Govt to further unshackle airwaves

New Delhi, July 9: To infuse greater dynamism in the growth of community radio set up so far only by educational institutions across the country, the Government has decided for liberalisation in the sector.

Under the existing policy, NGOs were not allowed to run community radio, but under a new policy, organisations like the UNICEF and other recognised by the government will be allotted frequencies to air programmes, subject to certain conditions, according to sources in the Ministry.

The bank guarantee is also proposed to be reduced to Rs 25,000 from Rs 50,000 besides there will be an increase in the licence validity period from three years to five years,'' officials in the Ministry said.

The increase in the validity period will save time and resources of both the government and the licence seekers spent in awarding and obtaining renewal, said the officials.

They said that the change in the thinking of the Ministry has been brought about by the successful comeback of the radio as popular means of mass communication.

The Supreme Court ruling in 1995 that "airwaves are public property" had come as an inspiration to advocates of community radio.

However, when the government first threw open the airwaves to private players in 2002, there were few takers.

India's first campus radio station, Anna FM at Anna University in Chennai, was launched in 2004. The campus station Gyanvaani of IGNOU is also operating.

Several universities have since followed Anna University's footsteps---Radio Jamia and the Indian Institute of Mass Communication in Delhi, City Montessori School, Lucknow, Indian Institute of Management Lucknow, Open Knowledge Network of M S Swaminathan Foundation and a host of other campuses.

There are at present 17 community radio in operation across the country.

The officials said they have 96 applications pending for starting community radio. Moreover, MOUs have been signed with 29 more parties for setting up similar ventures, they said. The need for community radio arose with increasing globalisation of media. The heavy stress on entertainment provided by commercial television led to the need of quality programmes in the local cultural and social context.

A logical step in this direction was democratisation of the media, making it a tool in the hands of the community.

Radio has been the cheapest means of entertainment and information for the poor, but they never thought they could also be one of those who addressed them from the hightech environs of a studio.

The community radio has made it possible. The emphasis is on involvement of the local people themselves in the production of the programmes.

Station Master of the Jamia Radio here GR Syed and Director Jamia Mass Comminucation Research Centre Iftikhar Ahmad say their endeavour is to invlove as many local people as possible in the creation of programmes.

''We not only call the local people to our studio, but also take the studio to them.The students go out to slum areas, find people who have some creative talents and make them participate in the Radio programmes and do spot recording.'' Local people are also invited to take part in the discussions on problems and issues facing the community, he said.

UNI