January 2010, Kanal Besuki Timur (KBT) is On Air

Many nonfactual or manipulated information are the reason for young people in Besuki Village, Jabon, Sidoarjo District, East Java to build their own radio, Kanal Besuki Timur (KBT). It name comes from a river in their village, called Kanal river, while “Besuki Timur” from the side area where they live–the west area is drowned by the mud float. Before the mud disaster, its village consist of 25 subdistricts and now decreased into 7. It is in the east side of the village.

This program made to support information exchange and communication between the villager as a way to increase people participation actively, especially in the disaster prone area. East Besuki village located on the border of the hot-mud’s dike. The community radio is expected as the way to reducing disaster risk by its faster, instant and accurate; and also to give balances information about the issues that developed. It is needed to muffled potential conflict.

By now, the KBT team consist of 12 member, three of them are broadcaster who are the students of senior high school. This is their first experience being radio broadcasters. Eko (18) said that it is not easy being a radio broadcaster. “KBT Radio is different from others. Beside plays the musics, it is also gives information to the villagers. You have to have well-speaking knowledge and able to be creates words.”

Nowadays, some of the villagers don’t know yet the existence of KBT radio. Day after day, the radio team optimist that this radio will be in the heart of all villager.