Director of Qatar Radio Mohammed Nasser al-Mohannadi affirmed that the radio has produced many specialised and thematic programmes to discuss the most prominent environmental issues and challenges, as well as ways to address the negative effects of climate change, which impact human lives.
In an interview with Qatar News Agency on World Radio Day, which falls on Feb 13 each year, al-Mohannadi explained that Qatar Radio had produced several special programmes addressing climate change, including a programme that discusses the role of radio in the issue of climate change, in collaboration with the Radio Tunisienne, in addition to a documentary episode documenting the radio’s relationship with climate change and its role in raising awareness about the issue’s repercussions, its effects, and how to reduce the damage gap caused by it.
Al-Mohannadi pointed out that among the programmes produced by Qatar Radio on this occasion is a special episode, which takes the listener back to 1946, when the UN Radio was launched. The episode also highlights the idea of celebrating World Radio Day, which was proposed by the Spanish Radio Academy to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), as an annual reminder of the important role of radio, he added.
Furthermore, Qatar Radio airs short awareness segments on environmental and climate change issues throughout the day within its programming plans, he noted.
He emphasised Qatar Radio’s commitment to participating in the global celebration of World Radio Day, which this year is under the theme “Radio and Climate Change.” He noted that Qatar Radio plays an important role in producing programmes that serve the theme of the year, as it began early preparations with a specialised team as soon as the theme was announced, working to develop ideas and concepts and implement them in the best possible way to ensure that the message reaches all listeners and achieves its desired goals.
He also highlighted that the radio had actively engaged with the theme of the year, given the global attention to the phenomenon of climate change. This focus aligns with Qatar Radio’s message of confronting the challenges and negative effects of climate change that affect human lives, he said. The Radio discusses the issue in all its dimensions, whether by shedding light on Qatar’s strategic plans in this field or through the awareness-raising efforts to increase public awareness of environmental issues in general and climate change in particular, he pointed out.
Al-Mohannadi revealed plans to expand broadcasting reach and engage a wider audience through programme exchanges between the Arab States Broadcasting Union in general and the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) radios in particular. This would provide the opportunity to deliver the media message to a larger number of target audiences both in Qatar and abroad.
He underlined that Qatar Radio contributes to discussing environmental and climate change issues through its various programmes, whether live or recorded, stressing that every program cycle hosts specialists and experts in this field to discuss the main challenges and work on addressing environmental challenges in the best possible way. He also emphasised that awareness of these issues is constantly increasing, demonstrating the significant role that radio plays in influencing audiences and raising their awareness of such critical issues that impact people’s lives.
Qatar Radio constantly works on providing specialised and thematic programmes to shed light on the phenomenon of climate change by co-operating with all relevant parties, particularly the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, as well as specialised centres, to address all matters related to environmental and climate change issues. It also hosts experts and specialists in this field who share their experiences and knowledge in addressing climate change challenges, he said.
Al-Mohannadi stressed that the radio strategy is based on distinguished and attractive production to discuss environmental challenges and the negative effects of climate change, given the importance of the issue that must be addressed from several aspects, including informative and awareness-raising aspects, in addition to enhancing co-operation with the relevant authorities to contribute to raising environmental issues and ways to confront the repercussions of climate change.
He said that Qatar Radio has many platforms on social media for its programmes in general and for such types of programmes that discuss environmental issues in particular, noting that these platforms are invested in presenting special programmes and short, interesting illustrated materials to attract different categories of listeners.
He said that the Qatar Radio is working to benefit from modern technological means, especially AI technologies, in order to reach different segments of society and expand the listener base. He pointed out that there is great awareness among all age groups of the importance of preserving the environment due to its great impact on human lives.
Regarding Qatar Radio’s future plans in the environment field, al-Mohannadi said that the plan is based on presenting more awareness programmes that aim for a better environmental life. He added that their radio and social media platforms are used in interactive ways that enables them to deliver their message to all followers.
In this context, Qatar Radio’s efforts are integrated with global efforts to reduce this phenomenon by discussing and analysing all news related to the seriousness of the climate change and how to confront it. For example, it was discussed how 2024 was the hottest in history and that in 2025, there is a need to combine efforts, co-operation and integration between all media outlets to reduce this dangerous phenomenon.
Al-Mohannadi said that the message Qatar Radio emphasises is that a clean environment is a legacy inherited from our fathers and grandfathers, which must be kept that way so it can be a healthy environment for future generations. Therefore, Qatar Radio continuously and consistently highlight Qatari projects and initiatives that have a large and strong presence in all fields and in all international forums related to environmental issues and climate change, through programmes, websites, and correspondents.
The Director of Qatar Radio stressed the radio’s keenness to allocate a large space to inform its listeners of the projects, initiatives and efforts undertaken by Qatar in relation to protecting the environment, combating climate change and confronting its challenges for a better future for humanity.
The celebration of World Radio Day was proposed the Spanish Radio Academy and was officially presented by the Permanent Delegation of Spain to Unesco at the 187th session of the Executive Council in Sept 2011. Unesco approved it on November 3, 2011 at its 36th session, and World Radio Day was approved in December 2012 by the UN General Assembly. Unesco aims to allocate a World Radio Day to raise awareness among the general public and media professionals of the importance of radio. (QNA)
