Public radio reaches power-deprived areas in Brazil’s South
Battery-operated radios re-emerge in flood-stricken Rio Grande do Sul
A device many believe to be outdated has regained its vital role amid the floods that have wreaked havoc on hundreds of cities in Rio Grande do Sul, South Brazil. Following power outages and the loss of internet signals, a large portion of the state’s population have once again opened their ears to the information transmitted by the old battery-operated radio.
Aware of the potential of this crucial tool for communications, Brazil’s public broadcasting company EBC has pointed one of its shortwave transmitters at the region. As has long been the case for North Brazil, EBC has given people a chance to reunite and gain access to basic services in times of dire need since late April.
A resident of the city of Canoas, 62-year-old janitor Belmiro Prates is one of the victims of the floods. The entrance to the building where he lives was invaded by waters, leaving his car completely submerged. He was rescued on Monday 13 by a Civil Defense team. Since then, with no access to power, telephones, or the internet, Prates has struggled to stay informed and to notify his loved ones of his situation.
The trusty old devices, he believes, have the power to overcome barriers for people with no TV or electricity, and have become the main form of communication. “I only managed to keep up to date here thanks to the radio and the programs on Rádio Nacional station. I have acquaintances in Amazonas [state], and it was thanks to the interview I gave that I was able to send a message to everyone saying I’m fine,” he told Agência Brasil.
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