This Friday, June 19^th is National Community Radio Day. It’s the day when CRAOL- Community Radio Ireland – and its member stations across Ireland celebrate and recognise the work and commitment of the more than two and a half thousand people – volunteers and staff – involved in this vibrant sector of the media.

Begun in 2015, National Community Radio Day will focus on the Social Benefit of Community Radio, with a special four hour broadcast, hosted by 92.5 Phoenix FM, the Community Radio based in Blanchardstown, Dublin 15.

This sixth National Community Radio Day will see the launch of two key reports;

Assessing the Social Benefit of Community Media – A Toolkit for Community Radio

And

 Introducing a Social Benefit Approach to Community Radio- A Compendium of Stories, an action from the Broadcasting Authority’s Community Media Action Plan

Declan Gibbons, Chair of CRAOL and Michael O’Keeffe, CEO, The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland will officially launch the reports live on air at 12 midday on Friday.

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The CRAOL network comprises 21 fully licensed and 10 developing Community Radio stations. Friday’s broadcast will include input from volunteers and representatives from stations across Ireland, and this special National Community Radio Day programme will be available to all Community Radio Stations to broadcast

National Community Radio Day aims to create a greater awareness among the public of the importance of radio and to urge decision makers to establish and support access to information, access to the airwaves and Community access to radio.

It is also a day to keep in mind the unique capacity of Community Radio to promote social inclusion, promote community cohesion and engagement, and to empower and support Community broadcasters nationwide to deliver a Social Benefit to their communities, through active volunteerism, shared resources, good governance, partnership and networking.

As the original public event was cancelled for health and safety reasons – due to Covid 19, this year’s National Community Radio Day (NCRD) will be a radio based event, broadcast by Community stations across the country.