Journalists’ Forum Assam (JFA), while conveying greetings to the broadcasting journalists and other media employees engaged in the pioneer medium of communications on the occasion of World Radio Day, advocates for better community radio access in northeast India.

As proclaimed by UNESCO's 36th General Conference in November 2011, following the proposal from Spain, 13 February is observed as the World Radio Day. The United Nations General Assembly endorsed the proclamation in December 2012.

Recognizing the radio’s reach to over 95 per cent of global population, the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed hope that the radio would provide space to 1.8 billion young people around the world to speak about their imaginations.

“Radio matters for youths across the world. As the international community shapes new sustainable development goals and the new global agreement on climate change, we need to hear the voices of young women and men loudly, strongly and urgently,” said the UN Secretary-General. Compare to the global scenario, the growth of All India Radio remains phenomenal and today the AIR emerges as one of the largest media organizations in the world covering over 99 % population of India. The reach of AIR was also reiterated with Prime Minister Narenra Modi’s ongoing special program ‘Mon Ki Baat’.

The JFA, in a statement issued by its president Rupam Barua and secretary Nava Thakuria, emphasizes on instituting more community radio centers in the alienated Northeast, as the region with 60 million population has various communities speaking different languages & dialects.

“Community radios can broadcast programs in local languages, which are normally ignored by the mainstream media. It also discriminate vital information to the audiences reflecting the realities of local life,” added the JFA statement.