[cr-india] cr-india Digest, Vol 40, Issue 4

Mon Mar 5 04:34:59 CET 2007

I think the idea of requesting a waiver on small transmitters would be 
excellent. It will allow community groups to experiment with daily 
broadcasts, ensure the creation of a larger stakeholder base and also 
since some of the community groups like Mandakini are newly registered 
and do not fulfill the 3 year NGO registration criteria, it will really 
help them move forward with the work they have been doing as a community 
for the past five years. It will also give us time to figure out most 
cost effective equipment options, negotiate if assembling tool kits etc 
is a possibility and so on.
warmest
Venu

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> Today's Topics:
>
>    1. Re:  March meeting (Arun Mehta)
>    2. Re:  March meeting (Subbu Vincent)
>    3.  Message of the Medium - India Today story (sajan venniyoor)
>    4.  Message of the Medium - India Today story (sajan venniyoor)
>    5. Re:  March meeting (Stalin K)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2007 18:15:31 +0530
> From: "Arun Mehta" <arun.mehta at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [cr-india] March meeting
> To: "Stalin K" <stalink123 at gmail.com>
> Cc: cr-india at sarai.net
> Message-ID:
> 	<4696228a0703020445s2c2e0ebcq6eea90a6808c2a3d at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> As discussed with Sajan, while I will not be able to attend this meeting due
> to teaching engagements, a common position can be put forward on behalf of
> the forum:
>
> How about we ask for a 3 year waiver on licensing for all transmitters under
> 5 Watts, at least in rural areas, so that poor communities can try out
> community radio, see if they take to it, before investing large sums of
> money and time in obtaining a license and running an expensive 100 Watts
> station.
>
> Thoughts?
> Arun
>
> On 3/2/07, Stalin K <stalink123 at gmail.com> wrote:
>   
>> Dear Arun,
>>
>> I agree with you that the Community Radio Forum should take up the issue
>> of spectrum charges/CB etc. As sajan suggests it would be great if you could
>> flag off the spectrum issue in the consultation on behalf of the Forum. If
>> you think we need to meet the WPC separately (outside the Consultation),
>> thats fine too. Will you be able to organize such a meeting? We can discuss
>> the matter during 6 and 7 March and then some of you from delhi can meet
>> them at the soonest convenient time.
>>
>> Stalin
>> Convener, CRF
>>
>> On 3/2/07, sajan venniyoor <venniyoor at gmail.com> wrote:
>>     
>>> Dear Arun,   The Dy. Wireless Adviser to GoI (D. Singaravelu) will
>>> attend the Consultation, and almost all the senior officials of the I&B
>>> Ministry will be there as well. We can take up issues relating to spectrum
>>> charges in one or more of the sessions.   I assume that you are attending
>>> the Consultation (Vickram says he doesn't have the funding to do the trip
>>> independently), so you can take the lead in flagging Spectrum related
>>> issues. Could you confirm your participation? I'm not sure if you have sent
>>> in your registration form yet. Just send me a line in response, and I'll
>>> inform the organizers.   warm regards, Sajan
>>>   On 2/28/07, Arun Mehta <arun.mehta at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>       
>>>> I believe that as the community radio forum, we should ourselves ask
>>>> for a meeting with the I&B Ministry and the WPC, to sort out issues relating
>>>> to spectrum charges. At the forum meeting in Delhi, the person from I&B in
>>>> fact suggested such a meeting, saying there was merit in our argument.
>>>>
>>>> Arun
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> cr-india mailing list
>>>> cr-india at sarai.net
>>>> https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/cr-india
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>         
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> cr-india mailing list
>>> cr-india at sarai.net
>>> https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/cr-india
>>>
>>>
>>>       
>> --
>> Stalin K.
>> Co-founder & Director
>> DRISHTI - Media, Arts & Human Rights
>> 103, Anand Hari Tower
>> Bodakdev, Ahmedabad 380054
>> TEL: +91-79-2685 1235 and 6661 4235
>> www.drishtimedia.org
>>
>>     
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Fri, 02 Mar 2007 18:39:16 +0530
> From: Subbu Vincent <subbuvincent at indiatogether.org>
> Subject: Re: [cr-india] March meeting
> To: Arun Mehta <arun.mehta at gmail.com>
> Cc: cr-india at sarai.net
> Message-ID: <45E821FB.3020202 at indiatogether.org>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"; format=flowed
>
>
>   
>> How about we ask for a 3 year waiver on licensing for all transmitters 
>> under 5 Watts, at least in rural areas, so that poor communities can 
>> try out community radio, see if they take to it, before investing 
>> large sums of money and time in obtaining a license and running an 
>> expensive 100 Watts station.
