[cr-india] 6 illegal radio stations shut down in Bengal

Wed Jan 16 23:35:07 IST 2008

(Incidentally, this is pretty good strategy for a 'pirate', for in a
 limited
area - the story mentions 5 to 7 kilometres radius - an unlicensed
 channel
could well drown out another broadcaster's attenuated signal and
effectively hijack it).

I'm sorry, Vickram, but isn't that a good argument for controls and
licenses, to ensure that frequencies are used fairly, sensibly and
equitably? 

No, I don't think it is good strategy. A sensible pirate will use an available frequency, not draw attention to pointlessly mischievous activity and invite trouble. That is what an agitator would do, to sabotage a smooth citizen-driven media environment.

It is a very good argument -- for local controls and license implementation, if not mere endorsement; endorsement of a locally recommended frequency, for instance. Exactly the capability the Centre has already announced that it is incompetent to deal with - regulation and monitoring. Even give some much needed money locally, for collecting the fee. 

In all discussions on e-Governance, commentators say repeatedly that a perfect e-system is when the government becomes invisible, when routine matters are treated efficiently. Licensing RF is one of the most obvious.

every other pirate radio story that we have
 come
across has involved someone using unlicensed radio for religious
 propaganda
(like Mullah Radio in Swat) or for making a quick buck at someone
 else's
expense.

I am not sure that Ma Kali Asthayi Betar Kendra is what we had in mind
 when
we lobbied for community radio, but I completely agree with Vickram's
 point
that such dubious Betar Kendras are less likely to come up if genuine
community radio is allowed to flourish.

That is simply not the complete answer. We have many examples publicised here over the years of varieties of pirate community radio flourishing in parts of South America.  Our Italian friends who have been so helpful in supporting the growth of this movement have told us about 20-30 years - years! - of unlicensed radio there. 

And who are we to dictate what kind of radio service and content will prove to be a. sustainable and b. needed, when we have only one model tried, tested, and found sadly wanting over the decades? I agree the name you mentioned is possible to snigger about, but that it is no better or worse, probably, than the tasteless rubbish masquerading as epic 'faith-based' history being purveyed on television. The less said about 'family dramas', the better. Such wholesome social development-centric material!

As for the issues of copyrighted materials being broadcast without permission, I am afraid that situation will continue as long as the government supports only one kind of pirate - the sort of people that music composer AR Rehman has just refused to work with, on the grounds that they do not protect his copyright. Not good, for ethical reasons, but still it is a case of the pot calling the kettle black. And in this case being backed by the government, against the interests of the content creators. 

Vickram
http://communicall.wordpress.com
http://vvcrishna.wordpress.com

----- Original Message ----
From: sajan venniyoor <venniyoor at gmail.com>
To: cr-india at sarai.net
Sent: Wednesday, 16 January, 2008 11:18:38 AM
Subject: Re: [cr-india] 6 illegal radio stations shut down in Bengal

The news story mentioned that the pirate stations (is there a more
 polite
word for it? free radio?) were interfering with All India Radio's
 channels.
(Incidentally, this is pretty good strategy for a 'pirate', for in a
 limited
area - the story mentions 5 to 7 kilometres radius - an unlicensed
 channel
could well drown out another broadcaster's attenuated signal and
effectively hijack it).

I'm sorry, Vickram, but isn't that a good argument for controls and
licenses, to ensure that frequencies are used fairly, sensibly and
equitably? I know you have issues with that 'equitable' part, but
 surely you
agree about the need to prevent interference. I am also not convinced
 that
it is OK for someone to broadcast commercial music - and earn revenue
through advertisements - without paying for the privilege, but that's a
separate issue.

With the possible exception of the original Raghav Mahto - and the jury
 is
still out on that one - every other pirate radio story that we have
 come
across has involved someone using unlicensed radio for religious
 propaganda
(like Mullah Radio in Swat) or for making a quick buck at someone
 else's
expense.

