Fight for Catholic radio

Over the years, this newspaper has repeatedly covered and promoted the work done by Radio Veritas, recognising that a Catholic broadcaster is vital to the Church in South Africa, and beneficial to society in general.

Throughout its existence, Radio Veritas (veritas, Latin for truth) has been deprived of reaching most Catholics by arcane laws and regulations. Occasional special month-long broadcasts on FM in Johannesburg aside, the station has had to find innovative ways of transmitting its programmes, including shortwave radio, guest stints on foreign language stations, and currently a 24-hour presence on DStv’s audio bouquet (and streaming audio on the Veritas website).

The present arrangement is not satisfactory. A DStv subscription is a luxury which much of Radio Veritas natural audience cannot afford.

It is important that Radio Veritas should reach a wider audience than is presently possible, not only to inform the public about activities and debates within the Catholic Church, but also to promote aims for the greater social good. These include giving a platform to the Moral Regeneration Program-me, highlighting issues of humanitarian concern, promoting social responsibility, and encouraging a culture of volunteerism.

Catholic radio stations are operating fruitfully in many African countries, often making a profound difference in articulating issues of justice and peace. Why should South Africa’s broadcasting landscape be an exception?

Radio Veritas could have such a positive impact on our society, if only it was allowed to expand its range of listeners.

Ironically, being deprived of a permanent broadcast licence for so long has given Radio Veritas the time to sharpen its skills and gather the experience to attain new levels of competence.

Earlier this year, the station inaugurated its state-of-the-art studios in Edenvale, Johannesburg. This has boosted production values substantially. There is no reason to doubt that Veritas is ready to transmit to a wider audience.

Radio Veritas also has a ready-made audience. The Catholic public has a demontrable interest in Catholic media. The Southern Cross is South Africa’s only national Christian weekly newspaper. The fact that such a newspaper should have survived for 86 years is a reliable indicator that the Catholic public is hungry for media from a Catholic angle.

Now Radio Veritas finds itself with a momentous opportunity to realise its long-standing ambition to secure a permanent presence on the airwaves. The station will make its application for a medium-wave frequency to the authorities in April.

It is not enough that Catholics should sit back and hope (or even pray) that the application will be successful. The Church bishops, clergy, religious, laity must campaign with dedication and resolution to make the authorities understand that Catholics really want a Catholic presence on the airwaves.

We have until March 1 to flood Radio Veritas with petitions, which can be downloaded from the station’s website (www.radioveritas. co.za), in support of its application. This is an exceptional opportunity for the Catholic community which must not go to waste.

South African Catholics are notoriously reticent to assert themselves in the public arena. Here is an issue in which all Catholics should have a common cause.

It is time that the local Church unites to bring Radio Veritas to the people.