[cr-india] CR workshop in Chennai at Loyola College

[sajan venniyoor]

[Thanks to Arti Jaiman for this link]

A story in The Hindu on a state-level CR workshop at Loyola College,
supported by UNICEF.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/article3821035.ece

*Community radio: giving a localised touch
*R. Keerthana | The Hindu | 25 Aug 2012

People Studies, Loyola College and UNICEF, jointly organised a two-day
State level workshop-cum-consultation on women, children and community
radio in Loyola College, Nungambakkam, from August 10. Representatives from
as many as 20 community radio stations and five to-be-launched stations
from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Pondicherry participated. Minister for Social
Welfare, B. Valarmathi, inaugurated the workshop.

The workshop was undertaken to bring the community radio stations together
to share their experiences in developing innovative programmes and discuss
the strategies for sustainability with the participation of the people.

The participants shared the success stories of their programmes with
special focus on women and children. Jamila of Anna FM explained how their
programme, ‘Magalir Neram,’ created an awareness on health and hygiene
among women. “Women enthusiastically call up to get advice from doctors or
experts available in the radio station,” she said. The station conducted
survey on the health condition in the community it caters to and found that
many of them do not have the basic knowledge of cause, symptom and
treatment for common diseases. They tailor-made the programme accordingly
and now 10 women members from the community are designing and presenting
programmes on related subjects. “Participatory development is a success,”
she said, as many women have taken to self-employment after their
programmes. The programmes also focus on children and transgenders.

On the first day, there was a special programme with underprivileged
children anchored by TV artist Maggie, which was aired the next day in
Loyola FM. Alex Parimalam, Co-convener of the event, said that the event
was aimed at providing a platform for mutual learning. In the two-day
event, the participants identified common issues and ways to solve them.
They also focussed their discussion on topics on which programmes could be
presented, challenges of running the stations and on how to make the
initiative more meaningful by understanding the needs and talents of the
community as well as by participating them in communication.

The success stories would help them realise the power to communicate and
the confidence to bring in change through the alternate media.

A speaker said that the concept of public broadcasting received a fillip
when community radio was brought in to give radio a more localised touch
creating it as a tool for change. Community radios can serve local
communities, more precisely, the marginalised sections among them. B. Rabi
Bernard, MP (Rajya Sabha) was the guest of honour for the valedictory
function.

Most of the community radio stations are managed by educational
institutions and some by non-government organisations. The reach of these
radios vary from 10 kilometres to 50 kilometres. The programmes are
prepared with the involvement of the students and community members on the
issues relevant to the community.
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