Community Radio - Updated
Community Radio - Updated
Community Radio - Updated
Historical Glimpses:
Community Radio as a democratic communication medium played a significant role in
the life of the people across the world since 1940s. The history of community radio
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goes back to 1947 when two radio stations came into being in Latin America. The first
one was the ‘Miners’ Radio in Bolivia and the second one was ‘Radio Sutatenza’ in
Columbia. The poverty and injustice were the reasons for those first experiences. Since
then, community radios have served as viable platforms for the common folk to
participate in the democratic process by expressing their views and opinions. In that
direction, in South Africa community radios are considered to have made a big impact
in the lives of women who now feel empowered to play an active role in democratic
process.
In Indonesia, community radios have been successful in preserving and empowering
local cultures. In Venezuela, community radios played a crucial role by informing
people of the attempts to overthrow the democratically elected government in 2002.
Thailand’s vibrant community radios had allowed the migrant population to voice their
aspirations fearlessly. However, following the military coup in 2006, many such radio
stations in Thailand were silenced. In India’s neighborhood Nepal, Radio Lumbini has
been active in contributing to the democratic process. In Sri Lanka the government
had even given license to the erstwhile LTTE to start a radio station called Voice of
Tigers. However, the station was shut down during the volatile period in 2009.
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Research Centre (EMRC), and all programmes are produced by the students of Media
Sciences at Anna University.
Role of UNESCO:
UNESCO played its key role in pushing the idea of Community Radio in India. With the
help of UNESCO, The Bangalore-based communication campaign group, “VOICES”
(Namma Dwani) took initiative in Sep 1996 to study how CR could be relevant to India,
and to deliberate on policies appropriate for such an action. They simply worked with
a cable TV setup to narrowcast their programmes.
Also the Deccan Development Society Community Media initiative “Sangham Radio”
started around 1997 with the financial help of UNESCO. Initially, UNESCO, Malaysia,
funneled out Rs 28 lakh to establish the radio station. These funds were utilized for
buying the land for and construction of the station. The transmitter also came in as a
donation from UNESCO. But they had to wait until 2008 to get legal permission from
Govt. of India to use the transmitter.
UNESCO’s IPDC had funded around 60,000 USD to set up first 10 Community Radio
stations in India. UNESCO Sponsored a workshop in July, 2000 in Hyderabad. Deccan
Development Society, an NGO organized a workshop in Hyderabad sponsored by
UNESCO in 2000 urged the government to allocate space for community radio. It called
a resolution for “Pastapur Initiative on CR”. By early 2003, the government of India
released the first set of CR guidelines but restricted eligibility to educational
institutions.
Another workshop in 2004 by I & B, UNDP and UNESCO to enable framework for CR.
Also its aim is to support CR stations in tribal areas in cooperation with areas like
Alternative India Development (AID)
Many Requests were also made for granting of licenses to NGOs and other non-profit
groups to run CR stations. Subsequently, in 2007, UNESCO made available a portable
production and transmission “briefcase radio station” kit to do experimental
broadcasts of programs for a hands-on learning experience.
Box measuring around 55 X 50 cms contains mixer, CD / Cassette player, a 30W FM
transmitter, antenna, and a laptop with multimedia programming and access services.
The kit can be fit in an auto rickshaw that can be taken anywhere and radio
broadcasting can be done.
Finally, the sustained struggle by the community radio activists made the government
bring about another policy in 2006 to allow NGOs, agricultural research centres, and
registered societies to seek community radio licenses. As of May 2018, 217 community
radios were in operation though the government in 2007 had promised to start 400
community radios ‘in a few years’.
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Essential Features of Community Radio:
The audience as Protagonists: While community radio is a form of public-service
broadcasting, it has an approach that is different from conventional broad- casting. Its
specific focus is to make its audience the main protagonists, by their involvement in
all aspects of its management and programme production, and by providing them with
programming that will help them in the development and social advancement of their
community.
A Special Slant on News, Entertainment and Education: Unlike mainstream media,
News is not an isolated story or event alone. Mostly news is confined to the
Community, and the approach of coverage is solution centric that looks for change and
development in the community. Entertainment is provided in the form of collective
cultural expression rather than focusing on commercial elements or the single
performers. Also, Education is more like sharing of experiences and learning from
others rather than an expert teaching or lecturing.
Public Access and Participation: Access implies the availability of broadcasting
services to all citizens; participation implies that the public is actively involved in
planning and management, and also provides producers and performers. In concrete
terms, for community radio these concepts mean that:
• A community radio’s broadcast pattern reaches all members of the community it
aims to serve;
• The community participates in formulating plans and policies for the radio service
and in defining its objectives, its principles of management, and its programming;
• The community participates in decisions concerning programme content, duration
and schedules. People select the types of programmes they want, rather than
having them prescribed by the producers;
• The community is free to comment and criticize;
• There is continuous interaction between producers and receivers of messages.
Editorial Independence and Credibility: The editorial policies and programming of the
community radios are generally free from the interference of central and state
governments, political parties, religious groups. This approach enhances the
credibility. However, the overall framework and guidelines are decided by the Ministry
of I & B in India that helps in monitoring the functionalities of Community Radio.
Representation of Different Groups and Interests in Community: Communities are
inevitably made up of different groups and interests. Community radio broadcasts
programmes that cater to these and also encourages them to express themselves on
air.
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Inclusion of Minority and Marginalized Groups: Community radio includes minority
and marginalized groups on equal terms, rather than giving them an occasional voice.
Its programming ensures a wide diversity of voices and views from marginalized
groups, such as women and youth, and it promotes and protects the interests, culture,
and linguistic diversity of ethnic minorities in the community.
Reflect and Promote Local Identity, Character and Culture: Community radio provides
programming that is particular to its community’s identity and character. Thus, it relies
principally on local content.
