Community Radio Project - Class 1

RADIO SAGARMATHA
Friday 19th August

Organization info

Established in 1997, Radio Sagarmatha is the first independent community radio in entire South Asia. On air from 5 am to 11 pm every day from its studio in Lalitpur, it has evolved as a truly independent and highly credible community radio of Nepal. Radio Sagarmatha got the license following nearly half a decade of struggle, with as many as 17 conditions which must be adhered to. The conditions included that Radio Sagarmatha cannot broadcast news and current affair programs while also refraining from taking up economic agenda. The permit was issued allowing broadcast time of two hours a day using 100 watt transmitter. Another condition was that government officials would vet the issues which would form the program.

But Radio Sagamatha soon started talking the language of the people by breaking the monopoly of government-owned radio going back to 50 years. It started its mission by giving voice to the people by respecting the right of the people to information while also giving them voice so that they too can come up with their views on issues of public concern. However it was not a joy ride for Radio Sagarmatha since it had to face a number of obstacles and hardship coming to it from both democratic and regressive regimes. But it came out successful in both expanding its mandate and area of work. Said conversely, Radio Sagarmatha is itself a social campaign and saga of continual struggle.

Radio Sagarmatha is essentially a non-profit making community radio. But we do have to generate revenue to survive! By far, we are best medium in the field to reach out to the masses. This means those looking out to reach the masses have Radio Sagarmatha as the best medium.


The Vision

The objectives of Radio Sagarmatha can be summarized as follows:

• To promote open public discourse on issues of public interest as part of the effort to carry out advocacy for social justice.
• To set standards in public-interest broadcasting.
• To produce a pool of journalists in community broadcasting.
• To educate the masses in issues of their interests.
• To contribute to the proliferation of community radio stations in the country
• To sensitize government and policy-makers on issues from constitutional process to gender relations.
• To facilitate the democratization process by increasing access to information to the people including women and excluded groups.
• To strengthen democratic culture, peace, sustainable development and the environment.

A) Do you know any Uruguayan radio with these characteristics? Which one?
B) What do you think about this project?
C) Find information about Nepal and the context in which the radio was created.