A total of 17 radio programs from 7 Community Radio Stations have been nominated for 15th UNICEF Meena Media Award under radio category for their contribution in innovation in media and protection of child rights in the year 2019 by esteemed panel of judges for the Meena Media Award.
The nominated Community Radio Stations are
Community Radio Meghna 99.0 FM,
Community Radio Sagor Giri 99.2 FM,
Community Radio Mahananda 98.8 FM,
Community Radio Pollikontho 99.2 FM,
Community Radio Jhenuk 99.2 FM,
Community Radio Krishi 98.8 FM,
Community Radio Sarabela 98.8 FM
As in every year UNICEF Bangladesh has organized this competition. 16 Community Radio Stations of the country participated in this competition under two categories (Report & Creative) –below and above 18 years of age. Out of these 85 programs submitted by 16 community radio stations, 17 programs from 7 Community Radio Stations have got primary selection for final stage of the selection process. The award will be distributed among the winners on 27 October 2019.
The community radio stations have submitted altogether 85 radio programs in the competition.
These programs reflected important issues like- Necessity of breast-feeding for infant, Sexual harassment of Children, Junk food in Tiffin Box, Involving madrasa students to collect subscription, Unsafe School, Contents for child in the Daily’s Children Page , Extinct rural and traditional games for children, killing of embryo, Child’s drug addiction, Involving children for fishing in Deep Sea etc.
It can be mentioned that BNNRC has been encouraging the stations and facilitating them for submission of their programs in the Meena Media Award from 2010.
Introduced in 2005, Meena Media Award has stepped into the 15th year in 2019. The award recognizes excellence in promoting children’s issues in the media. Submissions are solicited from Bangladeshi citizens working with print, electronic and online media in two different age groups: Under-18 and 18 & above. News, articles, features, news photographs published in print/online media and news/programmes broadcast by radio and television that investigate and explore into children’s issues or provide healthy entertainment for children are eligible to compete for the award. Entries are invited in seven categories. Meena is a change agent in her community and her stories champion the rights of children across South Asia.
The Meena Media Award was introduced by UNICEF in 2005 to celebrate excellence in both print media and electronic media and to promote child rights and greater coverage of children’s issues in the media. The award is named after Meena, a popular animation character held dear by children and adults alike in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) actively works to improve recognition of the community electronic media sector [Community Radio | Community TV | Community Film] & its work in and involvement with the communities it seeks to serve from 2000 with support from Free Press Unlimited.
Now 18 Community Radio Stations are on-air in the country, aiming to ensure empowerment and right to information for the rural community. They are broadcasting altogether 157 hours program per day on information, education, local entertainment and development motivation activities. Around 1000 Youth Women & Youth are now working with those stations throughout the country as rural broadcasters within 6.6 million rural people in 119 upazillas under 16 districts in Bangladesh.