[cr-india] Bol Hyderabad in The Hindu

[Vinod Pavarala]

[image: the hindu logo.jpg]

  Today's Paper » FEATURES » METRO PLUS
   November 8, 2011
Community bonding Neeraja Murthy

 *In focus It's two-and-half-months since Bol Hyderabad, a campus-based
community radio station has hit Hyderabad's airwaves. Now, to scale up its
visibility, new shows are in the offing, reports Neeraja Murthy*
 [image: Let's ‘bajao' Fun continues on the airwaves Photo: Neeraja Murthy]
 *Let's ‘bajao' Fun continues on the airwaves *Photo: Neeraja Murthy


With a fascination to know what the future has in store for them, many turn
to astrology to get predictions. And, ‘Gastrology' would be?? The name is
self-explanatory – it is a spoof on astrology. ‘Ringa Ringa' is a not a
chartbuster from *Arya 2* but a show riding high on the airwaves. ‘Shehar
Ke Mashoor Adde' is a roller coaster ride and as you travel in ‘Alibhai's
Auto', Shwetha will tell you about ‘apna' Hyderabad in ‘apna' Hyderabadi
language! In ‘Woh Kal Iss Pal' you travel back in time to enjoy the old
Hindi melodies.

It's two-and-half-months since Bol Hyderabad (90.4 FM), a campus-based
community radio station has hit Hyderabad's airwaves and quirky characters
have been let out of the box.

At Department of Communication, S.N. School, University of Hyderabad, a
‘radio meeting' is on between the students and Vinod Pavarala, professor of
communication and Dean, Sarojini Naidu School of Communication and faculty
member Usha Raman. The meeting is to introduce the new programme schedule
(which started from November 6) and scale up the radio station's visibility.

*New Shows*

  * *

   - ‘The Poetry Mohalla’ hosted by Sridala Swami will feature contemporary
   and classical poetry and discussion around it.


   - ‘Caught in Passing’ features a series of distinguished visitors to the
   campus in conversation with faculty members.


   - ‘Book Talk’ is a show on books and authors.





*Online Transmission*

* *

Bol Hyderabad covers a 15 km radius of air space around the campus and also
does live (online) transmission (
http://snscomm.uohyd.ernet.in/bolhyd/listen_lilve/listen_live.html) of its
programmes.

**

"Bol Hyderabad caters to all groups and our aim is to involve the
community. We want to plug in the community around and involve them not
just as listeners. Let them be part of radio production,” says Vinod
Pavarala. He wants Bol Hyderabad to be on the lines of MUST radio, a
community-based radio station initiated by Mumbai University. “It's quite
interesting to see the way the community has come forward to be part of the
radio there. A school teacher brings in some students with her to record a
programme. On weekends, an advertising executive transforms into a radio
jockey. We want to build that culture here. We want people to take
ownership, come, produce and deliver,” he says. Usha Raman says the
programming code with a list of don'ts is followed.

We drop in at Bol Hyderabad's recording room during one of its electrifying
moments. The boys and girls spread around a table and once the conversation
starts, the students cheer ‘bajao' and there is fun all around.

Rajkumar, who hosts ‘Meri Marzi' a request-based music show gushes how he
enjoys his newfound celebrity status.

“Thanks to the show, I have met around 1000 students on the campus. Now,
they invite me to their birthday parties,” he says with a smile. Srinivas,
who is popular for his funny and cheeky takes, is one of the ‘Alarms of
Hyderabad' on his morning show. Rajesh and Abhishek say doing the
unexpected sometimes has helped them in being a tad more spontaneous.
However, the students say it is not just mindless fun as they take up
issues too albeit in a smart way. Bol Hyderabad promises to keep you hooked
to the radio with more music, local flavour and fun.

Are you ready to go ga ga??

* ‘We want to plug in the community around and involve them not just as
listeners'
*




 --
Prof. Vinod Pavarala
Dean, Sarojini Naidu School of Arts & Communication &
Director, Office of International Affairs
University of Hyderabad
Gachibowli, Hyderabad 500046
Phone: (School) +91-40-23135500/23011553; (International) +91-40-23134041
http://tinyurl.com/dofcomm
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