation and access in Kothmale and Mohavelly. People are making both programs and decisions in full-fledged there. The central broadcasting authority hardly interferes with them except only the central news broadcasting. The villagers are receiving necessary information about agricultural management, current technologies, insect control management in agriculture, and diseases and market prices through the radio.
Due to the Central Broadcasting System the content of the current programs do not satisfy the daily needs of the villagers in our country. We should adopt the Village Broadcasting System as soon as possible by assessing what impacts of the programs are there on the villagers for whom these are produced in the finance of World Bank, ABD of other else.
Now we may discuss on how Print Media influences the Village livelihood. The strength of the print media in our country is that they are now able to publish news in free and independent environment. But the weakness is that the literacy of the population is only 40.3% now, as a result the remaining 60 percent of the population are not able to participate in this form of media. As the result, it fails to make an appeal to the extensive illiterate people of villages. Also, the price for newspapers is increasing; therefore it is difficult for the villagers to buy it. Besides, while the owners of the newspapers are not in the same class and due to the economic interest they are not ready to fix the price within the effort of the rural population, though it is possible. What impact the central broadcasting system and the print media may have is a matter of research, but it is clear that these media outputs are not capable of playing an effective role.
Villagers can not read newspapers due to illiteracy and besides, literate villagers can not read newspapers due to the high price, therefore, village broadcasting especially Radio and TV can influence the illiterate people effectively. But due to the centralized broadcasting system people are deprived of that opportunity. Community Radio and or Television can strengthen village broadcasting and it indicates the open and free flowing of information in the free and independent society that is very important for establishing Good Governance. The Central Broadcasting System is Government or individual ownership centered and the impact and control of these deprives people especially the illiterates from the information about the ill deeds of the government and the national or international profit seekers.
Village Broadcasting is new in our country. Generally it runs with the people's interests in mind as it is run by people that come from various professions and classes. Here are some recommendations for the Village Broadcasting system:
1. To establish Broadcasting Centers at the rural level by the Government initiative. It would be Village Radio or Village Television so that people around 30-50 miles may enjoy the broadcast programs.
2. To create the opportunity to promote Community Radio and Television at the rural level by non-Government initiative.
3. To compose village broadcasting guidelines but it would not be profit making. Community broadcasting would be facilitated on the basis of neither profit making nor loosing concern.
Good Governance indicates that the environment in which people have all the information continuously from the government or non-government sources. Good Governance and transparency is in the same way where no expenditure needs for per hour. The quick implementation of the two is possible only in the political well wishing. The village broadcasting system community radio and television will facilitate the flow of government of non-government support of information to the people regularly as well as the people may express their opinion and point of view through it.
Therefore, the village broadcasting may play the effective role to ensure this both way information flowing by which it will helpful to achieve the good governance, desired economic, social and political concerns.
AHM Bazlur Rahman-S21BR working with BNNRC as Chief Executive Officer (Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication), BNNRC would like to see the rural people have easy, quick and low cost access to global communication so that they can be enriched and updated by knowledge.
BNNRC is an executive member of Bangladesh Working Group on World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), a collaborative effort by Government of Bangladesh -NGOs and CSOs of Bangladesh.
BNNRC is affiliated with World Association of Community Radio Broadcaster (AMARC) Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) ONEWORLD .Net, ONEWORLD Radio, Inter World Radio and Developing Countries Farm Radio Network (DCFRN), World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) South Asian Community Media Association and UNESCO- Asia offices
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