>>     
> Arun,
>
> I think this is a good idea. It's worth asking. The notification bit 
> (recording who such users are, how they may apply) and
> the spectrum bit will still need to be looked into. This sort of waiver 
> will likely help speed-up capacity building and the
> worries of just-getting-started-quickly, and it will still let 
> programming go live-to-air without having to setup the big stuff. 
>
> -Subbu
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: 2 Mar 2007 13:08:51 -0000
> From: "sajan venniyoor" <venniyoor at rediffmail.com>
> Subject: [cr-india] Message of the Medium - India Today story
> To: "crindia" <cr-india at sarai.net>
> Message-ID: <20070302130851.5541.qmail at webmail18.rediffmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> MESSAGE OF THE MEDIUM    
> Nadini Vaish, India Today  March 5
>
> Community radios are bringing in socio-economic changes by focusing on local issues and creating awareness
>
> Every Sunday 38-year-old farm labourer Ramulu wakes up at 5 a.m. and works in the fields till about 8.15 a.m. At 8.30 a.m. sharp, he rushes to catch his favourite radio programme Allari Muchchatlu (mischievous chatter). The title is misleading. Ramulu, a resident of Nizamabad district in Andhra Pradesh, was inspired by the local community radio programme to hold his daughters wedding till she was 18 and educate his four children. He is one of the thousands of villagers who have benefitted from Allari Muchchatlus message. Today village after village is taking up self-help projects, building toilets near homes, using cow dung instead of wood for cooking purposes and understanding the perils of child marriages. 
>
> Across the country, low-power community radio stations have been empowering people and changing lives. In June 2003, village Budhikote, 100 km from Bangalore, was grappling with drought. Water pipes dried up. For eight days, villagers had no supply of water. Despite protests by people and promises from the authorities, nothing happened. Finally, Nagaraj, a reporter for Namma Dhwani, a community radio, decided to lend voice to the grievances of the villagers. The message hit home. Within two days, pipes were repaired and water supply was restored. 
>
> These elementary, low-cost radio stations were started with the purpose of reaching out to specific communities. On air, ordinary people discuss issues concerning their lives, such as health and civic amenities. They share farming tips and income generation ideas and explore ways to improve education. 
>
> So far community radios have operated by airing tapes through the All India Radio. Usually based in remote areas where neither television nor newspapers reach, they have been operating without licences. However, they have received a fresh lease of life with a recent policy directive of the Centre, which allows community radio licences to non-profit organisations and civil society. Around 10 radio stations are waiting to go on air once the Government notifies the licencing procedures and terms and conditions.
>
> Although community radios seeded in India in early 2000, the precedent for them was set by one Raghav Mahto, 21, who set up a pirate network in his electronics repair shop Mansoorpur in Vaishali district of Bihar in 2001. One day, Mahto stumbled upon a novel way to broadcast audio by fixing a transmitter on a pole with an investment of about Rs 50. He would play everything from Bollywood and Bhojpuri songs to jokes and imitations of popular film stars and politicians. One day a child went missing in the village and Mahto broadcast it on his radio. The child was found and Mahto became a celebrity. He even got calls to increase his radios range, which got upped from a modest five km to 20 km covering three districts.
>
> In many ways, Mahtos Radio Raghav FM Mansoorpur1, Indias own Radio Favela, exemplified what an or ordinary citizen with an idea and dedication could do for his neighbourhood, before it was shut down by the authorities in 2006, as he did not have an operating licence. He had, however, left a mark. Many people called me to offer financial help, recalls Mahto. But today, even after a licencing procedure in place, he will not be allowed to run his radio as individuals are not eligible for licence under the new policy.
>
> Now, with the Government finally allowing licenced, regulated radio service on the FM platform to the public, floodgates are set to open. Since the announcement of its policy, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has received over 100 applications from different bodies, including educational institutions. What makes community radio important in this cable and Internet age is its sheer reach. If television reaches 60 per cent of the total households in the country, radio reaches 99 per cent making it a cost effective and powerful medium. Globally, community radios have had a profound impact on peoples lives by increasing their access to information. In India, the licence issue has restricted its spread and influence, but the change and progress it has brought in places, where it is operative, provides a clear picture of its impact, especially in remote areas. 
