North Dublin’s community radio station Near FM is organising a local media conference to celebrate 30 years of broadcasting.
The station, featured in an article in the Irish Times, was a pirate but got its licence in 1995 and continues to run training and workshops for local people.
The conference is called Social Justice Media: “Examining the Evidence, Exploring the Possible” and is being held on March 9th.
Speakers include Gavan Titley of NUI Maynooth, Nessa Childers MEP, former head of RTÉ Farrel Corcoran and community activists Fr Peter McVerry, Rita Fagan and Gerardine Rowley. The event will be opened by Minister Pat Rabbitte. Group sessions will address citizen journalism, media literacy empowerment, community television and more.
Conference organiser Jack Byrne, one of the founders of Near FM in 1983, said: “This exciting event will look at how media in Ireland has evolved over 50 years and how it has treated social justice issues. It will examine the impact of shrinking media ownership on coverage of these issues and will ask how community can media step up its game and enhance social justice.”
This day-long event takes place at the new Chanel Centre in Coolock, home of Parnell’s GAC.