Islamabad (May 31, 2011): Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO) Power99 FM Radio Network signed a memorandum of understanding to work in collaboration to bring the issues of development into the limelight of media. ‘The joint venture will focus on the basic issues faced by the people and development practitioners at the grass root level’ stated in a press release.
According to the details of MoU, both organizations will work together to prepare programs, news and views about development sector in Pakistan. In order to promote citizen journalism and aligning development related packages with behavioral change communication, SPO would provide human resources in 54 districts of Pakistan, whereas Power99 Radio would train them to garner timely information, especially during the times of emergencies. A salient feature of the collaborative activities between SPO and Power99 that lectures of SPO Civic Café will be held and broadcast at Power 99. It would help disseminate ideas about good governance, peace, social justice and peace and social harmony to a wider audience.
Commenting on the important of this collaboration Naseer Memon, Chief Executive SPO, said that currently the mainstream media focuses more on the issues that are more in vogue. In this process the real issues of people tends to be ignored. The initiative of collaboration between SPO and Power 99 will be long term. It will play an instrumental role in providing alternate narrative on real issues and development on the one hand, and pave the way for emergence of media that is more specialized and development specific.
Najib Ahmed, Executive Director Power 99 Radio Network said that Power99 Radio is people-centered media outlet that believes in preservation and respects for varied culture, languages and traditions, in this way it tries to institute non-violent society and diversified Pakistan. Following the democratic and participatory approach to development and change, Power99 believes that all development and change should be democratic so that people should own it. For the greater outreach of NGOs and greater awareness among masses Naseer and Najib laid great emphasis on forming synergies between civil society organizations and media.
