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By A Staff Reporter
MUSCAT Â? Today, if you are tuning into the Oman Radio FM, you will be Â?tuning in to kidsÂ?. For today is a big day for kids, especially young broadcasters. Today is the International ChildrenÂ?s Day of Broadcasting (ICDB), a day when broadcasters around the world Â?tune in to kidsÂ?.
Children are invited to be part of the programming process, to talk about their hopes and dreams, to share information and exchange their views.
The key to the dayÂ?s success is childrenÂ?s participation.
For this yearÂ?s ICDB, the focus is to help children inform themselves as well as adults on how to build a community that protects everyone.
Â?The Oman FM has lined up special programmes for the ICDB today. It is an opportunity to learn more about how kids think and feel.
Â?For this special occasion, we invited children from various schools in Muscat to record special ICDB programmes,Â? Nisham Rayees, FM radio broadcaster and producer of this show, said yesterday. Nisham has produced this programme along with studio engineer, Mubarak Al Riyami. June Kunugi, Unicef representative in Oman, had initiated this project.
Â?The highlight of the day is a 60-minute music show,Â? Nisham said. Eight students were given an opportunity (for this particular programme; there are 12 students in total) to get involved with the script, music play list and programme direction. Â?After an initial briefing, the children were given time to prepare the introduction and programme content.
Â?From the initial excitement in selecting the music, to the more serious discussions on how and who will present, the children showed tremendous talent and organisation skills.
Â?Suddenly, the studios got transformed into a meeting room and discussions and notes jotted down on various topics like road safety, violent video games, school bullies to punishments, dealing with boredom and interesting solutions to world problems.
Â?The selection of the music play list was impressive and they even have a soothing jazz track to wind up the show,Â? Nisham said.
According to the students, the recording selection itself was quite an experience. Â?It was a dream come true for many of the students, who were dreaming of becoming broadcasters. And for them, it was a sweet dream realised.
Â?After the initial tense moments, they became comfortable and had a fun-filled and exciting session,Â? Nisham said.
The students include Areej Soud Sultan Al Maskari, Khadija Suleiman Salim Al Adawi and Majd Fayez Al Khaldi from the SultanÂ?s School; Zahra Naqvi, Fiona Little John-Carillo and Misha Bullock from the American British Academy; Ziyad bin Najib Al Rawas, Talal bin Saad Al Barwani and Charlotte Makala from Muscat Private School; and Rashmi DÂ? Souza, Tanvi Jain and Mohideen Kalladi from Indian School Al Ghubrah.
Â?The six different nationalities proved to be a cultural melting pot and this is reflected in the jingle they recorded for ICDB. We have been airing these jingles for the past few days,Â? Nisham said.
Apart from the music, they would also be giving messages from children about their vision and hopes for the future, she said. The topics would vary from Â?advancement in technologyÂ? to the need for having a Â?cleaner, peaceful and friendly worldÂ?.
Oman FM has programmed an entire day for and with children. Â?From morning until midnight, we will be airing childrenÂ?s views at the top of the hour, along with a special one hour music show, which will be presented from 3pm to 4pm and 9pm to 10pm,Â? Nisham said. Listeners can send their feedback by fax to Oman FM on 691170 or nisham@oman-radio.gov.om
Throughout the years, the worldÂ?s largest broadcast campaign for children initiated by Unicef has produced some of the most creative childrenÂ?s programmes.
Two awards have been established to recognise broadcasters who make the day particularly special for their young viewers and listeners.
Every year, the Unicef and the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences present a special prize at the prestigious International Emmy Awards gala in New York.
The OneWorld/Unicef Radio Award recognises radio programming that gives children a central role and allows them to share their own perspectives on the world.
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