[cr-india] "CRS adopt mobile technology to drive social change"

[Suman]

Dear Ram, 

Dear Sajan, 

 

Thanks to you both for initiating the discussion. I wish to request you to
answer the following to help me understand the matter clearly: 

 

Can mobile telephone be a way for CR stations to increase listeners without
jeopardizing existing listenership? And if the answer is yes then should a
CRS not pursue this irrespective of the fact that mobile telephone users can
by themselves be seen as a community? 

 

Secondly, how does the technology work, briefly? What is the basic of
linking a CRS to mobile telephone service and what costs are involved
(taking India as a case)? 

 

Thanks a lot and warmest regards, Suman, Kathmandu 

 

 

From: cr-india [mailto:cr-india-bounces at mail.sarai.net] On Behalf Of ram
bhat
Sent: Tuesday, May 14, 2013 1:45 PM
To: sajan venniyoor
Cc: CR India
Subject: Re: [cr-india] "CRS adopt mobile technology to drive social change"

 

Thanks Sajan for this link.

There is no doubt that mobile telephony can benefit CRS

 

Two things come to mind:

 

1) Use of mobile phones can produce certain kinds of communities, and give
the CRS an illusion that mobile phone owners are the community, whereas in
reality, there may be some who are marginalized who may not own a mobile
phone. Often there may be those who own a mobile phone but cannot access it,
e.g. women.

 

2) In terms of spectrum, CRS has successfully struggled to gain free
spectrum in the FM band, citing the 1995 judgment. However, for some strange
reason, we don't think that the same spectrum extends to mobile telephony,
and we're perfectly happy to pay private or public service providers for
telephony use, even though the purpose of that spectrum usage is the same as
that of CR - public interest/community development. When P.B Sawant said
airwaves are public property, he didn't mean FM, he meant airwaves - which,
assuredly, includes mobile telephony spectrum, not to mention, wireless
internet spectrum - 3G and the forthcoming 4G spectrum.

 

best,




Ram

 

On Tue, May 14, 2013 at 10:37 AM, sajan venniyoor <venniyoor at gmail.com>
wrote:


CRS adopt mobile technology to drive social change
<http://www.radioandmusic.com/content/editorial/news/crs-adopt-mobile-techno
logy-drive-social-change> 
www.radioandmusic.com | 13 May 2013


MUMBAI: Community Radio stations in remote areas have started exploring the
mobile technology to empower reach among their limited audience. This
technology is seen as a powerful tool to spread awareness.

Speaking with Radioandmusic.com, Community Radio Association vice-president
NA Shah Ansari said, "Radio Namaskar had started an innovative programme
'Chala School Ku Jiba' (let us go to school) to reduce student dropout in
the schools of its coverage area. It is the first community radio of Odisha
to integrate mobile technology with community radio. Mobile technology is
changing and has strength to bring social change. It is the need of the
hour."

In remote areas like Konark, there is about 95 per cent reach. Ansari
highlighted, "In our campus, we have more than 100 per cent use of mobile as
people have started using two phones at one time. We have witnessed around
200 listeners."

Currently, Radio Namaskar is using mobile technology to create awareness
about the Public distribution schemes (PDS) among its community. "In my
community, people are aware about their rights because of mobile technology
that we have integrated. People are well versed, informed and are satisfied
about it which allows them to express their grievances, Ansari
said.Moreover, the integration has also increased listenership. Ansari
added, "We have about 10-20 calls every day for PDS grievances alone. The
grievances we receive through people are compiled into a program by us or we
directly send it to administration to address it or get them answered for
the people."

Recently, Ansari had addressed the National Consultation on use of mobile
phones for social and behaviour change at New Delhi highlighting the mobile
technology. This consultation was organised by UNICEF and Digital
Empowerment Foundation that aims to  reflect on the reach, access, use and
potential of mobile phones amongst the users, including women and
adolescents and to understand some of the unique programmes being
implemented using mobile phones for social and behavior change for
information/knowledge dissemination, monitoring, support to frontline
workers and interpersonal communication. 

 

Source:
http://www.radioandmusic.com/content/editorial/news/crs-adopt-mobile-technol
ogy-drive-social-change


Join the Community Radio Forum. For membership details, please go to
www.crforum.in

 

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