RADIO BROADCASTING AND TRAINING

Given the important role of the mass media, and its potential for information dissemination in the community, Livelihood Development International has established a radio station that will broadcast a series of information, cultural and educational programs in an FM short wave transmission frequency. The station broadcasts to western Kenya, Northern Tanzania, and Rwanda.

The radio station, HEART FM will be situated in the Livelihood Development International complex and will be a community-participatory, free service, alternative educational radio station, with emphasis on local issues, health and HIV/AIDS concerns. It will integrate music, folklore and story telling that will primarily target rural audience and communities that are isolated and hard to reach.

HEART FM is a non-profit entity within LDI, and is operated by the Board of Directors. The purpose of the programs are to foster the participation of citizens and defend their interests, to reflect the taste of the population using good humour and to inform rural and urban communities.  The radio station will serve as a forum to discuss and debate issues, respecting all opinions, thus engendering a medium as the voice of the voiceless.

HEART FM as a community radio is not about doing something for the community, but about the community doing something for itself; that is owning and controlling its own means of communication.  The purpose is different from mainstream media. It is to ensure that the population’s best efforts are put at the disposal of civil society. This will be done by influencing public opinion, creating consensus, broadening democracy - thus promoting peace and development within the rural and urban communities. The training of local producers will create programs using local voices.  The community will actively participate in the management of the station, and will have a say in the scheduling and content of the programs. Local artists will use the station to record and promote their work on air.

Broadcasting and Radio Training

Radio Training Program

There is no institutions in East Africa that provides radio broadcast training and education. Livelihood Development International will be the pioneer in training of broadcasters. Training will embrace:

• Announcing (Disc Jockey)

• Radio News (News Caster/Reporting)

• Digital Audio Production (Commercial Production)

• Creative Writing (Commercial/Features)

• Marketing and Promotion

CONCLUSION

The FM Radio developed by Livelihood Development International is available to a wide community of people including the marginalized, destitute, homeless, children, youth and adults. It provides education and entertainment to their audience; and include training and employment for broadcasting and technical support.

For further information contact: info@LivelihoodDevelopmentAfrica.org