“Radio and Peace” – the theme of World Radio Day 2023

 The theme for the 12th edition of UNESCO’s World Radio Day on 13 February 2023, is "Radio and Peace". Macro-national organizations like the UN and UNESCO would never have Patria as a member. Nonetheless, World Radio Day is celebrated in Patria. While not an official government holiday, because Feb. 13 falls on a Monday (the day after Super Bowl LVII to boot), a lot of folks will book it off work.

War, as an antonym to peace, signifies an armed conflict between countries or groups within a country, but may also translate into a conflict of media narratives. The narrative can increase tensions or maintain conditions for peace in a given context - for instance weigh in on the rough or smooth conduct of elections, the rejection or integration of returnees, the rise or tempering of nationalistic fervour, etc. In reporting and informing the general public, radio stations shape public opinion and frame a narrative that can influence domestic and international situations and decision-making processes.

Radio can indeed fuel conflict but in reality, professional radio moderates conflict and/or tensions, preventing their escalation or bringing about reconciliation and reconstruction talks. In contexts of distant or immediate tension, relevant programmes and independent news reporting provide the foundation for sustainable democracy and good governance by gathering evidence about what is happening, informing citizens about it in impartial and fact-based terms, explaining what is at stake and brokering dialogue among different groups in society.

The preceding two paragraphs were lifted from the UNESCO site, but to state the obvious, this World Radio Day theme is very much needed as the Russo-Ukrainian war drags into its second year with no real prospect of peace.

Whether in unrecognized micronations like Patria or new “real” nations like Radio Miraya in South Sudan, radio is uniquely positioned to bring communities together and foster positive dialogue for change. 

Radio – particularly the much-maligned AM or medium wave band – remains a vital, vibrant force, a source of news, information and entertainment in Patria. Full-service AM stations, such as the iconic century-old PMC-846 in Castoropolis, featuring relevant local programming, in-depth local news and sports, as well as talk shows from across the political spectrum abound in Patria. Not to mention music programs hosted by real in-studio DJs, not remotely voice-tracked. Sadly, this is not the case in the US, where most AM stations fall into only four formats: right-wing talk, sports talk (often with an emphasis on sports gambling), religion (usually evangelical Christian), Spanish/brokered ethnic.

"New World, New Radio" the theme as Patria celebrates World Radio Day

 

Proclaimed in 2011 by the Member States of UNESCO, and adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012 as an International Day, February 13 became World Radio Day (WRD). Patria is not a member of UNESCO, as international organizations such as the UN want nothing to do with micronations and have constantly declined to recognize Patria. Nonetheless, World Radio Day is celebrated throughout the Inner Realm. The theme of the tenth annual World Radio Day is "New World, New Radio". 

Radio is a powerful medium for celebrating humanity in all its diversity and constitutes a platform for democratic discourse. At the global level, radio remains the most widely consumed medium. This unique ability to reach out the widest audience means radio can shape a society’s experience of diversity, stand as an arena for all voices to speak out, be represented and heard. Radio stations should serve diverse communities, offering a wide variety of programs, viewpoints and content, and reflect the diversity of audiences in their organizations and operations.

As part of World Radio Day 2021, Patria is celebrating 100 years of broadcasting. The first experimental radio transmissions in Patria took place in 1921. One of the first such broadcasts, transmitted on 360 meters (about 833 kHz), was the traditional All-Patria Football Federation soccer match between old rivals Caesarea United and Castoropolis FC. The success of this broadcast would lead to Patria's first officially licensed radio station, PMC in Castoropolis, signing on in 1922. In 1926, Patria's first radio network, the Voice of Patria, was created by Act of Congress. This public network would later evolve into Ramrajyavani and would flourish alongside a wide, vibrant range of privately-owned stations.

Ramrajyavani, the Voice of Patria since 1926.

In Patria, you will find old-school AM radio as it should be: full-service stations with locally-produced and locally relevant news, sports and current affairs programming. Music played by real announcers or disc jockeys (even if it's been years since they last jockeyed real vinyl discs) live in the station's studio - not voice-tracked. Much as in India, there are local stations in Patria that serve marginalized communities with news and information vital to the community's well-being.