>
> Deep in the hills of Chamba, Uttarakhand, a radio jockey for Hewal Vani, reminds listeners to tune in again to their programme on dirty water. Started by a group of 20-something youngsters, Hewal Vani is one of the five community radio groups in the state. The programmes usually deal with local problems such as health, superstition, education and civic issues. Says Manvender Singh Negi, programme coordinator, Mandakini Ki Awaaz, another radio, Our most significant impact has been creating transparency in local governance. Once we found discrepancies in the accounts of works sanctioned by the village development officer and talked about it on our radio. People confronted the sarpanch who removed the officer. Similarly, Hewal Vanis programme on dowry struck a chord with its listeners. Our national media is obsessed with mainstream India. The real India is made up of thousands of side-streams, and we need community media to tell their story, says Sajan Venniyoor of the Community Radio Forum, India. 
>
> Undoubtedly, community radio is giving a voice to the voiceless and empowering them by boosting their confidence and making them celebrities in their own little world. As Mahto claims to have been named community radio ka Amitabh Bachchan, many more Amitabh Bachchans and Shah Rukh Khans are set to emerge from Indias villages. 
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: 2 Mar 2007 13:09:45 -0000
> From: "sajan venniyoor" <venniyoor at rediffmail.com>
> Subject: [cr-india] Message of the Medium - India Today story
> To: "crindia" <cr-india at sarai.net>
> Message-ID: <20070302130945.6310.qmail at webmail18.rediffmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> MESSAGE OF THE MEDIUM    
> Nadini Vaish, India Today  March 5
>
> Community radios are bringing in socio-economic changes by focusing on local issues and creating awareness
>
> Every Sunday 38-year-old farm labourer Ramulu wakes up at 5 a.m. and works in the fields till about 8.15 a.m. At 8.30 a.m. sharp, he rushes to catch his favourite radio programme Allari Muchchatlu (mischievous chatter). The title is misleading. Ramulu, a resident of Nizamabad district in Andhra Pradesh, was inspired by the local community radio programme to hold his daughters wedding till she was 18 and educate his four children. He is one of the thousands of villagers who have benefitted from Allari Muchchatlus message. Today village after village is taking up self-help projects, building toilets near homes, using cow dung instead of wood for cooking purposes and understanding the perils of child marriages. 
>
> Across the country, low-power community radio stations have been empowering people and changing lives. In June 2003, village Budhikote, 100 km from Bangalore, was grappling with drought. Water pipes dried up. For eight days, villagers had no supply of water. Despite protests by people and promises from the authorities, nothing happened. Finally, Nagaraj, a reporter for Namma Dhwani, a community radio, decided to lend voice to the grievances of the villagers. The message hit home. Within two days, pipes were repaired and water supply was restored. 
>
> These elementary, low-cost radio stations were started with the purpose of reaching out to specific communities. On air, ordinary people discuss issues concerning their lives, such as health and civic amenities. They share farming tips and income generation ideas and explore ways to improve education. 
>
> So far community radios have operated by airing tapes through the All India Radio. Usually based in remote areas where neither television nor newspapers reach, they have been operating without licences. However, they have received a fresh lease of life with a recent policy directive of the Centre, which allows community radio licences to non-profit organisations and civil society. Around 10 radio stations are waiting to go on air once the Government notifies the licencing procedures and terms and conditions.
>
> Although community radios seeded in India in early 2000, the precedent for them was set by one Raghav Mahto, 21, who set up a pirate network in his electronics repair shop Mansoorpur in Vaishali district of Bihar in 2001. One day, Mahto stumbled upon a novel way to broadcast audio by fixing a transmitter on a pole with an investment of about Rs 50. He would play everything from Bollywood and Bhojpuri songs to jokes and imitations of popular film stars and politicians. One day a child went missing in the village and Mahto broadcast it on his radio. The child was found and Mahto became a celebrity. He even got calls to increase his radios range, which got upped from a modest five km to 20 km covering three districts.
>
> In many ways, Mahtos Radio Raghav FM Mansoorpur1, Indias own Radio Favela, exemplified what an or ordinary citizen with an idea and dedication could do for his neighbourhood, before it was shut down by the authorities in 2006, as he did not have an operating licence. He had, however, left a mark. Many people called me to offer financial help, recalls Mahto. But today, even after a licencing procedure in place, he will not be allowed to run his radio as individuals are not eligible for licence under the new policy.
