Satellite Network
Description Re-Sat Project
When Radio Don Bosco, one of the first Private Radio of Madagascar,
started to broadcast its programmes, the Episcopal Conference of Madagascar,
through the person of Archbishop Philibert Randriambololona, President of the Commission for Social Communications,
called the Radio Don Bosco to study a project to create Catholic radio in Madagascar and their networking.
Starting from this proposal was born the ReSat project, designed and developed by Don Cosimo Alvati,
at that time Director of Radio Don Bosco, and Don Rosario Salerno, head of human resources.
The project consists in creating a Catholic radio in every diocese of Madagascar (the diocese are 21),
and put them in communication with each other through a satellite network,
so that local radio could receive the national programmes produced by Radio Don Bosco.
Re-Sat Distribution in Madagascar
The project's stages
Various were the steps for the realization of this project:
The first step was to train teams of local radios. Starting from 2003, were organized various courses at the headquarters of Radio Don Bosco at Ivato, for training, such as: directors, journalists, engineers, animators. Hundreds of young people have succeeded during a period of two years. These courses lasted until 2005.
The second step was the technical implementation of local radios. Once ready the technical materials, it has provided itself with the various installations (high frequency, low frequency and satellite system).
The third phase was the official opening of the broadcasting stations.
Currently there are 16 broadcasting diocesan radios.
In addition to local programming, which is important for a radio proximity,
these radios punctually receive programmes from Radio Don Bosco,
which are broadcast live or deferred in the different regions of Madagascar.
The newsletters, educational and development programmes,
as well as religious programmes can be heard throughout the island.
It is supposed that approximately 3,000,000 of listeners follow these programs nationwide.
Despite the many problems of technical and sometimes bureaucratic origin, this project had a positive response not only within the Madagscar, but also in the African Continent.