Building peace. Piece by Peace

Radio and T.V.

Most national and local radio stations actively encourage participation from listeners, either through phone-ins, emails and texts, or by post. It’s worth knowing which are the programmes that are most likely to do this – Nicky Campbell on Radio 5 invites listeners to join in, while obviously there’s no room for anyone else on The Archers !

Radio often covers a story or broadcasts a feature that at first might not seem relevant to peace building, conflict resolution and prevention so it’s worth thinking about other areas that are relevant – charity funding, forgiveness & reconciliation, globalisation issues, the role of women in peace building , campaigning, mediation training for starters. It’s what you feel passionate about that matters.

If you’re trying to get in on a phone in, remember it’s joining in a conversation and you won’t get very long so you need to be clear about why you’re calling and what your point is – waffle doesn’t make good radio. You won’t go straight to air,so the studio producer will ask you what your point is before deciding whether you’ve got a useful contribution to add and that you can express your point of view clearly and concisely.

Radio is the most immediate medium so get to the phone as soon as you can but many radio programmes will have follow-up websites, email addresses and just as with newspapers, if you don’t get on air don’t be disheartened, your comments might encourage a producer to do more on the subject at a later date. Feedback on Radio 4 is for listeners’ comments. Any Questions on Radio 4 accepts applications for audience members and questions – have a look at their website.

Just as with writing to the papers, if you’ve direct personal experience or specialist knowledge that’s pertinent, say so when you get through to the studio producer who’ll decide whether or not you get on air.

Local radio is often a really good way to get heard and an excellent way of building up a network of local contacts who may well become fully paid up supporters .