A/RES/56/64 IX Traditional means of communication: radio, television and publications 46. Welcomes the progress report 14 and the final report 15 of the SecretaryGeneral on the implementation of the pilot project on the development of an international radio broadcasting capacity for the United Nations, and also welcomes the extensive network of partnerships established with local, national and regional broadcasters in Member States, and concurs with the Secretary-General that the project has contributed to the overall goal of the Department of Public Information of generating understanding about the United Nations among millions of listeners across the globe and has been one of the more successful examples of the reorientation of the Department; 47. Decides, building upon the success of the pilot project as well as the scope of its programme distribution and established partnerships, to expand the international radio broadcasting capacity of the United Nations in all six official languages; 48. Requests the Secretary-General to convey the necessary justification of the resource requirements, including information on the possibility of extrabudgetary financing and/or the redeployment of resources, concerning the expansion of the international radio broadcasting capacity for the biennium 2002– 2003 for consideration by the relevant committees of the General Assembly; 49. Also requests the Secretary-General to submit a report on the implementation of the United Nations international radio broadcasting capacity to the Committee on Information at its twenty-fifth session, including information that can be obtained from the local, national and regional radio partners about the estimated number of listeners reached, in order for the Committee to decide on the future of this capacity; 50. Stresses that radio remains one of the most cost-effective and farreaching traditional media available to the Department of Public Information and an important instrument in United Nations activities, such as development and peacekeeping, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 48/44 B; 51. Takes note of the efforts under way by the Department of Public Information to disseminate programmes directly to broadcasting stations all over the world in the six official languages as well as in other languages, and, in that regard, stresses the need for impartiality and objectivity concerning information activities of the United Nations; 52. Requests the Department of Public Information, in view of the need for efficiency and for a wider dissemination of information services of the United Nations Radio, to enhance where necessary the use of non-official languages to meet the information needs of its audiences; 53. Encourages the Department of Public Information to continue to include in its radio and television programming specific programmes addressing the needs of developing nations; _______________ 14 15 A/AC.198/2001/7. A/AC.198/2001/10. 11