Category: Radio; Five Live
Date: 15.06.2005
Printable version
On 6 July 2005, the 91Èȱ¬ launches a radio amnesty in aid of African nations - fronted by presenter Nick Knowles - in which listeners can receive discounts on DAB radios.
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The 91Èȱ¬'s digital radio team and 91Èȱ¬ Radio Five Live have teamed up with manufacturers and high street retailers across the country to offer listeners a discount of 10% on a new digital radio, when they trade in their portable FM sets.
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The old sets will then be reconditioned and sent to Somalia and south Sudan, where they will be distributed by the 91Èȱ¬ World Service Trust.
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The amnesty starts on 6 July and lasts until 26 July, during which time Five Live will support the project on air and around a thousand stores up and down the country will take part.
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Nick Knowles - already recognised for his work with Comic and Sport Relief - is promoting the campaign on behalf of the 91Èȱ¬ and will be raising the project's profile.
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"A disused radio set, gathering dust in a spare room in Tunbridge Wells, could end up making a real difference to a family in Somalia," says Nick.
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"Every set that is traded in will help the educational projects the World Service Trust runs in Africa."
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Simon Nelson, Controller of 91Èȱ¬ Radio & Music Interactive, says: "We're delighted to be working with retailers, manufacturers and the World Service Trust on this project.
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"Everyone involved benefits from this initiative: consumers get a discount, DAB radios sales will increase, and it all helps to support some of the fantastic work the World Service Trust is doing in Africa."
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Retailers will accept battery-powered FM/AM radios (not hi-fi separates or mains only sets), which will be reconditioned, fitted with new batteries and shipped for distribution by the 91Èȱ¬ World Service Trust and its partner, the African Educational Trust (AET).
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The trust and the AET will use the radios to further their work on the Somalia Distance Education for Literacy project - or 'Radio Teacher' - which offers education to men and women who have grown up during civil war with no chance of schooling.
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There is a shortage of Somali teachers and there are few western volunteers, so the only choice is to use the mass media.
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Radio is by far the most widespread medium in Somalia, with the 91Èȱ¬ Somali Service by far the most popular broadcaster.
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The project teaches literacy through discussions of issues like human rights, health and environmental protection, and has been a great success, with 10,000 people registering for the first teaching cycle.
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Given the success of the first phase of literacy training in Somalia, the series is now being run for a second time, with a further 7,000 students signing up.
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The 91Èȱ¬ World Service Trust and AET are also planning to replicate the literacy project for the south Sudanese audience and are also exploring the possibility of training farmers and teachers using similar techniques.
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The more radios made available to audiences in Somalia and Sudan, the more students will be able to benefit from these projects.
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Listeners should call 08700 100 500 or visit bbc.co.uk/digitalradio for further details.
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Five Live is available on 909 and 693 AM and on DAB digital radio, digital television and online at bbc.co.uk/fivelive.
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Notes to Editors
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Retailers supporting the project include John Lewis Partnership, Currys, Dixons, Comet and leading independent retailers through RETRA (Radio, Electrical and Television Retailers Association).
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Manufacturers offering a discount are Roberts Radio Ltd; Pure Digital; Sony and Panasonic.
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Reconditioning of radios will be carried out by Simply Radios.
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Duracell will be providing batteries for all the reconditioned sets.
