World Radio Day (WRD) is Sunday February 13: Radio and Trust

Proclaimed in 2011 by the Member States of UNESCO, and adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012 as an International Day, February 13 became World Radio Day (WRD). The 2022 event is celebrated under the theme “Radio and Trust”.

Radio is a powerful medium for celebrating humanity in all its diversity and constitutes a platform for democratic discourse. At the global level, radio remains the most widely consumed medium. This unique ability to reach out the widest audience means radio can shape a society’s experience of diversity, stand as an arena for all voices to speak out, be represented and heard. Radio stations should serve diverse communities, offering a wide variety of programs, viewpoints and content, and reflect the diversity of audiences in their organizations and operations.

Radio continues to be one of the most trusted and used media in the world, according to different international reports. The theme of the 2022 edition of World Radio Day is thus devoted to “Radio and Trust”. 

Radio and Trust

Building on more than a century of history, radio remains one of the most trusted and widely used media. Throughout the years, radio has provided affordable access to information in real time and professional coverage about matters of public interest, as well as guaranteed distance learning and entertainment. Bridging the gap between traditional and state-of-the art technologies, radio now offers a variety of content through different devices and formats, such as podcasts and multimedia websites. 

Recent world events and the COVID-19 pandemic have eroded trust in the media in general, fuelled by the circulation of false content rapidly spreading on social media. But while studies reveal a global decline in trust in the internet and social networks, they show a rise in overall trust in the news. And many citizens still have greater confidence in radio than in other media. 

Digital access to information is far from being equal, with huge differences remaining between regions and between communities. In comparison, radio remains affordable and can be listened to everywhere, even when electricity or connectivity are not reliable. It is also diverse and inclusive. Community radio, for instance, reaches out to those under-represented in the mainstream and social media, who may feel better understood and fairly portrayed and consequently trust their local station. 

On the occasion of World Radio Day 2022, UNESCO calls on radio stations to celebrate the Day through three sub-themes:

• Trust in radio journalism: Produce independent and high-quality content;
• Trust and accessibility: Take care of your audience;
• Trust and viability of radio stations: Ensure competitiveness.

CELEBRATIONS IN 2022

On the occasion of World Radio Day 2022, UNESCO calls on radio stations worldwide to celebrate this event’s 11th edition and more than a century of radio. 

This edition of WRD is divided into three main sub-themes:

	Trust in radio journalismProduce independent and high-quality content Respecting basic standards of ethical journalism has become challenging in the present high-tempo digital age. However, in order to keep or raise listeners’ trust, journalism must continue to be based on verifiable information that is shared in the public interest, holds the powerful to account and helps society build a better future for all.
	Trust and accessibilityTake care of your audience Reaching out to a selected audience group implies serving the informational needs of all listeners and being a catalyst for integration and social participation – including persons with disabilities. Digital radio platforms provide grounds for innovation in the accessibility of content for the latter, such as the use of sign languages or automated subtitles for hearing-impaired audience when streaming, or announcements of content for blind listeners.
	Trust and viability of radio stationsEnsure competitiveness How can radio survive when financial crisis hits the media market? How to transform loyal audience engagement into financial sustainability?  This sub-theme links the economic survival of radio stations to their ability to attract and retain a large enough base of loyal listeners to be sustainable or to embed listener interaction into their business models.

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