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"WE ARE OPENING UP RADIO AND TV FOR NARROWCASTING TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES"

SUSHMA SWARAJ, Minister for Information and Broadcasting, interviewed by
Bandana Mukhopadhyay



Very shortly, says Minister Sushma Swaraj in an interview exclusive to the
Hoot, the ministry of information and broadcasting will announce a policy
change that will open up existing radio and TV transmitters of Prasar
Bharati for use by educational institutions in a range of 25 to 30 km. The
next step will be to offer NGOs time on the same facilities.





Q: Madam, we have now in the country,a set of radio stations run by AIR, a
select number of radio stations in urban areas run by commercial houses and
one FM channel allocated to IGNOU for educational broadcasts in all the 40
cities where commercial radio has been licensed. What about the social
sector using radio for development as well?

 


ANS:  If you will recall my statements soon after I took over as the I&B
minister October 2000, I had said my priority will be to take the
electronic media as close to the people in the grass-root level as
possible. I have been working for a complete reorientation in the attitude
towards the electronic media and I this years, 2002, this is first on my
agenda. In fact I hope I will be able to announce a firm policy very soon.

 


Q: Would you care to give us some idea about the way you are thinking of
taking radio closer to the people at the grass-root level? Will it be along
the lines of community radio in other countries?

 


ANS:  I will not use the word community because in India the word community
is not automatically linked to geographical regions. I prefer to use the
term" Narrowcasting" which clearly defines that the radio station is for
people living within a small radius. This is important because here we have
a different dialect every 30km. For instance in Haryana, the state where I
belong, we have a different dialect in Hissar, anther in Ambala, a third in
Karnal. What is known as Hariyanvi is only spoken in the Rohtak area!  So
we need to identify the radio with the local dialect because the radio
depends on oral communication and communication made in the language spoken
by the people is most easily accepted. Besides if the people are to be
involved in the making of the programmes, they will readily participate
only when they are able to do so in their natural language. Let me tell you
something further. You are asking about radio but I am thinking even
beyond; I am dreaming of local television as well!

 


Q: Local Television?

 


ANS: Yes, why not? Let the local people have their own fashion shows, their
own entertainment, direct interaction and use the medium they enjoy as well
as handle easily. If some people can make their own television programmes
why deny the opportunity? This will offer access to information, technology
and entertainment in a way which will be most acceptable to the people and
I hope in the near future we don't have to bother about our children
watching Mtv, Ftv and the like. After all when you can hear your own child
on radio and tv, make your own cultural shows with local participation, you
will like that better isn't it? And the channel will also give you
opportunity to exchange vital information, information on development as
the people want.

 


Q: May I ask you how this is to be translated into action on ground? I am
talking of the hardware, finance, expertise…

 


ANS: Both AIR and Doordarshan have many low power transmitters dotting the
countryside. These have been constructed with public money and should be
optimally utilised.  I am planning to offer this transmission facility to
any group who want it for their own programme at a very low price. The
technical facility will be provided by the Prasar Bharati engineers but the
programmes, planning, software in general will be the responsibility of the
people who will own and operate the station.  If anybody wants to run a
radio or TV station, they have to find money for it themselves but we are
also going to explore that aspect and see how we can encourage small groups
without much financial strength but with ideas for using radio or TV for
development can be encouraged. I am also hoping that this will open up
immense possibilities for using electronic media for education, development
and entertainment for everyone.

 


Q: Would you care to elaborate a little more about how this policy change
is being planned?

 


ANS:   What I have thought is that as soon as the policy is framed we will
offer educational institutions, perhaps the professional institutes which
are usually housed within a campus, like the IITs, Agricultural
Universities, Research Centers like NDRI in Karnal, and even residential
schools their own radio and television centers.  Let us take the case of
NDRI in Karnal as an example. The technical facilities like transmission
can be offered by Prasar Bharati because that facility or expertise is not
easily available and let the organisation run the radio or tv channel. .In
the next phase and with better understanding of how privatisation of the
electronic media should be regulated, we will open it up further for NGOs,
and similar organisations.

 


Q: How about a group or an organisation that is not situated near a AIR ot
TV transmitter?

 


ANS: We have AIR and TV transmitters in almost every district in the
country. You may not be aware of their existence but AIR and Doordarshan
engineers know and if there is a demand from a organisation where no AIR or
Doordarshan Transmitter can be used, we will make the necessary provision. 

 


Q: You don't want to give direct access to transmission?

 


ANS: I am giving direct access to transmission.  All that I am saying is
that, I am offering readymade transmitters which are already operative, to
the private groups wanting to narrowcast programmes on radio or television
for themselves at a very affordable price with technical expertise. This
will help to start their programmes without delay. Importing equipments,
setting them up or even locating a suitable space for installation can be a
long and complicated process and can even kill the initial enthusiasm.  I
have a policy clearance from Finance ministry and the cabinet for
co-locating transmitters with AIR or Doordarshan and I want extend that
facility now to educational institutions first and depending on the
response to more groups in the non government sector.

 


Q: How will this be different from the Gyan  Darshan Project of IGNOU?

 


ANS:  See, I will offer the facilities. How the taker uses it is their
decision. That is community radio across the world, isn't it? The state
allows permission to broadcast. What you broadcast is the business of the
people who want use radio or television for education or development or
entertainment. I don't know anything about the programme pattern of the
commercial FM either!

 


Q: Why is the first choice for educational institutions?

 


ANS: Because even within development, education is a priority sector in our
country. The student community can have a capacity building of technical
expertise while they learn, entertain and study their regular curriculum.
In many countries they don't go to classes for frequently but listen to the
professor on radio or television and interact in phone in programmes and
then write their written assignments which is both quicker more innovative
and also less strenuous for all concerned. We can have that in India too. 

 


Q: What about, let us say, a group, not directly involved in regular
education, who already possess transmission facilities?

 


ANS: I have been told that there are some people who have transmission
equipments.

I don't know how they have acquired it because as yet the rules of the
state do not allow private ownership of transmission equipments and I have
to look into the legalities, a different kind of policy sanction etc before
I can go that far.

 


Q: How soon do we expect a policy statement on this issue?

 


ANS: Very soon… very very soon. I have called for a meeting next week and
hope to form the detailed policy within the next few weeks. I told you this
is the first item on our agenda for this year!

 


Q:  Suppose there is instantly a great demand for direct access to radio
and television. What about the frequencies? 

 


ANS:  For radio as well television we plan to offer very small range or
reach. As I have said earlier, it will be narrowcasting… say a range of not
more that 25km-35km and there are lots of frequencies available because the
same frequency can used again after a space of say 500km distance. That
will not be a problem

 


Q: for radio will it be FM or MW and SW as well
 


ANS: At first I am thinking of only FM.  It is technically better but lets
us see if we need to extend the facility into the MW or SW range.  At
present I am only considering FM

 


Q: Just one more question. What role do you see for AIR in this changed
scenario?
 


ANS: AIR is the national channel for information, news and entertainment.
It already had its own identity and listenership. These will be in addition
to that and AIR and Doordarshan technical know-how will be available to
everyone who want to use radio directly for narrowcasting.

 


Q:  What kind of permission are you planning to issue for such ventures?
The license format as in case or commercial FM, or some kind of agreement
with Prasar Bharati?

 


ANS:  I think we will have to be in the same line as the commercial radios
as far as the broad terms are concerned because that, as I have said, has
policy clearance; but give me a few days more with my officers for
consultation and I promise this will be a reality even before you are ready
to operate it!