[cr-india] cr-india Digest, Vol 106, Issue 22

Fri Jan 31 23:21:02 CST 2014

Thanks to Dr. Sreedher for pointing out that Alternative for India
Development (AID) in Jharkhand was one of the early entrants into the CR
sector. We at University of Hyderabad did conduct some research over a
period of five years on their *Chala ho Gaon Mein *programme, which used to
be broadcast on AIR Daltonganj. An article based on that research was
published in *Economic & Political Weekly *(Vol.XXXVIII, No.22, May
31, 2003<http://www.epw.in/special-articles/building-solidarities.html>)
and incorporated in our book, *Other Voices: the struggle for Community
Radio in India*, 2007.  Some of that early work by AID, along with that of
others not only helped demonstrate the possibilities of community radio,
but also provided ammunition to advocacy efforts for opening the airwaves.
Five years later, on the request of National Foundation for India (NFI), we
did another study and submitted a more critical report, highlighting the
dilution of some of the original goals of the programme, the decline in
community participation because of ambitions to 'scale-up' operations, and
the dropping off of many women community reporters, etc. We have been
discussing these findings in various writings and presentations that we did
over the years. If someone is interested in the full report, we should be
able to find it.

Subsequently, like everyone, we too have heard that AID got a license for a
CR station, *Vikalp Radio* based out of the technical college in Meral,
Garhwa district.  I wouldn't use terms like 'absconding', but since then,
one has not been hearing much about the station and its activities. If I am
not wrong, some of our colleagues in the CR sector did some work with them
in the early days of the new station. May be they have more information.

Of course, since then, the Home Ministry has been reluctant to clear
license applications from Jharkhand and other so-called 'troubled areas'.
 Many of us have been arguing that access to airwaves in such regions
should be seen as another development measure by the state, just as laying
of roads and highways, provision of drinking water, setting up of primary
health centres and schools, and, more recently, erection of mobile phone
towers (Minister Ramesh has been a big advocate of this) are often
mentioned as developmental antidote to extremist violence.  That is the
reason why we should see the recent issuing of letters of intent by MIB to
some applicants in these regions as significant and to be welcomed. I do
hope, though, that the WPC wing of the MoCIT would similarly oblige in
reasonable time and allow these stations to become a reality.

It goes without saying that once these stations actually go on air,
vigilant observers and advocates like Dr. Sreedher should keep a close
watch and alert us to any aberrations.

best,
Vinod

On Sat, Feb 1, 2014 at 6:20 AM, Sreedher <r.sreedher at gmail.com> wrote:

