Round Table: radio as an ally in risk management
On 14 May, a roundtable discussion on 'Radio as an ally in risk management' took place as part of the IAB Board of Directors' meeting in Costa Rica.
This activity took place at the Real Intercontinental Hotel and was moderated by Vanessa de Paul Castro, who is the Deputy Vice President of the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica. The panellists at this event were:
- Fabricio Alvarado Muñoz, Deputy of the Republic of Costa Rica.
- Dyanne Marenco González, President of the Costa Rican Red Cross.
- Adirman Miranda Mejía, Director of the Emergency System 911.
- Luis Fernando Salas Sánchez, Operational Director of the Benemérito Cuerpo de Bomberos de Costa Rica.
- Luis Fernando Andrés Jácome, General Manager of Compañía Nacional de Fuerza y Luz.
- Andrés Quintana Espino: Costa Rican radio broadcaster.
- Pablo Vidal Rojas – President of the National Television Association of Chile (ANATEL).
In the context of the global climate crisis, radio remains a vital means of emergency communication, particularly when telephone and internet networks are disrupted. In Costa Rica, a country that is highly vulnerable to natural phenomena such as hurricanes, floods, earthquakes and landslides, radio has proven to be a vital channel for disseminating early warnings and coordinating disaster responses.
However, access to radio via mobile devices has declined as many phone manufacturers and operators have disabled the FM chip in mobile phones. This prevents thousands of citizens from receiving emergency information without purchasing mobile data, which often fails at critical times.
Activating the FM radio chip in mobile phones is a necessary measure to strengthen resilience to emergencies and ensure the population has access to vital information in real time. The purpose of this roundtable discussion was to explore strategies for promoting the activation of this function in devices sold in Costa Rica and other countries in the region, and to urge manufacturers and operators to prioritise the security and right to information of their users.
XPERI presents technological solutions for times of crisis
Click on the image to view the XPERI presentation
During this roundtable event, our Member XPERI gave us a comprehensive presentation on how its HD Radio system operates in emergency situations, including the alert system it provides to the public. We share the presentation with you below.
NAB presents a video about the importance of radio during times of crisis
Susan Keenom, an IAB Board Member and NAB Senior Vice President of State, International, and Board Relations, presented a video produced by NAB that highlights the importance of radio as a means of communicating with the population during crises.
Click here to watch the NAB documentary