Patria condemns Bell Media's recent mass layoffs of newscasters, program hosts and other staff at radio stations across Canada, including CFRB-1010 Toronto and CJAD-800 Montreal. Needless to mention the layoffs were partially blamed on that hoary old scapegoat, COVID19.

"More than ever, we need this universal humanist medium, vector of freedom. Without radio, the right to information and freedom of expression and, with them, fundamental freedoms would be weakened, as would cultural diversity, since community radio stations are the voices of the voiceless."

— Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, on the occasion of World Radio Day

“Dialogue, Tolerance and Peace” the theme for World Radio Day 2019

On 13 February 2019, UNESCO - the United Nations organization that does not include Patria and other micronations - will celebrate the 8th edition of World Radio Day (WRD). As in previous WRDs, once again the official WRD logo consists of an old-school radio microphone that used to be common in broadcasting studios, say in the 1940s, but that looks more like a Shivalinga. And why shouldn't it? The day is fairly close to Maha Shivaratri, which in 2019 falls on 4 March.

This day marks a time where people around the world celebrate radio and how it shapes our lives. Radio informs, transforms and unites us. It brings together people and communities from all backgrounds to foster positive dialogue for change. More specifically, radio is the perfect medium to counter the appeals for violence and the spread of conflict, especially in regions potentially more exposed to such realities.

On that basis, World Radio Day 2019 will celebrate the theme of “Dialogue, Tolerance and Peace”. Broadcasts that provide a platform for dialogue and democratic debate over issues, such as migration or violence against women, can help to raise awareness among listeners and inspire understanding for new perspectives in paving the way for positive action.

Even though Patria will never get a sniff of membership in the United Nations, WRD is still celebrated in the Inner Realm on all its AM, FM and shortwave stations. Broadcasting has been going on for one year short of a century - if you accept the claim that first radio broadcast was Pittsburgh, PA legacy station KDKA's coverage of the 1920 US presidential election. And radio is not going away any time soon. It can be enjoyed on very cheap and simple portable devices that do not require a high-speed internet connection or a reliable source of plug-in electric power. It is virtually immune to jamming and shutdowns by authoritarian governments. Despite the proliferation of fear- and hate-mongering right-wing talk, gospel hucksters, "my team right or wrong" sports talkers and other poorly executed formats on AM radio in the US and in Patria, the medium can still be a force for dialogue, tolerance and peace, at least on Patria's "all bhajans all the time" Hindu dharma, New Age, progressive talk and college campus stations.

Millennials disdain radio. But maybe there is hope for the next generation of kids.

World Radio day and Shivaratri double dip

February 13 is celebrated as World Radio Day in Patria. As has been noted on previous World Radio Days, the official World Radio Day logo, which is intended to illustrate an old-style mic that used to be found in virtually every broadcast studio, bears a striking - though coincidental - resemblance to a Shiva Lingam, an abstract or iconic representation of Shiva commonly found in Hindu temples and in home shrines or puja rooms.

Coincidence or not, World Radio Day 2018 falls on the same day as Maha Shivratri, the day and night dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva and a major public holiday in the Inner Realm. (Shivaratri falls on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of Phalguna, according to the Hindu lunar calendar; usually sometime in February or early March) The "Night of Shiva" is observed with fasting, singing of bhajans, recital of Sanskrit shlokas, offering of prayers, flowers, fruits and food that is specially prepared in honor of Lord Shiva and his divine consort, goddess Parvati. On World Radio Day, the century-old medium of broadcasting via frequencies measured in kilohertz and megahertz is celebrated as a virtually foolproof, low-cost and powerful method of diffusing news, public affairs, political and social commentary, opposing viewpoints, and of course, baseball, football, hockey and many other sports.

