Women’s networks in the Pacific are leading the way in the use of suitcase radios.
It is hoped that a meeting of the first women-led Community Radio Consultation which began in Tonga on 6 April will pave the way for the establishment of the first suitcase radio in Tonga.
Suitcase radios have been operating in Fiji since 2004.
In an interview on Radio Australia’s Pacific Beat Sharon Bhagwan Rolls said the the suitcase radio is “literally a radio station that fits into a little suitcase. It’s about 20 kilograms in weight, it has a low-powered transmitter. We work with a 100 watt transmitter, very different from the large commercial or public broadcasters. But what it gives is a small station that is easy to manage, particularly for communities that come from no broadcasting experience, and the opportunity to also travel around with your radio in a suitcase and a mast to go out and broadcast with communities.”
The meeting in Nuku’alofa is the initaive of Tonga based 1325 Media and Policy Network in conjunction with Fiji-based partners Femlinkpacific.
Church leaders in Africa and Aia have, for some time, used suitcase radios to communicate with scattered small and isolated faith communities.
Source
Pacific Beat
Photo Credit
Wantok Radio