THE LATEST about the Guatemala Radio Program:
Guatemala Radio Project in the news
Coffee & Cocoa International write about the project. Read it here.Building Capacity
In February 2008, 120 volunteers from 60 stations participated in three regional workshops to identify best practices in political engagement, content production, financial management and sustainability, community involvement and technical aspects of production and broadcasting. This process is part of an effort to have stations work at the regional level, reducing costs and increasing participation.Monitoring and Evaluating Results
In January 2008, survey teams made up of international volunteers, community radio operators and communication students from Guatemalan universities visited 140 radio stations, which are on the air.Teams collected data on volunteers, equipment, content production, resources, finances and community involvement. From the preliminary analysis we concluded that there are 1322 volunteers working at the stations!
Green Guatemala:
The Alliance for International Reforestation (AIRES) which plants trees, establishes tree nurseries, provides environmental education, digs wells, and builds fuel-efficient brick ovens, will fund environmental radio content which is dated to begin mid April. AIRES has agreed to underwrite four, 15 minute radio programs to be broadcast throughout Guatemala and translated into the four most commonly spoken languages. These programs (produced and distributed by the CGCC) will serve to educate the public about sustainable farming practices.
New Content Production Team
Guatemala Radio Project welcomes an expanded content production team!To improve radio programming throughout the GRP’s network, we decentralized content production by hiring four talented community radio volunteers to form a production team to develop new content in the four most widely spoken Maya Languages. Willy Velasquez, Hornan Aguilar, Heyda Mejía, Cesar Gomez, and Elmer Macu have begun work on addition episodes of “Salud y Vida”, “Aura Marina”, and “Coffee Talk”. The team members have a combined 40 years of experience in content production and working at radio stations.
Going WiFi
Radio Qman Txun in Todos Santos Cuchumatan uses Meraki wireless antennas to receive internet access at the radio station.Additional stations have been identified as potential “hub stations” to acquire Merakis to maximize efficiency and decrease distribution costs. These antennas help radio stations in our network to receive and share content without having to burn everything onto a CD and hand-carry it to each station (as they do now). $100 will cover the cost of each antenna. If you can help, please donate.
Mil Gracias
The New England Biolabs Foundation approved a $10,000 grant to help the Guatemalan Radio Project reach its goals.Thirty-six radio station volunteers have learned how to write and produce radio dramas about health and environmental protection and twenty-four more volunteers will be trained this spring thanks to the support of the New England Biolabs Foundation.
Radio Novela Training
Cultural Survival Guatemala Radio Project Content Director Jorge Molina is training 60 volunteers in monthly workshops in four locations around Guatemala. Over the course of nine months (July 2007-March 2008) the workshop participants will write, act, record, and produce a total of eight episodes of radio dramas focused on health and the environment. All eight of the episodes will be aired on 168 community radio stations reaching an audience of approximately 3 million listeners.
Monitoring and Evaluating Results
A pilot survey of 11 stations was performed in August 2007. Survey teams consisting of one volunteer from a community radio station, one Guatemalan communications student/professional, and one international observer, collected information about each station's broadcast schedule, income, expenses, skill level of volunteers, and equipment. We are planning a complete survey of all 168 stations in January 2008.
A Road Less Traveled
Looking for a hands-on way to help the Guatemala Radio Project? Have you
already donated? See where your money is going - be a driver! The Guatemala
Radio Project's next step is to assess radio stations across the country.
You can participate first-hand in this important assignment by traveling
to Guatemala and helping drive our survey assessment teams to their stations.
We ask that you bear the cost of the vehicle rental (approximately $800)
plus your own travel expenses. Not only will you contribute to this project,
but you will also have a unique tour of Guatemala that you can't book anywhere
else. For more info contact Mark Camp (mcamp@cs.org or 617-441-5400 x11).
Driver information packet (word)
Bazaar Fiesta
If you attended our Bazaar in Amherst, MA on June 2-3, your attention might
have been caught by the marimba music, live translated broadcasts from Guatemala,
or kids making colorful kites. It was all part of our "Simul-Fiesta," an
effort to raise funds for a new transmitter at a radio station in Sumpango,
Guatemala, that had been raided several weeks earlier. When Sumpango residents
decided to hold a festive fundraiser to replace their transmitter, we decided
to mirror it.
Through a live phone connection with Sumpango residents, Bazaar attendees
had the chance to ask questions of the people in Sumpango and hear first-hand
about community radio’s importance. Although complicated by a rainstorm,
our fiesta was an overall success. We raised $945 towards a new transmitter
for the Sumpango station.
Going WIFI
Behind the scenes, keeping up with new radio technology is a major part
of the project. With the advice of Cultural Survival Technology Committee
member Nathan Felde and a group of 11 technical specialists at Alfred University
in New York state, we worked out a plan to test the use of new Wi-Fi antennas
in Guatemala. We selected a station in Todos Santos Cuchumatan and another
in San Pedro la Laguna. They will be installing the equipment at the end
of August.
If the antennas work, they will allow the 150 radio stations in our network
to receive and share content without having to burn everything onto a CD
and hand-carry it to each station (as they do now).
$100 will cover the cost of each antenna.
If you can help, please donate.
Got Underwriters?
Community radio stations in Guatemala are interested in developing programs
about the environment, health issues, women's rights, and much more. To date
we have two sponsored programs being produced: “Coffee Talk” and “Salud
y Vida.” Both of these
programs are written and produced locally by Guatemalans, but made possible
through underwriting. La Sociedad de St. Martin de Porres underwrites “Salud
y Vida”; “Coffee
Talk” is underwritten by Dean's Beans, an organic fair-trade coffee
company located in Orange, MA. Both programs have proven to be very popular.
"The majority of farmers are using chemical fertilizers because it's
faster, and they don't have confidence in organic fertilizers," said
Rosendo Pablo from Radio Qman Txun. "But they really like “Coffee
Talk” and are interested now in trying organic products at some point."
Radio stations also have been raving about “Salud y Vida.” Vicki
Garcia from Radio Sembrador commented that many listeners who call the
station say they don't have
other means of obtaining vital health information. These programs reach
thousands of people every day.
The Guatemala Radio Project is building the capacity of local people to
produce quality radio programming, but sustaining these shows takes sponsors
and underwriters.
If you or anyone you know is interested in underwriting a show for the
Guatemala Radio Project, let us know! Contact us at mcamp@cs.org or agnes@cs.org 617-441-5400.