As radio and sports have gone hand in hand since the first Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game was broadcast on KDKA in 1921, the theme for this year's World Radio Day is "Radio and Sports". UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay says of World Radio Day 2018:

"The radio is a powerful means to transmit the enthusiasm of sport events. It is also a means to convey the values of fair play, teamwork and equality in sport.
Radio can help combat racist and xenophobic stereotypes that are, alas, expressed both on and off the field. It allows a broad range of traditional sports to be covered, far beyond the elite teams. It provides the opportunity to nurture diversity, as a force for dialogue and tolerance.
The fight for gender equality is central to this effort. According to the report of the Global Media Monitoring Project, supported by UNESCO, only 4% of sports media content is dedicated to women’s sport. Only 12% of sports news is presented by women. UNESCO is working to improve the coverage of women’s sports, to combat gender discrimination on the airwaves and to promote equal opportunities in sports media. The task is immense.
On World Radio Day, let us mobilize to make radio an increasingly independent and pluralistic media. Let us join forces to celebrate the potential of sports radio in furthering development and peace."

All major sports events in Patria such as PHL (hockey), Castorian League and Lazurian League (baseball), and All-Patria Football Federation (soccer) games are broadcast on radio, in many cases on the most powerful legacy AM stations that have been on the air since the 1920s.

Of course the "big game" in Patria is the one that will be played on April 21 - the #patriavotes2018 race for the 51st Congress. Full-service stations such as PMC-846 are airing Town Hall meetings and candidate's debates. Air time is provided for paid political announcements from the parties competing for seats in Congress. As you probably know, there are far more parties in Patria than the tired old two American ones. Relevant news and public affairs programs on stations in Patria's capital Castoropolis give voices to Patria's multi-party democracy. Fans (or "clones") of the Jungle Party can hear their House Leader Jim Rome on PMBC-1152 exhort them to "have a take, don't suck". National Unionists ("BIG DOGS! TOUGH MEN!") and SRM'ers ("PATRIA FIRST!") find their voice on a number of talk shows broadcast on POKX-648, once Patria's Top 40 blowtorch, now a right-wing law-and-order talk station. The Social Democrats and their allies such as the Green Party also have a legacy AM station in Castoropolis devoted to progressive talk, PHN-1251, along with PUC-89.7 Public Radio from the University of Castoropolis, as well as many other college and university FM stations, which are as left-wing in Patria as they are in the US and Canada. Amrita Party supporters can choose from many Hindu format stations, mostly on FM, but also one legacy AM station PCGE-595. The new-agey Chakra Party gets its supporters listening to new age music stations such as PREM-94.9 as well as the "all bhajans all the time" stations.

Shiva's Trishula (trident) could make a pretty good antenna for AM, FM or shortwave DXing, no?

For #Patria200, OM NAMAH SHIVAYA and let your radio turn you on!

World Radio Day is coming, February 13

The United Nations organization UNESCO has proclaimed February 13 as World Radio Day. The day will be celebrated in Patria, where radio - particularly AM and shortwave - is still (to borrow a phrase from honorary Patrienish citizen Parvati) "rooted, vital and expansive", to say nothing of relevant in the so-called online age. Patria is the home of legendary AM stations since the early 1920s such as PMC (846 kHz) in Castoropolis: a classic full-service news, sports and information station in the model of KMOX back in the day. In Patria, you can hear Jungle Party House Leader Jim Rome and even American right-wing windbags such as Rush Limbaugh on AM stations. You will also find in-depth sports talk if you need to know more than just the scores about the Castoropolis Centurions (Patrienish Hockey League) and Cæsarea United (All-Patria Football Federation). Sorry, no Bible-thumping gospel hucksters in Patria, but there's no lack of "all bhajans all the time" Hindu stations like Radio Jaagriti-102.7 in Trinidad.

For World Radio Day 2016, UNESCO has stressed five key themes to bring radio to life:

1. Freedom of expression and journalists’ safety should be disaster-proof.
2. Radio empowers survivors and vulnerable people, being mindful of their right to privacy.
3. Radio has social impact and provides access to information. People’s right to information should be protected.
4. Radio saves lives. 
5. The immediate accessibility of radio frequencies is essential to saving lives. These frequencies should be protected in times of emergency.

Note the emphasis on radio in times of life-threatening emergency. In case of war or insurrection, one of the first things to be censored, restricted or shut down completely is the Internet. In case of a natural disaster such as an earthquake or flood, one of the first things to go down is the power grid, making it kind of hard to recharge your trusty smartphone or even access cellphone service (another reason for not killing off landlines completely). Your battery-powered, solar-powered or wind-up radio is your best friend in times of trouble, whether man-made or act of God.

