The Channel | 2008

JANUARY08

THE CHANNEL

DEVELOPMENT

programming and technical issues

– training that will continue over

the months to come.

GEOGRAPHICALLYCHALLENGED

But the location presented an even

more fundamental challenge: there

was no electricity. With fuel in this

remote area costing five times more

than in Jakarta, a low-cost

sustainable source of power was

needed. A local company with

relevant expertise was commissioned

to build a 9,000 watt micro-hydro

plant to harness the nearby Kut

river to generate power to run the

radio station and provide electricity

to the local primary school, church,

village meeting place and individual

homes for the first time. Thanks to the

micro-hydro plant and a donation

from the radio news agency, local

children are getting their first ever

experience of using computers.

Hopes are high for a positive

impact now that the area has both a

radio station and electricity. “We

now have new opportunities to

help ourselves,” said Kores

Waitipo, a teacher who donated the

land on which the station is built.

“We plan to have farming

programmes to help improve our

crops. And with electricity those

crops can earn more income

because we can sell not just the raw

product. Now we can also grind

our coffee beans or blend carrot

juice for sale.”

■

The

location

presented

amajor

challenge:

there was

electricity

“

he early morning

mist hung in the

still cool air in the

remote village of

Anyelma, high up

in the Central

Highlands of

Papua where preparations were

underway for the feast to accompany

the launch of the community’s

radio station, Radio Pikonane.

The initiative to build a radio

station in the regency of Yahukimo

in this isolated part of Indonesia

came from KBR68H, the country’s

only independent radio news agency.

It is the latest in a series of radio

stations to be built as part of a

programme to extend information

to some of the most remote and

least developed parts of eastern

Indonesia. The programme is being

implemented by KBR68H and

Indonesian non-profit organisation

Perhimpunan Pengembangan

Media Nusantara (the Indonesian

Association for Media Development)

in cooperation with Media

Development Loan Fund – a New

York-based non-profit company

providing low-cost financing to

independent media in developing

countries – and the Royal

Netherlands Embassy in Jakarta.

TOTALLY CUT OFF

The choice of location for the

station was prompted by a famine

that struck the area two years ago,

but which remained unknown for

weeks due to lack of information.

As a result, 55 people died. There

was food available in the nearest

town, but without information no

one was aware of the desperate

need. An assessment visit by KBR68H

and MDLF found a region almost

totally cut off from development.

Basic services such as water, electricity

and telephone were unavailable.

The idea of building a radio

station was strongly endorsed by

local leaders, who quickly saw its

potential. But there was scepticism

too. “We have been promised many

things again and again. But those

promises never come to anything,”

said one village elder. This

scepticism turned to anticipation and

excitement as work on the station

began and to celebrate the launch,

nine pigs – highly prized possessions

– were donated for a feast. “The

blood of the pigs must touch the

ground. Only then will the radio

station become a true part of our

community”, explained Mary

Lantipo, a leader of the community

association managing the station.

Radio Pikonane is broadcasting

on AM 1278 and FM 107.8 and

reaches around 70,000 people with

a mix of information, educational

and entertainment programmes. As

well as locally produced programmes

on topics ranging from health to

agriculture to human rights, Radio

Pikonane relays a selection of news

and talk shows produced by KBR68H.

Building the station was the

most challenging initiative to date

for the KBR68H team, who since

2003 have built seven other stations

in eastern Indonesia. The remote

location presented a major logistical

challenge, particularly as a bridge

linking the only road into the area

is frequently swept away, leaving it

impassable except on foot. The

absence of any media in the area

meant that station staff and

volunteers lacked any experience

and needed intensive training on all

aspects of station management,

Clockwise

from left

: the

radio station in

Pikonane; an

interview

underway in the

studio; receiving

the gift of a radio

▼

RADIOARRIVESANDSODOESELECTRICITY

Radio news agency KBR68H and Media Development Loan Fund are helping set up local

stations in some of the remotest parts of eastern Indonesia, providingmany peoplewith their

first access to broadcast information. MDLF Programme Director

Tessa Piper

reports