There are many ways for people to get their daily news and information, one of them is through radio. While digital technology is prevalent in today’s world, radio remains the primary source of information for most people in the world.
Throughout the years, radio serves as an important medium of communication as it provides affordable access to information – be it education, sports, global affairs, cultures, to emergencies/disaster alerts – that reaches many people, even in the remote areas.
Highlighting the role of radio and how it shapes peoples’ lives, UNESCO proclaimed the celebration of World Radio Day that is observed every year on 13 February. The theme of World Radio Day 2022 is “Radio and Trust”, in recognition of radio’s standing as one of the most trusted and widely used media.
WSIS-ITU together with UNESCO are jointly organising this session to celebrate the World Radio Day 2022. Proclaimed in 2011 by UNESCO Member States, and adopted by the United Nations General Assembly the following year as an International Day, World Radio Day is celebrated on 13 February to mark the date that United Nations Radio was established in 1946. ITU has played a crucial role in advancing the role of radio by establishing and updating international regulations on the use of the radio-frequency spectrum and satellite orbits. For this purpose, ITU organizes World Radiocommunication Conference every four years bringing together governments, regulatory agencies, and industry representatives to update ITU Radio Regulations. UNESCO’s mandate supports networking and international cooperation among broadcasters; strengthens capacities and access to information through radio be it public, private or community radio; and raises greater public awareness and engagement around the services that radio renders to humanity across different technological platforms.
This session will feature an interactive panel discussion with various stakeholders to highlight the impacts of radio in the rapidly digital world until today, particularly during the pandemic. It will also look at approaches on how to maintain and improve information and knowledge societies trust in ICTs and radio communication.
This session is organised in the framework of WSIS TalkX and is aligned with WSIS Action Lines and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.