[imc-alberta] FW: ARGENTINA: First-Ever Permit for Indigenous Community Radio

[rbcc]

Most of you are probably on Janine Bandcroft's list, but I thought I'd send
this along for those who aren't. Go Argentina!!

Thanks also, Lynette, for sending the link to Scotland IMC. It's great to
see those photos - a quarter million people marching to end poverty and
global injustice.

Barb


>  ARGENTINA: First-Ever Permit for Indigenous Community Radio
>  By Marcela Valente
>
>  Send your comments to the editor
>  editors at ipsnews.net
>  Copyright © 2005 IPS-Inter Press Service. All rights reserved.
>
>  BUENOS AIRES - The first operating licence ever granted by the
>  Argentine government to an indigenous community radio station is
>  being hailed as a major step forward in giving a voice to this sector
>  of the population, while posing formidable challenges.
>  http://ipsnews.net/new_nota.asp?idnews=28876
>
>    The FM radio station, which has been operating without a licence for
>  six years and has yet to be given a name, is run by the Mapuche
>  Indian community of Linares, made up of around 700 members and
>  located in the municipality of Aucapán, in the southern province of
>  Neuquén.
>
>    According to the 2001 census, close to four percent of Argentina's
>  population of 37 million are indigenous people, who belong to various
>  ethnic groups spread throughout the country, but who share many of
>  the same problems: land ownership struggles, unemployment, poverty,
>  marginalisation, and the erosion of their ancestral cultural identity.
>
>    "This radio station is very useful in terms of our daily lives, and
>  will also help to raise greater awareness of our land claims and the
>  problems we face," said Víctor Altimán, the "lonko" (political
>  leader) of the Linares community, in a telephone interview from
>  Neuquén.
>
>    There are two programmes on the air so far, and like the station
>  itself, they do not yet have names. "We're somewhat disorganised,"
>  apologised Eugenio Linares, one of the station's technical operators.
>
>    "For the moment, what we want more than anything is for people to
>  listen to us," he added, which is why all of the broadcasting is in
>  Spanish, at least for now.
>
>    One of the two shows is a general interest programme that focuses on
>  the main problems and concerns facing the Mapuche community,
>  including land ownership conflicts, unemployment, alcoholism and
>  women's issues.
>
>    The station also plays an important community service role -
>  especially crucial in the winter, which brings bitterly cold
>  temperatures. Aucapán is situated in the foothills of the Andes
>  mountains, and has no electrical power or telephone service, which
>  makes the radio an invaluable means of communication for the local
>  residents.
>
>    [...]
>
>    The equipment for the station was donated by the Italian
>  non-governmental organisation Ricerca e Cooperazione, with the
>  support of the Italian Foreign Ministry. For its part, the Argentina
>  Community Radio Forum (FARCO) provided training courses.
>
>    Although Argentine broadcasting regulations prohibit radio station
>  ownership by non-profit organisations, the Federal Broadcasting
>  Commission (COMFER), the state agency that issues operating permits,
>  modified the rules to make the Mapuche initiative possible.
>
>    COMFER plans to grant another eight licences to indigenous
>  communities in the coming months, to aid in the dissemination of
>  local aboriginal culture, particularly in border regions, where
>  people often tune in stations from neighbouring countries.
>
>  [...]
>
>    Most of the station's 15 staff members had previous radio experience
>  on school and community stations, but their knowledge and skills were
>  limited to producing programmes, not running a whole radio station.
>
>    "The most difficult part is the administration of the station,
>  getting it up and running and creating visibility," explained Arias.
>
>    The new station has already managed to gain support from local
>  municipal governments, which will be purchasing air time for official
>  advertising.
>
>    Because the nearest business is 40 km away, private commercial
>  advertising is not a viable option for financing the station, which
>  in any event is run with volunteer labour.
>
>    "COMFER may continue granting radio licences for the Mocovi Indians
>  in the Chaco region and the Wichi community in Salta (both in
>  northern Argentina), but without visibility, the survival of these
>  stations, and of the project as a whole, cannot be guaranteed," Arias
>  concluded.  (END/2005)
>


_______________________________________________
Spkword mailing list
Spkword at lists.uvic.ca
http://lists.uvic.ca/mailman/listinfo/spkword


--
-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

It is impossible to simultaneously protect, and print on, ancient forests.
  Victoria Street Newz -  http://streetnewz.communitypipe.org

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

                       Commercial free community radio
      CFUV 101.9 FM, 104.3 Cable, http://www.cfuv.uvic.ca

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~