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The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) has joined the rest of the world in observing 2022 World Radio Day.
SLAJ noted that there are 2 billion people in the world that cannot read, noting that those people are part of the world and also need access to information, which only radio can provide.
“In Sierra Leone today, the new media- particularly Facebook- accounts for about 500 to 700,000 users. This number is still less than 10 percent of our population, whereas radio accounts for 80% of listenership in our population. It is evident that radio is still the most pervasive (and cheapest) medium of mass communication in Sierra Leone,” SLAJ noted.
According to the Independent Media Commission (IMC) there are 209 registered radio stations in the country, including community radio stations.
In the celebration of this year’s World Radio Day, UNESCO encourages the world to acknowledge and appreciate the role and importance of radio in our everyday lives and the development of nations.
As the theme for this year’s commemoration states; Radio and Trust, it should be noted that in this age of social media where fake news, misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech thrive, radio should be that clearinghouse that gives out the right, correct, well-researched, and verified information with high-quality content. Radio must also be accessible to everybody and should amplify the voices of the voiceless for positive change.
It should also be noted that the technological advancement in the world and the growth of the new media, demands innovation and change in radio. In short, radio will not remain in its traditional form but keeps evolving and adapting to the changes in the world.