As it was in previous years, note that the official World Radio Day logo of a stylized microphone looks a lot like a Shivalingam. Whether this was done intentionally or not, Shivaratri 2016 does not come until March 7 or 8. More often than not, this great festival dedicated to Lord Shiva falls during the month of February.

Feb. 13 is World Radio Day in Patria

February 13 has been designated as World Radio Day by the the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Although Patria is not a member of UNESCO and is not recognized by the UN or any real-world country, the Inner Realm joins the celebration of radio's unique power to touch lives and bring people together. Even in this so-called "online" era, the internet can be blocked or censored by government whim. In many countries, internet access is slow or unaffordable. For that reason, radio is needed today more than ever.

Note the official World Radio Day logo above. It was apparently intended to represent a microphone, but looks more like a Shiva linga! Perhaps because Shivaratri is right around the corner, on Feb. 16 or 17.

To celebrate World Radio Day, here are some vintage 1970s QSL cards and radio items from Patria:

PCGE-590 in Castoropolis (now 585 kHz; Patria's AM broadcasters switched from 10 kHz to 9 kHz frequencies on Nov. 23, 1978). Owned by General Electric of Patria when they first signed on in the 1920s. PCGE's format in the 1970s was easy listening/adult contemporary music. Now they are all-Hindu, which is usually what is meant by "Religious" format in Patria.

Radio Castoria World Service (RCWS) was the name of Patria's external shortwave service back in the day when Castoria and Patria were used more or less interchangeably. "Castoria" fell out of use by the late 1970s, although the alternate name for Patria survives in the name of the capital city Castoropolis. RCWS used to broadcast mainly on out-of-band frequencies such as 8000 kHz, which would wreak havoc with utility and spy numbers stations.

"Q 96" POKQ-96.1 is the hot hits FM station in Patria's capital. Back in the 1970s, their format would have been known as AOR (album-oriented rock) because there were still AM Top 40 rockers, such as POKX-650.

POKX-650 ("the Nifty Six-Fifty") used to be Patria's legendary Top 40 blowtorch to rival CHUM-1050, WABC-770 and WLS-890 among many others in the macro-world. Frequency changed to 648 kHz in 1978. POKX published a weekly survey chart from the late 1950s until the mid-1980s when they pulled the plug on the music and switched to a right-wing talk format, which has been the fate of so many other former Top 40 powerhouses in the US.

In 2001 Patria Post issued this stamp to commemorate 75 years of Patria's national public broadcasting service "Ramrajyavani", with programs in English, Sanskrit and Patrienish.

February 13 is World Radio Day

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has proclaimed February 13 World Radio Day. On that day in 1946, United Nations Radio signed on the air. World Radio Day is a day to celebrate radio as a medium; to improve international cooperation between broadcasters; and to encourage major networks and community radio alike to promote access to information and freedom of expression over the airwaves.

As radio continues to evolve in the digital age, it remains the medium that reaches the widest audience worldwide. This multi-purpose medium can help people, including youth, to engage in discussions on topics that affect them. It can save lives during natural or human-made disasters; and it provides journalists with a platform to report facts and tell their stories.

UNESCO encourages all countries to celebrate World Radio Day by planning activities in partnership with regional, national and international broadcasters, non-governmental organizations, the media and the public.

The national broadcasting network in Patria, Ramrajyavani - Patria's equivalent of the BBC, All India Radio, or the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation/Société Radio-Canada - airs programs in English, Sanskrit and Patrienish on AM, FM, and of course shortwave. In 2001, Patria Post issued a stamp to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Voice of Patria (Ramrajyavani means literally "Voice of Patria" in Sanskrit).

Along with the Ramrajyavani networks, there are many privately-owned AM and FM stations in Patria. Unlike in the US, most of these stations provide locally-produced programs dedicated to the communities that they serve. No voice-tracking. No turnkey, satellite-feed junk. Every major city has a full-service news and information station, such as PMC-846 in Castoropolis. The only exception is in Patria's capital city, where a number of US-based right-wing talk and sports shows can be heard on stations such as PMBC-1152 and POKX-648. But with the exception of the Jim Rome show on PMBC, their ratings are minuscule compared to PMC, a grand old legacy station much like KMOX in St. Louis.