I am not sure that Ma Kali Asthayi Betar Kendra is what we had in mind
 when
we lobbied for community radio, but I completely agree with Vickram's
 point
that such dubious Betar Kendras are less likely to come up if genuine
community radio is allowed to flourish.

Sajan

On 1/15/08, Vickram Crishna <v1clist at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>
>  Someone told you? Maybe I told you. I am sure others will have too.
 If
> the only means of communicating dissent to our citizens is through
 the
> international media, the country is definitely in a very sorry state.
 Which
> it isn't.
>
> All we need do is be sensible, and help bring about a situation
 where, if
> the government won't act right because it is common sense, then it
 will do
> so because it is fait accompli. Which (the latter) won't happen if
 genuine
> community stations ae not allowed to flourish.
>
> We all know the history of Italy, where for a stunning 30 years,
 radio
> stations were allowed to run without silly controls or meaningless
 licenses.
> A country much like ours, except that they do not have the additional
> divides of incomprehensibly different languages north, south, east
 and west.
> What did they get out of it?
>
> The finest technology and lowest prices in transmission equipment -
> despite the fact they are not a low cost economy. An atmosphere of
> independence so strong that shopkeepers today are beginning to adopt
 public
> solidarity in order to battle the dreaded Cosa Nostra, something no
 amount
> of government action could do in a hundred years (before which it
 wasn't the
> criminal organisation it has become). Is there a lesson here our
 rulers,
> sorry, I mean of course government servants, can learn?
>
>
> Vickram
> http://communicall.wordpress.com
> http://vvcrishna.wordpress.com
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Frederick Noronha [फ़रेद <fred at bytesforall.org>
> To: Vickram Crishna <v1clist at yahoo.co.uk>; cr-india at sarai.net
> Sent: Tuesday, 15 January, 2008 9:45:15 PM
> Subject: Re: [cr-india] 6 illegal radio stations shut down in Bengal
>
> Hi all, Somone told me, "Don't write about these stories. Don't
 circulate
> the news. They will simply end up getting blocked from the airwaves."
>
> I see things differently. Each time the "news" gets out, it inspires
 a few
> others ... at the end of the day, the law cannot fight what
 technology makes
> possible. FN
>
> On 15/01/2008, Vickram Crishna <v1clist at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> >
> >  Brrrravo! Another bunch of 'Raghav's bites the dust, but this time
> > without the international publicity and Manthan awards..
> >
> >
> > For what crime? Illegal music, probably, although it doesn't seem
 like
> > the music industry has got into the act yet. Use of spectrum
 without paying
> > fees? Tsk tsk. No, perhaps it is for unauthorised use of spectrum
 that the
> > government has not yet got around to renting (on our behalf, of
 course, we
> > are talking about our government servants, who go to so much
 trouble in our
> > service).
> >
> > The police/government/amateur radio enthusiasts/sneaks seemed to
 find it
> > really tough to locate these guys, something the local merchants
 may not
> > have had so much difficulty with, if one believes the fact that
 advertising
> > money as flowing (was it enough to pay taxes? Sic the IT deptt on
 them!). It
> > took a full year, again if one believes the reports, to locate, not
 one, but
> > six radio stations, in a single area alone!
> >
> > At this rate, if more such entrepreneurs (silly fellows! Why don't
 they
> > have the surname Tata, or Ambani or Mittal, or something like that,
 to avoid
> > harassment, and maybe collect awards from all and sundry) exist, it
 may take
> > the babus decades to rid the country of these dangerous pests.
> >
> > Vickram
> > http://communicall.wordpress.com
> > http://vvcrishna.wordpress.com
> >
> >
> >
> >  ----- Original Message ----
> > From: Frederick Noronha [फ़रेद < fred at bytesforall.org>
> > To: cr-india at sarai.net
> > Sent: Sunday, 13 January, 2008 2:48:47 AM
> > Subject: [cr-india] 6 illegal radio stations shut down in Bengal
> >
> > http://www.indianexpress.com/story/260507.html
> >
> > 6 illegal radio stations shut down in Bengal
> > Express News Service
> > Posted online: Saturday, January 12, 2008 at 0004 hrs Print Email
> >
> > KOLKATA,:: The West Bengal Police on Friday raided six unauthorised
> > private radio stations operating on Prasar Bharati frequencies in
> > various pockets of South 24 Parganas, following a tip-off from
 amateur
> > radio operators.
> >
> > Related Stories
> >
