Promote the effectiveness of the grassroots broadcasting system

(Baonghean) -Bringing information to people through grassroots radio has contributed to stabilizing security and politics, developing the economy and society, meeting the practical needs of people in the highlands, especially in building new rural areas. With the characteristics of 11 mountainous districts, including 6 highland districts of Nghe An, the wireless radio system is an effective communication tool in the information explosion period, suitable for large areas with scattered populations.

Developing according to the new trend: Wireless connection

Currently in the province, the grassroots radio network has basically changed from a wired network to a new generation of wireless networks. This is a radio system that applies electronic technology to overcome the disadvantages of the previous wired technology, not being affected by television interference, ensuring signal security throughout the system when licensed and managing the frequency of each broadcasting station. With these advantages, in recent years, the grassroots radio system in the "wireless form" has been put into use quite popularly, helping to propagate policies and information on culture, society, economy, and politics of the locality in a timely and fastest way to the people.

In particular, when implementing the National Target Program on New Rural Construction, the wireless broadcasting system is an effective support tool for authorities at all levels to promote information and propaganda work to launch the movement to the masses. Through the grassroots broadcasting system, most people have understood the purpose, meaning and importance of the new rural construction movement. Many typical examples of donating land, working days... to build public works, economic development models, livestock and crop farming have been promptly informed to the people.

Antenna pole in Tan Thang commune, Quynh Luu district.

Discussing about the operation of the wireless broadcasting system in Giai Xuan commune, Tan Ky district after more than 2 months, Mr. Nguyen Duy Ket - Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune confided: "Since the loudspeaker cluster was installed in the commune, until now the station has been broadcasting, no matter how busy with family work or farming, people can easily listen to the news, promptly grasp useful current information, especially issues related to the direction of agricultural production in the locality. This is also an effective information channel in propagating the commune's policies and guidelines to the people...". In the conversation with us, he did not forget to emphasize: "Speaker clusters like this are very effective".

Don't let people complain about "suffering because of radio"

Although the initial effectiveness has been confirmed, there are still many issues that need attention for this form of communication to develop steadily. Talking to some people in Tan Hop commune, Tan Ky district about the loudspeaker system installed right next to their house, they confided: “The loudspeaker system, sound, and content in general are practical for the people. However, this system is not always pleasant. Sometimes in the morning the loudspeaker beeps continuously, sometimes the voices are too loud, the noise is too loud, buzzing like an airplane, and sometimes when it is quiet, it suddenly rumbles... Truly, the suffering of broadcasting!”.

Regarding information content, studying the content read on the radio system in some communes shows that many contents broadcast on the commune radio system are poorly prepared, duplicated, lacking information and not attractive to listeners. Some historical propaganda and education contents mainly read history books, while the reading voice in some places is not inspiring or attractive to people. There are even many contents read over and over again. In addition, although many communes have invested in a synchronous radio system, the coverage has not reached all households, especially in communes with scattered residential clusters, far from the central broadcasting station. Due to complex terrain, the rainy and stormy season causes the antenna to shift from the standard position of the receiving cluster, unstable power grid, lightning... causing damage, affecting the quality of the audio signal. Staff doing grassroots radio work in some places are still lacking, do not have much experience, some do many jobs... so the quality is not high. Some commune and town leaders have not paid attention to direction, so the operation and management of equipment is not strict, leading to damage to invested equipment.

According to the project to develop the grassroots radio system in Nghe An province until 2020 approved by the Provincial People's Committee in January 2013, nearly 140 billion VND is needed for implementation. However, the annual budget allocated for the grassroots radio system is limited, so the implementation progress is slower than required.

Things to do

Grassroots radio is one of the fast and timely forms of communication, especially in remote communes. However, for the radio system to operate effectively, the most important thing is that the units must know how to organize and implement it. There is no specific title for this position, so the radio staff at the grassroots level all hold concurrent positions, which is a limitation that needs to be overcome. To improve the quality of radio broadcasts, it is required that radio staff at the grassroots level regularly research, learn, access new information every day and receive professional training. In the past 3 years, the Department of Information and Communications has organized training to improve professional knowledge for grassroots radio staff, encouraging long-time and experienced staff to pass on knowledge to new staff. According to the approved project until 2020, each commune-level radio station will have 2-3 specialized staff, management, operation and exploitation. Professional staff in charge of grassroots communications must be trained and fostered in professional skills, technical expertise in operating, exploiting and effectively using radio stations, broadcasting stations and operational equipment.

Equipment cluster including generator and computer for programming of Tan Thang commune (Quynh Luu)

With the number of radio stations previously invested with old, outdated technology, no longer operating, it is necessary to repair, upgrade or replace with compatible equipment to ensure the goal of quality, savings and efficiency. For communes that do not have or have but have but are damaged beyond repair, it is necessary to invest in new construction with priority given to areas without radio stations, difficult communes, high mountains, border areas but have electricity for daily life.

In terms of technology, using modern wireless and digital broadcasting technology ensures simple operation, management and maintenance, suitable for the technical level of staff, with the ability to upgrade and expand in the future. Information content must be linked to the tasks and recipients, paying attention to issues related to agriculture, rural areas and new rural construction. Propaganda content is prepared closely following the directive requirements; taking advantage of the use of information content produced with state budget sources suitable for the locality. The form of expression must be easy to understand and absorb, the announcer must have a coherent, clear and emotional voice. Content must be reviewed and assessed by commune leaders before broadcasting.

With the goal of 100% of communes in the province being equipped with a broadcasting system by 2020, it is necessary to allocate funds for this content from the projects "National Target Program to bring information to the grassroots" and "New Rural Program". For communes that have been invested, annual funding must be allocated for operations, maintenance and repair. In addition, it is necessary to mobilize provincial, district, commune budgets and other legal capital sources to deploy the grassroots broadcasting system on schedule.

Phan Nguyen Hao

Nghe An Department of Information and Communications