[cr-india] Radio Jamia helps maintain calm during Delhi encounter

[sajan venniyoor]

Radio Jamia plea helped maintain calm in area
20 Sep 2008, TNN
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Delhi/Radio_Jamia_plea_helped_maintain_calm_in_area/articleshow/3504986.cms

NEW DELHI: On Friday noon Radio Jamia 90.4 FM went on air, presenting an
altogether new face of FM radio in the Capital.

As the confusion over the police-terrorist encounter in Jamia Nagar
continued, this community radio run by the AJK Mass Communication Research
Centre of Jamia Millia Islamia University appealed to people to maintain
calm and restraint. This is probably the reason why the university and its
adjoining areas remained completely peaceful and people went on with their
regular Friday prayer despite an encounter next door.

Immediately after the news broke about the encounter, the radio station
which was playing recorded programmes and was about to shut shop for Friday
namaaz, came alive with its volunteers, taking stock of ground zero and
going live on air. Its anchor Arfa, a PhD scholar in political science,
announced, ''From time to time these anti-social forces try to create
disruption in our society. We need to be united and fight these forces. What
happened here today is not related to any religion or creed. We want to tell
you that this issue is between police and anti-social elements. Dear
listener, you should stay indoors at this hour.

Don't believe in rumours, there is no danger to you.'' Speaking about her
experience, Arfa said that she came to volunteer as it gave her a chance to
serve the society.

G R Syed, reader and in-charge of Radio Jamia, told TOI: ''Being a community
radio we have social responsibility. We keep airing programmes on dengue,
malaria, AIDS and even of probable disasters like earthquake. But this is a
new situation and in such a scenario rumours can create tension. If anything
happens within the 10 km radius we flash public messages urging people to
keep their calm, think sensibly and also provide them with information if
possible so as to avoid any deterioration of the situation. We have sent our
volunteers to get the actual picture from the police, which we will
disseminate among listeners later as the situation gets better.

Radio Jamia, which was launched in 2005, repeated the appeal till four in
the evening in between its regular programmes.
(manash.gohain at timesgroup.com)
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Jamia FM provides yeoman service during Delhi encounters
RnM Team, 20 Sep 08
http://www.radioandmusic.com/content/editorial/news/jamia-fm-provides-yeoman-service-during-delhi-encounters

MUMBAI: Community radio station Jamia 90.4 FM played an important role in
maintaining harmony in a tense atmosphere during the terrorist encounters in
Delhi on 19 September.

This community radio station, started in 2005, is run by the AJK Mass
Communication Research Centre of Jamia Millia Islamia University. The
station turned out to be one of the reasons why the university adjoining the
area remained completely peaceful and the Friday prayers were peacefully
carried out inspite of the chaos that happened next door.

The radio station started airing information about the happenings around
noon with its volunteers sent out to monitor the happenings in the area. The
radio station came into action from 12 pm and continued to carry the updates
till 5 pm.

"There was a lot of chaos after the encounter. Many rumors and other talks
had scared the common people. People who were on field tried to calm the
audience but, they were barely listening. We had the advantage of the
community radio and we wanted to make the maximum use of it. College
students were our prime target as it is very difficult to calm down college
rumors," says Radio Jamia in-charge Dr G R Syed.

The radio station had stopped airing the regular recorded programs and aired
updates even about the various road block and transportation problems that
existed in specific area.

Its anchor Arfa, a PhD scholar in political science, said, "From time to
time these anti-social forces try to create disruption in our society. We
need to be united and fight these forces. What happened here today is not
related to any religion or creed. We want to tell you that this issue is
between police and anti-social elements. Dear listener, you should stay
indoors at this hour."

The radio station could maintain some peace amongst its listeners till its
10 km diameter.
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