SPR delivers community social responsibility

Somali Public Radio is a non-profit community led radio station that operates in parts of Somali regions of Sanaag, Haylaan, and Karkaar regions as well as the Twin Cities, Minnesota. The outlet was found in 2010 to address pressing local issues and serves as a forum for exchange of voice and ideas. SPR provides round-the clock news and information and is accessed regularly by thousands of people around the world. SPR has established its legitimacy by providing real time coverage in some of the most difficult situations.

SPR is a prominent news organization that takes community social responsibility seriously and regularly promotes people who volunteer and make contributions to those Somali communities. The outlet emerged because there was a critical need for the start-up of a non-profit community radio service as a forum for exchange of ideas, information, and issues of human rights, environmental sustainability, gender equality and cultural promotion. The radio core proposition was to attend to these issues, and as a daily viewer, I can testify to how this outlet positively impacted the outlook of my community.

Somalia has been in a state of instability since the fall of the dictatorial regime of Mohamed Siyad Barre in January 1991. The lack of functioning governmental institutions derailed much economic development. Organizations like SPR have done a tremendous job in bridging the gap by creating avenues for the Diaspora to engage and contribute.

SPR has a responsibility to the public at large to represent fairly and accurately, the news they are reporting.  In order to maintain status and credibility SPR must develop and sustain a “beyond reproach image” in order to achieve consistent high-level viewership thus supporting low volume ad revenues to maintain the responsibilities.

I applaud SPR for committing to professional media ethics, through balanced and transparent reporting. It has impacted my life and perspective. May the radio continue to prosper as the voice of voiceless.

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