RTV Theory and Practice - Special Issue

development prevented the timely and efficient flow of basic services to Liberia's widely dispersed, multi-lingual population . Prior to 1986, only the Liberian Broadcasting System's national commercial radio service (ELBC) and the broadcasting arm of the Sudan Intenor Mission (ELWA) , a religious organization, were broadcasting specifically for Liberia . The ELBC short wave broadcasts to rural Liberia is irregular and there are very few programs in the local languages . ELWA provides radio coverage in local languages with a religious bias to rural areas on a regular basis through short wave transmission . The flow of development information over both stations has been minimal, Even with the existing limited development programming there is a rapidly growing demand for more broadcasting that can improve rural living standards. The Government realized that successful integrated rural development reguires effective two-way communication. Individual projects in health , f amily planning , farmer training , agricultural extension, aduit education and teacher training аге often limited by inadeguate communication systems . Villagers are unaware of anđ maKe only limited use of existing đevelopment opportunities because information about these programs is not readily available to them in a form that they can unđerstand . Service ministries and other development bodies have considerable information, but it rarely reaches enough people in a timely and relevant form to make a meaningful impact on their lives . This is the reasons why the Government turned to local radio broađcasting in local languages as effective instrument for the promotion of rural development. In response to the interest in development programming, USAID conducted a communication technology seminar in Liberia in 1977. The seminar included participants from the Ministries of Education , Health, Agriculture , Information and other development related agencies. In 1979, a team of senior level officials from the ministries mentioned above , accompanied by an Education and Human Resources Officer from USAID/Liberia , participated in the Basic Village Education Workshop in Jamaica . Following the workshop , the group visited Basic Village Education Project in Guatemala . Upon their return to Liberia, this group became the nucleus of the project design committee composed of Government of Liberia and USAID officials . In 1980, the Government establisheđ the Liberian Rural Communications Network with authority to operate rural community radio stations m the country . The LRCN operates under the umbrella of the Liberian Broadcasting System . And with an input by USAID anđ the Government of Libena on a 65Х

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