[cr-india] Airwaves for a cause

[Nookaraju]

Airwaves for a cause
  OUR CORRESPONDENT        A look inside the van, Voice to the Voiceless,
and (below) the vehicle stands parked in Albert Compound in Ranchi. Pictures
by Prashant Mitra

*Ranchi, Feb. 26*: The villagers just have to be told that Phulwa Behen or
Raju Bhaiya would be visiting their village and the effect is magical.

Suddenly, people are on their feet, at their active best, dressed in their
best, too. Free *chai *and snacks are generously offered to these special
guests, even as Phulwa Behen and Raju Bhaiya try to put up a brave front in
front of the gathering crowd.

But it's a small price they have to pay, as the presenters of *Chala ho gaon
* *mein*, the first popular community radio programme to hit the airwaves in
the state. The programme, initiated by the NGO Alternative for India
Development (AID), was aired by All India Radio (AIR), Palamau and
Daltonganj. Using the local Magahi language, it tried to reach out to the
masses. That was way back in 2001.

The popularity of community radio has spread to such an extent that apart
from Phulwa Behen and Raju Bhaiya receiving fan mails every day, AID today
had the inauguration of their community radio-recording studio, Vikalp, at
their regional office in Albert Compound, Pathal Kudwa.

With the inauguration of Vikalp, a community radio van was also inaugurated.
The community radio-recording studio and the van were inaugurated at a
function organised by AID at their Ranchi office.

Finance secretary, Mukhtiar Singh and DC, Ranchi, K.K. Soan, inaugurated the
studio and the van. At a seminar organised later in the day, eminent media
persons spoke on the role of media in popularising community radio. There
are approximately seven radio community programmes that are being aired
every week. AID is one of the two NGOs in the state to run community
programme.

The other NGO that airs a community radio programme is Manthan. Community
radio, in Jharkhand, reaches almost 80 per cent of the rural population.

Anupama Singh, media coordinator for AID, says: "A few years back diarrhoea
had reached epidemic proportions in the remote village of Erua. The
community radio, through their programme, encouraged the rural folk to take
more proactive measures." The results were positive and that's the kind of
effect community radio can have.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070227/asp/jamshedpur/story_7446158.asp

-- 
Nookaraju
9989306757
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