[cr-india] Who the Community Radios serve?

[FN]

For argument sake, I would put forward another proposition -- 

	After all these years, should we get pessimistic and 
	throw in the towel?

	Are things really so bleak?

	Of course, the loaded-dice which Vickram and
	Pasha describe are a reality. Added to this are the
	political motives of a government that has
	believed in controlling the media

	This is one side of the story.

	The other could be different: community-radio is
	an idea who's time has come. (Launching educational-
	radio and calling it 'community' radio is one hint of
	this.) 

	If we are thorough in the steps we plan, it could become
	difficult for subterfuge to rule for too long. One only
	has to recall the conditions under which 
	community-radio was first permitted in Nepal (to
	Radio Sagarmata, etc). 

Is the glass really half-empty? Or are there clear possibilities which we 
are overlooking ourselves? I wonder... FN

On Thursday 06 February 2003 10:02, your message mentioned that:

> But, now the Government and all of us, are just playing with the terms.
> And most of us happy about the revolutionary develop of radio being
> 'free'. What is the use if it is freed again to serve the
> 'over-served', feed the over-fed. IIT's and other such white elephants
> could have managed with much more sophisticated technology and
> communication net work, and they are doing. Hence, the poor radio is
> just a toy, like having a poor broomstick along with a high power
> vacuum cleaner.
>
> I have no hopes about the community radio coming to the doorsteps of
> the people of this country. If you are not a 'lover' of community radio
> for its own sake, and you are real communicator who is looking for
> better tool of communication for the marginalized and the poor, look
> for some other alternative, don't waste time with rich peoples' toys.
>
> M. Abdul Rehman Pasha,
>
> ''Multimedia''
> Ph: (080) 338 9888
> E-mail: pasha1 at vsnl.com