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| **Launch of Live, National,  |                                       |
| Toll-Free, Call-In Talk Show |                                       |
| in Nepal**                   |                                       |
+------------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| January, 2007 -- The         |                                       |
| overarching objectives of    |                                       |
| the USAID/OTI Nepal program  |                                       |
| are to increase access to    |                                       |
| information and diversify    |                                       |
| public debate on issues      |                                       |
| critical to the peace        |                                       |
| process and democratic       |                                       |
| norms, and to increase       |                                       |
| engagement between           |                                       |
| government, civil society,   |                                       |
| and communities to support   |                                       |
| government responsiveness to |                                       |
| its diverse constituents.    |                                       |
|                              |                                       |
| After 11 years of an armed   |                                       |
| insurgency, the recent       |                                       |
| signing of the Comprehensive |                                       |
| Peace Accord on November 21, |                                       |
| 2006, between the Government |                                       |
| and Maoists is a critical    |                                       |
| turning point in Nepal's     |                                       |
| history. During this         |                                       |
| sensitive transition period, |                                       |
| there is a need to increase  |                                       |
| the awareness and            |                                       |
| participation of people      |                                       |
| across the country in the    |                                       |
| ongoing peace process. There |                                       |
| is also a substantial need   |                                       |
| of public debate on a range  |                                       |
| of important social,         |                                       |
| political and economic       |                                       |
| issues facing the country.   |                                       |
| Radio is a medium of         |                                       |
| communication that can help  |                                       |
| bridge the daunting          |                                       |
| geographic boundaries of     |                                       |
| Nepal, increase the          |                                       |
| inclusiveness of the         |                                       |
| national debate, and effect  |                                       |
| positive change.             |                                       |
| ![](media/image3.png)        |                                       |
| {width="2.865972222222222in" |                                       |
| he                           |                                       |
| ight="1.9055555555555554in"} |                                       |
|                              |                                       |
| On January 1, 2007, with     |                                       |
| USAID/OTI assistance, the    |                                       |
| Antenna Foundation launched  |                                       |
| a live, national, toll-free, |                                       |
| call-in radio show, **Nepal  |                                       |
| Chautari**, which provides   |                                       |
| Nepalese throughout the      |                                       |
| country access to the people |                                       |
| who are determining the      |                                       |
| future of Nepal today. The   |                                       |
| show is aired for one hour   |                                       |
| everyday on 24 FM radio      |                                       |
| stations throughout all five |                                       |
| regions of the country.      |                                       |
| Radio stations across the    |                                       |
| country are weaved into the  |                                       |
| network by using broadband   |                                       |
| internet and the Ujyalo      |                                       |
| satellite channel.           |                                       |
|                              |                                       |
| This radio programming is    |                                       |
| the first in Nepal which     |                                       |
| allows listeners from across |                                       |
| the country to call in and   |                                       |
| ask questions of talk show   |                                       |
| guests or voice their        |                                       |
| opinions and understanding   |                                       |
| of the issues being          |                                       |
| discussed. On average 70     |                                       |
| listeners call in everyday   |                                       |
| and 15-20 listeners from     |                                       |
| around the country get a     |                                       |
| chance to voice their        |                                       |
| opinion on the air.          |                                       |
| Listeners have the           |                                       |
| opportunity to share their   |                                       |
| understanding, opinions, and |                                       |
| solutions of the issues      |                                       |
| discussed with               |                                       |
| representative government    |                                       |
| officers, political and      |                                       |
| civil society leaders,       |                                       |
| opinion makers and national  |                                       |
| planners. The interim        |                                       |
| constitution, alternatives   |                                       |
| to transportation strikes,   |                                       |
| democracy within political   |                                       |
| parties, and the meaning of  |                                       |
| inclusive democracy are only |                                       |
| some of the issues discussed |                                       |
| to date. Guests have         |                                       |
| included the Deputy Prime    |                                       |
| Minister, a former chief     |                                       |
| election commissioner, and   |                                       |
| various political party      |                                       |
| leaders. Over the duration   |                                       |
| of the assistance, Antenna   |                                       |
| will broadcast a total of 80 |                                       |
| shows.                       |                                       |
+------------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| ![](media/image4.png){       | *Contact: Gordon Shettle, Cognizant   |
| width="2.1493055555555554in" | Technical Officer e-mail:             |
| height="0.25625in"}          | <gshettle@usaid.gov>; telephone:      |
|                              | (202) 712-1243; Internet:             |
|                              | [ww                                   |
|                              | w.usaid.gov](http://www.usaid.gov/) - |
|                              | Key Word -- "OTI"*                    |
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