09-04-2009

RPB has been asked to help develop radio soap operas in both Sri Lanka and Nepal in the coming months.

In Sri Lanka Radio for Peace Building is working with Young Asia TV (YA-TV) to develop a radio soap opera in both Sinhala and Tamil to contribute towards the creation of an environment that is conducive to the resolution of the conflict in Sri Lanka. The eighteen month project will produce 156 episodes of the drama in each language, and should begin broadcasting in August 2009.

RPB has trained the creative team and the producers, and is advising YA-TV on the management of the whole process from concept to broadcast as they have not produced a radio soap opera before.

In Nepal, where Francis Rolt has been involved in a number of successful radio projects over the past 7 years, RPB will train the writers for another radio soap opera in May 2009. The drama will address some of the difficult issues around ethnicity, access to resources and migration in the Terai region. It will be produced by New World in Biratnagar, which has no experience in the field of radio soap operas, working with Search for Common Ground (Nepal).