Colombia. In the framework of World Radio Day, David Luna, Minister of ICT of Colombia, stressed that today in the country there are 1,596 stations operating, community, commercial and public interest. Of that total, 1,243 are FM stations and 353 are AM.
"Radio has been, is and will continue to be the means of communication that accompanies us day and night, even in the most remote parts of the country. On 'World Radio Day' I extend a greeting to the 1,596 stations that operate in Colombia: they are the ones that make it possible for millions of Colombians to have alternatives of entertainment, information, culture and education, "said David Luna.
According to data from the Subdirectorate of Sound Broadcasting of MinTIC, 1,083 municipalities have the tune of at least one radio station, and 48.3 million Colombians (corresponding to 99.1% of the national population) can listen to radio.
In the country there are 667 commercial stations, whose programming seeks to satisfy the needs and tastes of entertainment of Colombians; 626 community stations, with content that tells stories and traditions of the area where they operate, with the characteristic of having a high participation of all population sectors; and 303 stations of public interest, considered as the State's radio communication channel to approach citizens, with educational and cultural programs, with an emphasis on the defense of constitutional rights and the protection of the cultural and natural heritage of the Nation.
Minister Luna added that there are several actions undertaken by the Government to promote and strengthen the presence of radio in the territories. That is why they signed an agreement with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to modernize the National Technical Plans for Sound Broadcasting in FM and AM, and define the technological strategy for new sound broadcasting in Colombia.
"We want Colombian radio to leverage more and more on new technologies for sound broadcasting, and this is a goal we seek with the ITU agreement," he concluded.
