EXPERIENCE IN A COMMUNITY RADIO

Australia is a beautiful patchwork of colorful and different cultures and the radio 3zzz, broadcasting on 92.3 fm, is a clear example of it.

The radio broadcasts in 69 different languages, including Macedonian, Maltese, Eritrean, Mauritian  Filipino, and Tamil Languages. Don’t be surprised, this just reflects the large communities in the Australian society. Every program is the voice of his community. I take part once a week in the Italian program conducted by a lovely woman, Angela. She is very popular and  lots of people love her warm voice.  Different listeners call during the program to speak with her, sharing a food receipt, a piece of advice for the Italian community or just to read one poetry. Yes, man, we broadcasters can decide completely freely the topic of our programs  and what kind of music to play. The advantage of this community radio is that it is independent: It receive in part the Government’s funds and then the community support us. Conversely, from the commercial radio, I can decide to play an old song that I like.  I was not used to all this freedom in communication and broadcasting.

I came from a country where the ex Prime Minister owns the majority of media channels, newspapers and book industry. After two years experience as journalist in daily news, and one in a press office, I can confirm  that there’s no freedom in the press there. Unfortunately, for me this is a poison in the Italian society and one of the reason why I decided to leave that country.

 

But know, a new brand day has begun. I am in a new country where the society listen to the small communities, where even the single counts. In a country where there are small realities, like community radios, completely independent. I really appreciate the work of all the volunteers in the 3zzz radio. They are all  very passionate  and since, we all come from countries where the politic really affected our lives,  we now really desire to BUILD A BETTER SOCIETY. Good luck to us all for our work ! A special thanks to the Italian broadcasters that once a week gives me the possibility to speak my language and to make me feel at home.
http://www.3zzz.com.au/

Where is my house ? Here, there, nowhere, anywhere....

One of the hardest things to explain to someone who has never travelled or lived abroad, is the feeling of belonging nowhere, or better, the feeling that you are a world citizen. I arrived in Australia only two months ago, but honestly sometimes I ask my self where is my house. I live pending between two countries and two different cultures: my mind  now think in English, but my food taste is  Italian, I currently live in Australia, but my memories are in the mediterrean landscape and dolomite mountains.

 

 I feel restlessness because I still haven't found my place. I think I can conduct a good life here, as there. I appreciate  both the cultures and I am trying  to join the new experience.Those of you who also have a little nomad in your heart, can probably understand that, at the end, there are just a few things or a few people who make you feel “home”. And only a few persons will be lucky enough to travel along with these people who make them feel home anywhere they go.

 

During my travelling I met a lot of people, but with only few of them I really had a cultural exchange. Some friends taught me cooking their traditional food, some explained me their religios belief, others explained me the political problems of their countries. I thank all this people who walked near me for a little sharing their lives and their cultures. Even if we comes from very different pattern, I realised that we have a lot of similarities.

The aim of this blog will be to report  this challenging adventure in a new continent where around to 200 foreign languages are spoken in the media. With the spirit of an explorer I would like to report the amazing Australian patchwork of cultures. They seem to perfectly espouse, in order to create a new one.