> > Govt, Todi want CBI report, HC asks them to file affidavits
 firstBloc,
> > CPM hold meetingNo books by Taslima at fair, says Muslim bodyFormer
> > top cop gets clean chit in CBI reportLeft allies warn CPM on single
> > party diktat
> > Ad Links
> >
> > Indian Express West Bengal Radio Stations
> >
> > "We raided and dismantled six radio stations and arrested four
 youths
> > who had been running them for some time," said SP (South 24
 Parganas)
> > Praveen Kumar. The stations had been operating under names like
 Nagraj
> > Betar Kendra, Ma Bishalakkhi and Ma Kali Asthayi Betar Kendra. A
 large
> > number of music CDs, DVDs and microphones as well as six radio
> > transmitters were seized from these offices. Anukul Shaw, Shanatan
> > Jana, Srikanta Pramanik and Gaur Chandra Maity, who have been
> > arrested, are all in their twenties.
> >
> > A year back, amateur HAM radio operators had warned the monitoring
> > station at Gopalpur in South 24 Parganas about the unauthorised
 radio
> > stations. The monitoring station is under the jurisdiction of the
> > Wireless Planning and Co-ordination of Department of
 Communications,
> > GoI. Though a formal complaint was lodged with the police last
 year,
> > it had been difficult to locate the base stations. The makeshift
> > stations were operating on local made transmitters. The operators
 in
> > Sagar were making money by airing local ads. The unauthorised radio
> > broadcasts often suppress Prasar Bharati signals as the
 transmitters
> > are quite powerful within a radius of five to seven km.
> > --
> > Frederick Noronha http://fn.goa-india.org Ph +91-832-2409490
> > Links from Goa: http://goalinks.livejournal.com/
> >
> > YOU CAN SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY RADIO FORUM (India) BY JOINING AND
 TAKING
> > AN ACTIVE PART IN ONE OF THESE NETWORKS
> >
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-awareness   (Awareness
 building)
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-helpdesk (Offering help)
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-policy-advocacy (Policy
 advocacy)
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-techoptions (Technical
 options)
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > cr-india mailing list
> > cr-india at sarai.net
> > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/cr-india
> >
> >
> >
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> >
> >
> >
> > YOU CAN SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY RADIO FORUM (India) BY JOINING AND
 TAKING
> > AN ACTIVE PART IN ONE OF THESE NETWORKS
> >
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-awareness  (Awareness
 building)
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-helpdesk (Offering help)
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-policy-advocacy (Policy
 advocacy)
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-techoptions (Technical
 options)
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > cr-india mailing list
> > cr-india at sarai.net
> > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/cr-india
> >
> >
>
>
> --
> Frederick Noronha http://fn.goa-india.org Ph +91-832-2409490
> Links from Goa: http://goalinks.livejournal.com/
>
> Campaign for real beauty : watch this film. Talk to your daughter
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>
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>
> YOU CAN SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY RADIO FORUM (India) BY JOINING AND
 TAKING AN
> ACTIVE PART IN ONE OF THESE NETWORKS
>
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-awareness  (Awareness building)
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-helpdesk (Offering help)
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-policy-advocacy (Policy
 advocacy)
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-techoptions (Technical options)
>
> _______________________________________________
> cr-india mailing list
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> https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/cr-india
>
>

-----Inline Attachment Follows-----

YOU CAN SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY RADIO FORUM (India) BY JOINING AND TAKING
 AN ACTIVE PART IN ONE OF THESE NETWORKS

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-awareness  (Awareness building)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-helpdesk (Offering help)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-policy-advocacy (Policy advocacy)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-techoptions (Technical options)

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