[cr-india] Come July, JU to get its Community radio station

[sakthi vel]

Jadavpur University (JU) will launch its community
radio station — the first of its kind in eastern India
— by July. The programmes can be heard within a radius
of five to 10 km from the campus.

Webel Mediatronics, a state government undertaking, is
helping the university to set up the radio station.

“JU has already placed an order with us and we are
waiting for frequency allocation and completion of
some other formalities. We expect all these to get
over by June,” said Gautam Barman, chief executive
officer, Webel Mediatronics.

The JU radio station will broadcast a variety of
education-related programmes. There will be programmes
for visually-challenged students, and employment news
and career counselling for fresh graduates. Programmes
on adult education, women’s empowerment, community
development, rural development, health care and
maternity, consumer protection and sports will also be
aired, with music interspersed in between.

“The programmes will be based on the feedback we have
received in a survey, in which we wanted to find out
what exactly people would want of the university
radio,” said Nilanjana Gupta, director of School of
Media Communication and Culture, JU.

The radio station will be an interactive,
participatory and educational initiative to bridge the
gaps between the educationally privileged and the
deprived, said Gupta.

“Webel Mediatronics is already training some of our
students. We are now looking for a director who will
be able to run the station on a permanent basis,” she
added.

The initial funding of Rs 15 lakh will come from a
World Bank-funded programme.

The JU move follows the Centre’s decision to grant
community broadcasting licences to prominent
educational institutions.

“We also had a word with the journalism and mass
communication department of Calcutta University to set
up another community radio station. But they have not
yet shown any interest,” Barman added.
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Source: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070521/asp/calcutta/story_7796578.asp

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   Jaisakthivel 
  Chennai, India. 

     
   
   



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