>
> Now, with the Government finally allowing licenced, regulated radio service on the FM platform to the public, floodgates are set to open. Since the announcement of its policy, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has received over 100 applications from different bodies, including educational institutions. What makes community radio important in this cable and Internet age is its sheer reach. If television reaches 60 per cent of the total households in the country, radio reaches 99 per cent making it a cost effective and powerful medium. Globally, community radios have had a profound impact on peoples lives by increasing their access to information. In India, the licence issue has restricted its spread and influence, but the change and progress it has brought in places, where it is operative, provides a clear picture of its impact, especially in remote areas. 
>
> Deep in the hills of Chamba, Uttarakhand, a radio jockey for Hewal Vani, reminds listeners to tune in again to their programme on dirty water. Started by a group of 20-something youngsters, Hewal Vani is one of the five community radio groups in the state. The programmes usually deal with local problems such as health, superstition, education and civic issues. Says Manvender Singh Negi, programme coordinator, Mandakini Ki Awaaz, another radio, Our most significant impact has been creating transparency in local governance. Once we found discrepancies in the accounts of works sanctioned by the village development officer and talked about it on our radio. People confronted the sarpanch who removed the officer. Similarly, Hewal Vanis programme on dowry struck a chord with its listeners. Our national media is obsessed with mainstream India. The real India is made up of thousands of side-streams, and we need community media to tell their story, says Sajan Venniyoor of the Community Radio Forum, India. 
>
> Undoubtedly, community radio is giving a voice to the voiceless and empowering them by boosting their confidence and making them celebrities in their own little world. As Mahto claims to have been named community radio ka Amitabh Bachchan, many more Amitabh Bachchans and Shah Rukh Khans are set to emerge from Indias villages. 
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2007 20:21:20 +0530
> From: "Stalin K" <stalink123 at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [cr-india] March meeting
> To: cr-india at sarai.net
> Message-ID:
> 	<d533b1c90703020651k530e5f47p360ec1b0809ea50a at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> Understandably, there has been a flurry of CR related activities in Delhi in
> the last 3 months. This is bound to happen considering, that is where we all
> had to go to lobby for getting in place this version of the policy. And when
> we did get it we had to claim it and it was important that it be done there,
> for obvious reasons. But the current flurry of activities is by no means an
> indication of CR getting 'Delhi-centric'.
>
> Let is not forget that the genesis of the CR movement of our country lies in
> Bangalore-Pastapur-Panchgani-Manipal-Delhi.
>
> Also, It would be unfair to assume that nothing is happening at the regional
> levels. At just Drishti/KMVS alone, in the last four months, we have hosted
> 16 groups from across the country who came for exposures to better
> understand our Ujaas Radio in Kutch. And this is just in one part of
> Gujarat. I am sure our friends in other parts are doing similar events.
>
> When we did the first National Consultation of the Community Radio Forum on
> 1st Feb in Delhi, it was decided that the Forum focus on four key areas, and
> top on that list was Regional Workshops/Events to promote/discuss CR. We
> have a Task Force working on that group, the information of which was put on
> this list, along with request to join in. Sadly not too many people have
> signed up!
>
> The UN also clearly mentions in its current invitation that 'this is merely
> one of the many regional events' they plan to organize. This is a great
> indication of their continued interest and support to the community media
> scene. I wonder how many of us have written to the them with proposals
> expressing interest to hold such regional workshops?
>
> The Forum's current secretariat is in Ahmedabad [at Drishti] and one of the
> reasons for this choice was to conciously place a 'national body' out of
> Delhi. The Forum also decided that its subsequent National Consultation will
> be on a CR-site. All of us (I am sure the UN bodies included) well
> understand when to be Delhi centric and when not too.
>
> We absolutely need to have many many events, workshops around this amazing
> opportunity of community radio and I hope that groups and individuals on
> this list are gearing towards it. Drishti,  KMVS and CSJ are all set to hold
> one such event in Gujarat (possibly in Kutch) and hope that to have you with
> us there:-).
>
> Stalin K.
> Drishti/CRF
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> End of cr-india Digest, Vol 40, Issue 4
> ***************************************
>   

-- 
Venu Arora

Director of Projects
Ideosync Media Combine
177. Ashoka Enclave III
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Haryana - India
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Email: varora at ideosyncmedia.org