It also focuses on local culture. Culture is what a community says to itself, and what it
says to others. It is how the people, the individual members of a community, express
their dreams and hopes, and how they talk about their past and their future.
Community culture is also, of course, artistic expression through local music, dance,
poetry, theatre, storytelling, and so on, and these are featured strongly by most
community radios. Local performers are encouraged to go on air, uninhibited by
considerations of the ‘professional standards’ they may have acquired from
mainstream media. The value of content and ‘localness’ is more important than the
formal quality and ‘professionalism’.
Provide a Diversity of Programmes and Content: Community radio provides a
diversity of programmes in a variety of formats and styles. For example, roundtable
discussions, reportage, interviews, talks, call-in programmes, live broadcasts of
meetings in the community, etc. Audience preferences are taken into account in
deciding what formats are most suitable.
Content is mainly determined by the lifestyles and livelihood of the community and by
the problems it faces. In rural areas, themes such as health, sanitation, farming,
fishing, environment, credit, marketing of produce, small-scale enterprises, etc.
usually feature prominently, but always set in the context of the community’s actual
situation.
Encourages open dialogue in a democratic process: It is a function of community
radio to provide an independent platform for interactive discussion about matters and
decisions of importance to its community. This is in keeping with the decentralization
processes now being implemented in many countries, a purpose of which is to bring
democratic decision-making closer to the people concerned.
Promotes Development and Social Change: People in poor communities tend to be
fatalistic about their situation. They will all have individual perceptions, but
development cannot take place on the basis of these. What is needed is a collective
perception of the local reality and of the options for improving it. This can only be
achieved through internal discussions enabled by the community Radios.
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Who can Initiate a Community Radio in India?
Ownership: As per the policy guidelines of Ministry of Information and Broadcast,
India, any civil society and voluntary organisations, State Agriculture Universities
(SAUs), ICAR institutions, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, Educational institutions, other
Registered Societies, Autonomous Bodies and Public Trusts registered under Societies
Act or any other such act relevant for the purpose are eligible. It must be a Legal Entity
i.e. it should be registered under the registration of Societies Act or any other such act
relevant to the purpose. Registration at the time of application should at least be
three years old.
On the whole:-
• The organization should be explicitly constituted as a ‘non-profit’.
• The CRS to be operated by it should be designed to serve a specific well-defined
local community.
• It should have an ownership and management structure that is reflective of the
community.
• Programmes for broadcast should be relevant to the educational,
developmental, social and cultural needs of the community.
Who are not eligible....
Individuals; Political Parties and their affiliate organizations (including students,
women’s, trade unions and such other wings affiliated to these parties); Organizations
operating with a motive to earn profit; Organizations expressly banned by the Union
and State Governments cannot own the community radio.
Equipment Required for CR
• The Local or CR station has a limited coverage radius of about 20 to 30 kms.
• A transmitter having maximum Effective Radiated Power (ERP) of 100 W to
generate signals to be broadcast.
• An antenna with a minimum of 15 meters of height and not more than 30
meters, to radiate the signal.
• Lightning conductor to be fixed on top of antenna, with earthing.
• The studio equipment to produce the programmes like Tape recorders, CD
players, Control Console / Mixer.
• Equipment for field recording like remote microphone mixer that runs on
batteries.
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Funding / Operational Costs – Policies: A community radio service is set up and run as
a non-profit organization. It relies on financial support from a diversity of sources,
which may include donations, grants, membership fees, sponsorship or advertising. A
combination of these is the most desirable in order to ensure independence. Many
community radios also organize fund-raising events among their audience. The overall
aim is always to reach a state of financial self-sufficiency.
• An initial investment of Rs.2, 50,000 to Rs. 3,00,000.
• An additional running cost of Rs. 20, 000 per month.
• Eligible to get funds from multilateral agencies as explained above.
• To seek foreign funds, applicants need to obtain FCRA Clearance under Foreign
Contribution Regulation Act, 1976.
• Limited advertising and announcement, restricted to 5 (Five) minutes per hour
of broadcast.
• However, sponsored programs are not permitted unless meet the demands.
• The Panchayati Raj system is an effective tool for governance and hence can be
used to pump in money for setting up community radio stations.
• The Panchayat Raj system can be utilized to look in to the governance and
management activities of CR
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d. Contains anything obscene, defamatory, deliberate, false and half truths
statements;
e. Is likely to encourage or incite violence or contains anything against
maintenance of law and order or which promote-anti-national attitudes;
f. Contains anything amounting to contempt of court or anything affecting the
integrity of the Nation
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For Case Studies, follow PPT and additional material uploaded in Google Classroom:
• The Sangham Radio in Pastapur village, Medak district, AndhraPradesh State
owned by Deccan Development Society was launched on October 15, 2008 (on
World’s Rural Women’s Day).
• Namma Dhwani (Our Voices) of Karnataka is India’s First cable CR station,
launched as a partnership effort of Budikote Community and with funding of
UNESCO.
• ManndeshiTarang, from Maharastra was established on 16 December 2008 by
Mann Vikas Samajik Sanstha, an NGO working for the empowerment of rural
and marginalized women.
• “Radio Namaskar,” was launched in Orissa on 11 July 2010 by Young India, a
civil society organization formed by some National Youth Awardees, Indira
Gandhi NSS Awardees, and Ex-NSS volunteers.
• UJAS Radio by Kutch MahilaVikas Sangathan-KMVS project in Bhuj (Gujarat).
• ‘Waqt Ki Awaaz’ in Bairy Dariyao village in Kanpur Dehat district of Uttar
Pradesh (UP)
• Voice of Azamgarh in Lucknow- the Alternative for India Development-AID
project in Daltongunj (Jharkhand)