EXPLORING POTENTIAL AND CHALLENGES OF COMMUNITY RADIO IN

INDIADr R Sreedher

Consultant, Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (CEMCA) New Delhi India

CR in India Current position• CR policy was announced in 2002.

Offered only to Educational Institutions

• 2004 - First CR station Launched in Anna University, Chennai

• 2004- COL organises International workshop for CR enthusiasts at Chennai. Workshop recommends modification of policy to Government of India

Current Position India• 2006 Revised policy announced- CR licenses available to Educational Institutions, Agriculture institutions and Civil Society

• 196 CR stations as on 1st November 2016

Anna University - 2004

Ujjas Radio Kutch-Gujarat

Yeralavani 91.2, Vishrambag, Maharashtra

Vayalaga Vanoli 90.4MHZ, MaduraiTamil Nadu

Voice of Azamgarh 90.8 Fm, Azamgarh Uttar Pradesh

Radio Jnan Taranga,Guwahati, Assam

Deccan Radio Hyderabad, Telangana

Kumaon Vani, Mukteshwar, Uttarakhand

Community Radio Covering all over India

Saiyere jo RadioKutch

VAYALAGA VANOLI 90.4MHZ, TAMIL NADU

Yeralavani 91.2, Maharashtra

Kumaon VaniUttarakhand

Deccan Radio,Hyderabad

Voice of AzamgarhUttar Pradesh

Rudi No RadioGujarat

Radio Luit, Guwahati.

Assam

Potential

• Spectrum available for 4000 stations- sparsely utilized

• Govt subsidy 50% available for capital expenditure- only a dozen stations have received reimbursements

• Govt advertisements to cover at least 30% of running expenditure- 50% of the stations are empaneled

Potential• All Developmental agencies get easy

access to grass roots- only a few like Department of Science and Technology, Panchayati Raj, TB awareness, Agriculture, Consumer affairs, Free legal aid , are making use of it

• Narrowcasting and localised contents attracts the listeners

• Scope for converting the listeners into learners

Listener to Learner

• Science for women Project of Government of India Department of Science and Technology- 40 stations

• Radio Mathematics project of Government of India DST

Challenges

Sustainability• Content• Human Resources• Technology• Finance

Need of the hour

• Liberalisation of the licensing policy• Single window concept• Comprehensive training and orientation

to potential CR managers and production staff

• Community participation, voluntarism and crowd funding

Thank you