A total of 21 mini FM radio stations have obtained government licences to operate as provisional broadcasters, giving people post-disaster information in areas ravaged by last month’s earthquake and tsunami, Japan’s communications ministry said last Wednesday.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications is authorized to issue special licences to municipalities to set up radio stations to provide disaster information to communities. Applicant municipalities can seek licences without official documents.
The FM radio stations in northeastern and eastern regions provide information, including on how evacuees are living in shelters and various lifeline services like the restoration of electricity and medical services, and do not get advertising revenues in most cases. Local residents provide services to operate on a voluntary basis after the municipalities get the licences.
(Source : Radio Netherlands Media Network Weblog/The Japan Times Online)
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