The radio story - Activism on the air

Anwar Fazal holding the smallest radio in the world. It is on a keychain and half the size of a matchbox.

FEB 13 is celebrated annually as World Radio Day. I grew up in the early 1940s where radios were a supremely addictive global communications tool.

My family had our first radio sometime in 1948 when I was seven years old. The three families who shared the home upstairs and business downstairs always had their different radio stations, local and global, for news and music and I learnt about diversity in words and music.

Because of my teenage passion for sports, particularly cricket, I was primarily tuned to BBC, listening patiently for their sport commentaries. Interestingly, it drew me to world news and serious in-depth commentaries of a special kind, apart from all kinds of music and especially comedy. Laughter is always good medicine, as we know.

I never stopped listening and when I went to university in 1960, I had my own radio. We had moved from “valve” sets to transistor radios, making them smaller and smaller. It kept me briefed about world happenings and empowered me through the power of voices.

I have now a collection of some 20 radios that I have used and collected over the decades including one that describes itself as the smallest radio in the world. It is on a keychain and half the size of a matchbox, and I got it at the Tokyo airport.

The ones that I still use are among the best portable transistor radios. The one in my study is made by Grundig, its Satellite 2000 model. In my bathroom, there is one made by Sony, a 4 Receiver ICF 850L. In my car is a 12-year-old Blaupunkt Miami Beach CD51 which, for security, can be removed and stored in a little case.

During the 30 years when I travelled frequently (at one time, I used to travel seven months out of the year), a shortwave radio was always with me, the last one being an amazing wallet-sized Sony World Time II Band Receiver ICF-SW12. I use it until today.

Despite television and the Internet, the radio still travels with me.

It also has a built-in clock, alarm and a map with world times and I can have it in my pocket anywhere, anytime. I still have a copy of the World Radio Guide so I know the radio stations of every place I went!

The local or global news, call to prayer, music, commentaries and debates were always there for me anywhere and anytime. I still enjoy them all and I have never felt lonely. Listening with the head and heart is very special.

My passion for radios made me use them for any work on global consumer advocacy during my presidency of the International Organisation of Consumers Unions (IOCU).

In January 1978, I organised a three-week international training course at the Asia Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) based in Kuala Lumpur. It was the first of its kind in the world which brought consumers, activists and radio stations together. It was funded by the New Zealand Government.

It was also historic in another way. I had searched for a new framework of consumer rights and responsibilities that could be an overall commonality for radio messages and advocacy that had the power of simplicity and yet, meaning.

I called it the “Charter for Asean Consumers” (to see the full speech, visit www.anwarfazal.net/speech-ASEAN.php). The event had some interesting outcomes:

1. Not only did each person get the best international-level professional training in both radio programming and consumer education, each one agreed to go back to their country and organise together with us a national workshop, and that happened! We were on the air in many countries of South-East Asia! The popular programme name everywhere was “Calling all Consumers”.

2. The Asean Charter for Consumers became the Global Charter of Consumer Rights and Responsibilities. It consisted of:

• EIGHT RIGHTS: Rights to basic needs, choices, safety, to be informed, to be heard, to compensation against damages, to consumer education and to a clean environment; and

• FIVE RESPONSIBILITIES: Critical awareness, involvement/action, social responsibility, ecological responsibility and solidarity.

I see the radio continuing to be a global force. Community radio abounds (visit www.communityradio.in).

This website is from the world’s most amazing health activist, Mr Nand Wadhwani, who singlehandedly runs a magnificent and unparalleled network and store of resources on Mother and Child Health issues like no other (visit www.motherchildtrust.org).

Nowadays, the Internet has made the global local and the local global (some people call this two-way system “glo-cal”) and the station can be anywhere.

I was also pleased when radios began to have electric power from hand-operated dynamos and solar panels. It was a technological revolution, particularly for Africa.

The world of broadcasting will certainly continue to reinforce our advocacy efforts with the power of podcasting galore.

Now anyone can start a radio station anywhere, anytime. Just listen to the amazing work of Amy Goodman, a Right Livelihood awardee who runs a radio programme called “Democracy Now”. A brave new world is blossoming indeed.

For me, the radio will always be there and always with me! I am listening to it now.

* Anwar Fazal is currently the chairperson of Think City, Penang, and a recipient in 1982 of the Right Livelihood Award, popularly known as the “Alternative Nobel Prize”. For further information, see https://multiversityinternational.wordpress.com/.