MISA celebrates World Radio Day 2014

NAMIBIA - Today, on 13 February 2014, the Media Institute of Southern African (MISA) joins the rest of the world to mark the third annual World Radio Day, and to celebrate radio as a medium and the positive impact it has around the world.

The theme of this year's World Radio Day is gender equality and women's empowerment in radio, so celebrations will focus not only on celebrating radio as a medium, but on the contribution women are making to broadcast media.

Commenting on the 2014 theme, MISA's Regional Director Zoé Titus, noted that whilst women in Africa have made great strides in radio, concerted effort is still required to ensure equal opportunities for women in the broadcasting sector.

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), worldwide only around 25 percent of media enterprise board members are women, just 22 percent of news subjects in radio are women, and only 6 percent of stories highlight issues of gender equality. In Africa, women report only 38 percent of radio stories.

MISA is of the view that women make an important contribution to the diversity of values, culture and expertise, expressed in broadcasting output and in the work place. For this reason MISA is committed to working with media owners, media workers and governments to develop gender-related policies and strategies for radio and, equally important, to promote the safety of women radio journalists.

Titus issued a challenge to female radio journalists across southern Africa, imploring them to "be the difference that they wish to see in the radio sector".

"Only women themselves can lead this revolution," she said. "I want to see women journalists educating themselves, to claim their power and that of radio to bridge the inequality gap."

MISA Programme in southern Africa: World Radio Day, 2014

A number of MISA Chapters in southern Africa have activities planned to celebrate World Radio Day:

Botswana: MISA Botswana will celebrate World Radio Day at the Gaborone Main Mall with
guest speaker, Attorney General Dr Athaliah Molokomme. The day will start with a motorcade
and march beginning and ending at the mall. There will also be entertainment, refreshments and
stalls hosted by radio stations and on-air personalities. Several radio stations will broadcast live
from the mall throughout the day.

Lesotho: MISA Lesotho, in partnership with UNESCO and the United Nations Information
Office, held a half-day seminar on 12 February. The seminar took place at the UNESCO
boardroom in Maseru under the theme, 'The role of radio in promoting gender equality'. The
seminar was officiated by the Minister of Communication, Science and Technology, and the
Minister of Education and Training made a presentation. MISA Lesotho chaired a session.
Participants included radio station managers and journalists.

Malawi: MISA Malawi will host a panel discussion on the topic, 'The Role of Radio in National
Development: Lessons and Opportunities'. Three or four panelists will each focus on a specific
element of radio's role. The discussion will highlight how radio has been used in the past and
how we can make it even more effective in the future.

Namibia: MISA Namibia, UNESCO, civil society organisations and numerous radio stations will
commemorate World Radio Day in Windhoek with a full day's programme including
presentations by several radio stations, UNESCO and European Union representatives, the
Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare and the Minister for Information and
Communication Technology. There will also be two panel discussions, performances throughout
the day, and a dance in the evening to close festivities.

Zambia and Zimbabwe: MISA Zambia and MISA Zimbabwe will release statements about
media in the country, and MISA Swaziland will host online discussions on the topic.