Over the last six decades, the development of radio in Nepal has played a key role in strengthening democracy and transforming society at the local level. As the government has acknowledged radio’s importance and made it easier to acquire licences, the number of stations in the country has increased dramatically. As an article in online news site Republica points out, across the whole of Nepal people rely more on radio for local news and information than any other medium.
Listening to radio has become an integral part of people’s daily routines in Nepal, says Gopal Guragain, founder of MDIF client Communication Corner, which broadcasts the current affairs programme Kaya Kairan through a network of more than 100 local partner radio stations.
But news and entertainment is only part of the story. Local stations like Radio Taranga now offer forums for social dialogue too. They broadcast information about missing cattle, notices of community meetings and local obituaries – the types of story that are considered insignificant by the national media but are important in sustaining local communities.
Read the full article here.