The world will mark February 13 as International Radio Day in order to celebrate radio as a medium; to improve international cooperation between broadcasters and to encourage major networks and community radio alike to promote access to information and freedom of expression over the airwaves.
As radio continues to evolve in the digital age, it remains the medium that reaches the widest audience worldwide. This multi-purpose medium can help people, including youth, to engage in discussions on topics that affect them. It can save lives during natural or human-made disasters and it provides journalists with a platform to report facts and tell their stories.
United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization (UNESCO) encourages all countries to celebrate World Radio Day by planning activities in partnership with regional, national and international broadcasters, non-governmental organizations, the media and the public.
Talking to APP Station Director Radio Pakistan Peshawar, Laiq Zada Laiq shed light on the history of Radio in the country said that radio is the mother of electronic media that discovered great voices, anchors, analysts, dramatists and singers. Laiq Zada Laiq said that special programmes would be broadcast on February 13 to mark the day and schedule of programmes would be issued by the headquarters in this regard.
He said that in March 1926, Indian Broadcasting Company (IBC) was formed in the sub -continent and Peshawar Radio Station was formally launched on 16 July, 1942. The Foundation stone of Pakistan Broadcasting Company (PBC) Headquarters Islamabad building was laid by former premier Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto on April 27, 1972, he added.
After constitution had been framed and brought into effect in 1973, parliament passed “PBC Act 1973”. Presently radio Pakistan is broadcasting programmes in 23 languages.
