[cr-india] COMMENT: Who said radio is dead?

[Frederick Noronha]

'WHO SAID RADIO IS DEAD' -- SUCHARITA EASWAR

Sucharita Eashwar <Sucharita.Eashwar at TRIGYN.com> is someone this writer has
never met in real-life. But we've interacted so often -- via post earlier,
via occasional phone calls while passing through Bangalore, and via e-mail
of course -- that one feels we know each other closely.

Easwar, one of the key persons to give a boost to the community-radio
campaign in India half a decade ago, played a crucial role in taking up this
issue. She was also the one who initiated this writer into this debate, and
in a sense, she's behind the many CR-related writings that get dashed out
from one's keyboard!

Excerpts from an interview, with FREDERICK NORONHA <fred at bytesforall.org>

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Why, in your view, has community radio taken so long to come to India?
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Actually, the whole idea was kicked off back in 1996, when a powerful group
of broadcasters, media advocates and radio professionals from India and
other countries met to look at the potential of radio. 

They included Sevanti Ninan, Dr Madhava Menon, founder Director of Law
School of India, big wigs from AIR, and people representing Mahavali Radio
in Sri Lanka, Tambuli Radio in Philippines and community radio in Peru. 

The group was greatly inspired at the idea of community-based radio and came
out with a document -- the Bangalore Declaration -- which has formed the
basis of advocacy for community radio since then. 

They made presentations to successive Parliamentary Committes and the I&B
Ministry. However, it has been uphill and frustrating work as the work had
to start over again every time the (Indian federal) government (and ministry
officials) changed.

A critical mass was not created and the few concessions we got (e.g. airtime
on the existing AIR FM stations) were not used as opportunities by NGOs and
community organisations. 

They were all waiting for the legislation to come and it is a long time
coming!

Perhaps this is a legacy of our colonisation: we are too afraid to challenge
authority even when we have policy and a Supreme Court ruling backing us.

But it is important to recognise that there has been a core group of
individuals in the country who have steadfastly held on to the vision of
radio for, by and of the people, used opportunities to talk about community
radio, and train and encourage other groups to produce programmes and plan
projects.

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Do you feel there could be reason for the apparent official fear that
a medium like radio could be misused by secessionists, militants or
subversive elements?
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Yes, ofc ourse there is the possibility of  militants, secessionists and
fundamentalist groups setting up front organisations and getting licences
when CR licences are legislated. Isn't that so for all other media as well?

While we need to ensure that provisions are made to prevent misuse as in
Rwanda in recent times, where radio was used extremely effectively to
whip up passions leading to large-scale ethnic massacres, we must be
aware that these dangers are true for press, television, cable and other
media as well. 

Careful legal safeguards preventing any political, religious and communal
bodies to get CR licences and a regulatory structure with a regional
presence which responds swiftly to address complaints from the community are
necessary.

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How can the fear of "misuse" be minimised?
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We have to work with the legislators and bureaucracy to have a good
regulatory framework and localised machinery for receiving and acting on
complaints. 

The legislation and regulation should be widely discussed and debated
through the media and through consultations with civil society groups,
communities, legal experts and radio professionals.

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Could you cite examples from abroad where misuse of such radio outlets has
been minimised, without muzzling the channel?
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Examples abound in the Philippines, South Africa and Latin America of
community radio stations who regulate themselves based on general guidelines
laid down by the regulator and with community feedback and control.

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What do you foresee as unfolding over the community radio front in India
over the next few years?
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I see a gradual opening up of community radio through licencing of
credible institutions like universities and development organisations and
NGOs. 

The Convergence Bill, and the licence granted to IGNOU to start their own FM
stations already enables educational institutions to start their own radio
stations. 

Are community radio enthusiasts ready to seize this opportunity and work
with universities and other educational institutions to provide a community
radio element to the radio stations universities may consider setting up?

But all this will not happen on its own; the CR advocates have to grow in
numbers, become more active and visible.

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What, in your view, would be the most suitable strategy for campaigners
wanting to legalise community radio broadcasting in India?
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It will happen if we move this discussion out into the open -- into
parliament, into the Ministry and the two Parliamentary Committees, in
media, and government departments who will use the community radio
stations to reach communities with their schemes and programmes. 

Once there is the pressure created by a critical mass of people and groups
discussing and demanding for community radio, it will happen.

Community Radio advocates must also be willing to partner with universities
to start radio stations. Their primary objective may be education -- formal
and informal -- and community programming would be built in as an additional
element. 

These stations would not be owned and operated by the community to start
with, and hence would not be true community radios. But I recommend we be
pragmatic and start with opportunities available to rejuvenate radio on the
ground. 

This is especially important as recent studies show radio listenership
declining in the rural areas. This is mainly due to relevant programming
being unavailable to listeners.

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That being so, why, if at all, should radio has a special relevance to a
country like India?
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Although cable and television is gaining ground over radio very fast, the
fact is that radio combines the twin benefits of low cost and wide reach,
both for the broadcaster and the listener. 

In India, with its large illiterate population below the poverty line, radio
scores over television as access to televison sets and availability of
electricity are still major stumbling blocks.

It is a low-cost and user friendly technology and even village women can
soon learn to start making and broadcasting their own programmes.

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Still, with TV, cable TV and the Internet appearing to have a headstart
in the consumer's mind today, does continuing to focus on radio make sense?
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Just look at the popularity of radio in the West where access to new
entertainment media are more advanced. Radio has morphed and adapted to
create its own unique audiences. Community radio is alive and growing in
many different forms, depending on the needs of particular communities.

The relevance and popularity of radio where interesting programming is
available to the target audience is amply proved by the rapid rise in radio
listening in Bangalore city after the launch of the commercial FM station
Radio City. You hear Radio City in cars, shops, restaurants and homes all
over Bangalore today.

Who said radio is dead?

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Can universities play a role in promoting non-commercial,
development-oriented radio broadcasting in India at this stage?
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Yes, undoubtedly. IGNOU is already creating an awareness of the potential
of radio. Universities with an outreach programme or community activities
would welcome this opportunity once they see what they can achieve with
their own community radio stations. 

The National Law School was among the original group in 1996 and helped
draft the Bangalore Declaration on Radio; NLS, the communication Institutes
in Manipal and Hyderabad, some agricultural universities, have already
expressed interest. (ENDS)
--
Frederick Noronha * Freelance Journalist * Goa * India 832.409490 / 409783
BYTESFORALL www.bytesforall.org  * GNU-LINUX http://linuxinindia.pitas.com
Email fred at bytesforall.org * SMS 9822122436 at attcell.net * 784 Saligao Goa India
Writing with a difference... on what makes *the* difference