Video/Audio
ICDB 2009
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| © UNICEF/HQ06-2536/Giacomo Pirozzi |
| A girl speaks during a live radio broadcast in the Solomon Islands. |
The date for the International Children's Day of Broadcasting was 1 March 2009 with the theme of "Unite for Children - Tune in to Kids." Traditionally the 2nd Sunday in December, UNICEF moved the event to the 1st Sunday in March to allow for more participation.
Young people are often overlooked when it comes to mainstream media. Our airwaves don’t tend to make room for youth perspectives, perhaps because young voices are not perceived as important, or because media work by children and adolescents may not be as professional as that of well trained adults. It can be challenging to find strong youth characters on television or radio and even harder to find smart, educational content that is geared towards a young audience.
There is so much about this world that young people need to learn – from politics and history to culture and ethics. And it’s important to tell these stories in a way that sparks young people’s interests and invites them to join in the conversation.
The International Children’s Day of Broadcasting (ICDB) was created to do just that. It is a day, celebrated globally, when broadcasters air programming by, for and about young people.
On 1 March 2009, we invited television and radio broadcasters around the world to Unite for Children: Tune in to Kids! What do children and young people care about most? What are their values, fears and dreams? Many children around the world share the same ideals, even if their lives are vastly different. Tune in to Kids! gave us a platform to hear their opinions, see their perspectives and listen to their stories.
Broadcasters created special programming for the day or packaged existing programming as a marathon ICDB event. They invited youth into the studio to host programmes and talk shows or had young reporters interview local politicians. UNICEF provided logos, graphics, spots and short programming to help shape and brand ICDB specials. UNICEF also helped connect broadcasters with local youth media organizations that are looking for an outlet for their television and radio productions.
The success of ICDB hinges not only on the support of broadcasters, but also the participation of children. When young people’s voices are heard, the benefits are exponential.
For more information, contact:
Karen Cirillo Executive Producer, Children's Broadcasting Initiatives
kcirillo@unicef.org +1.212.326.7506
ICDB Blog
Read about what different broadcasters around the world did for the ICDB.
ICDB Archive
ICDB 2009 - Tune in to Kids
ICDB 2008 - Curious Minds and On The Way
ICDB 2007 - The World We Want
ICDB 2006 - Unite for Children. Unite Against AIDS.
ICDB 2005 - Let's Play!
ICDB 2004 - Help Build a Safer World
