Promoting plurality in Brazil

By Márcia Detoni

In a country like Brazil where only 15 per cent of the population has access to the internet and illiteracy is widespread (only a quarter of Brazilians can really make sense of what they read and are fully able to express themselves through writing), old media technologies such as radio are absolutely crucial for development.

Radio can not only bring much-needed daily information to poor communities, but can also give people a voice, encourage them to be participative and interact with each other, and help them to develop and produce knowledge.

But here's a sticking point: how can we provide a real public service in a climate of state control of the media? Until recently, Radiobras where I work - which is funded by federal money - was essentially the government's press office.

Not any more! It's been a struggle, but we're managing to turn things around and get closer to our listeners' needs. We've had to fight to change the mentality of both employees and some politicians, convincing them of the need for, and advantages of, a real public communication service.

I believe that the right to information and communication is just as important as rights to education and health. How disappointing then that it was so poorly addressed during the first phase of WSIS.

Perhaps the fact that the second phase is being held in Tunis - with its record of media oppression (highlighted by outfits such as the Tunisia Monitoring Group) - will help focus minds on this crucial aspect of the information society.

Comments

[Douglas Arellanes]

My organization - the Center for Advanced Media Prague - works on areas between media and technology, specifically ICTs, and even more specifically than that, in the development and advocacy of open source software for media organizations.

While open source software is excellent on many fronts, many of the tools lack the kinds of functionality media organizations require, so in those instances, we commission, build, maintain, implement and promote these tools among independent media in the developing world.

Our website is at http://www.campware.org, and all our software is available there for free download.

One thing that might be of interest is our open source radio broadcast management system, LiveSupport. First released in September, it already has the functionality of many commercial radio playout/automation systems. The next major release, scheduled for the end of this year, will support the creation of internet-based "virtual radio networks."

Good luck to all of you in Tunis, and best regards, Douglas Arellanes