> Everyone has forgotten that there is a radio station supported by aid
> india ie alternate india for development got a license , cleared SACFA and
> also signed GOPA and stared functioning in Jharkhand . Since international
> funding stopped, it's promoters are absconding from the scene. It was one
> of those ideal cr stations which began broadcasting through AIR before the
> CR policy was announced.  Hope CRF and UNESCo chair finds out the truth and
> relaunch the same since their efforts were used to be compared with DDS ,
> Voices, and kutch .
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On 31-Jan-2014, at 11:30 pm, cr-india-request at mail.sarai.net wrote:
> >
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> > than "Re: Contents of cr-india digest..."
> >
> >
> > Today's Topics:
> >
> >   1. Re:  Radio gaga in red hubs" - The Telegraph, 24 Jan
> >      (sajan venniyoor)
> >
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Message: 1
> > Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2014 23:28:07 +0530
> > From: sajan venniyoor <venniyoor at gmail.com>
> > To: James Madurai <pardmadurai at hotmail.com>
> > Cc: Ram Bhat <ram at maraa.in>, "cr-india at sarai.net" <cr-india at sarai.net>
> > Subject: Re: [cr-india] Radio gaga in red hubs" - The Telegraph, 24
> >    Jan
> > Message-ID:
> >    <CA+2EU71z91cm6cNwisn=OQ431KKUEqLeimUd4TyC=9g5hTO5pw at mail.gmail.com>
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
> >
> >> On 30 January 2014 21:26, James Madurai <pardmadurai at hotmail.com>
> wrote:
> >>
> >> I cannot understand the word issued licenses for Community Radio
> Stations.
> >> I wonder whether it mean that 463 LOI is issued? Is there any brake up
> >> available regarding the other stages.
> >
> > According to the I&B Ministry, the status of CR licensing as on
> 01.12.2013
> > was:
> >
> >   1. No. of applications received from 2004 to 01.12.2013: 1277
> >   2. Letters of Intent (LOI) issued: 438
> >   3. Grant of Permission of Agreement(GOPA) signed: 194
> >   4. Operational Community Radio Stations: 161
> >   5. Number of applications rejected: 616
> >   6. Applications under process: 223
> >
> > I assume the number of LoIs has now gone up to 463.
> >
> > Manthan Yuva Sansthan, which continues to be on the Ministry's list of
> > rejected CR applications<
> http://mib.nic.in/WriteReadData/documents/Rejected_1.12.13.pdf>,
> > deserves a round of applause for its LoI. (Never has someone gone so
> > quickly from cold rejection to warm embrace outside a Bollywood film).
> Some
> > five years ago, theirs was among the ten CR applications approved by MIB,
> > Defence and WPC, but rejected by the Home Ministry. *Down to Earth
> > *magazine reported
> > an I&B official as saying that, when the Inter-Ministry Committee on CR
> met
> > to clear these and other CR applications, "The home ministry
> representative
> > produced an Intelligence Bureau (IB) report that said Naxalite activity
> in
> > Jharkhand was at its peak and controlling or combating Naxalism in the
> > state had gone beyond control. Under such circumstances permission for
> > community radio stations might intensify their movement. Thus, all the 10
> > applications were rejected." *("Jharkhand's Voices Crushed
> > <http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/jharkhand-s-voices-crushed>",
> Down
> > to Earth, 31 Jan 2011)*
> >
> > While a few of the new LoI holders from the 'red corridor' are bound to
> be
> > educational institutions (like the Central University of Jharkhand), I
> > doubt if all the NGOs are "government agencies functioning as NGOs". I am
> > sure some of them are genuinely community based, and we should support
> > them.
> >
> > I feel sorry for all those organizations whose CR applications were
> > rejected by the ironically named Intelligence Bureau over the years. On
> > being told that their freedom of expression was a threat to national
> > security, most of them must have lost heart (and Rs.2500) and given up
> the
> > fight. I hope the government's sudden change of heart inspires at least
> > some of them to revive their CR applications.
> >
> > Sajan
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------
> >> From: ram at maraa.in
> >> Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2014 19:15:43 +0530
> >> To: venniyoor at gmail.com
> >> CC: cr-india at sarai.net
> >> Subject: Re: [cr-india] "Radio gaga in red hubs" - The Telegraph, 24 Jan
> >>
> >> Thanks for sharing this Sajan.
> >> I like how the article says, "So far, the I&B ministry has issued 463
> >> licences for community radio stations across the country. Of these, 161
> are
> >> functional."
> >> Not quite the real picture, is it?
> >> Finally the red corridor does seem to be opening up, although we don't
> >> know to whom they are opening up for, exactly.
> >> For starters, we should investigate who exactly has obtained licenses -
> >> whether they are universities, NGOs or government agencies functioning
> as
> >> NGOs.
> >> If they are indeed community based groups, then we should also think of
> >> supporting these stations in terms of how they can work actively towards
> >> engaging with conflict, and the underlying issues which have lead to/are
> >> leading to conflict. Perhaps this is something that CRF can actively
> >> consider as a priority. Some research work around analyzing their
> >> functioning - challenges, content, participation etc would also be very
> >> valuable in the long run.
> >>
> >> best,
> >>
> >>
> >> ---
> >> Ram
> >>
> >>
> >> On Thu, Jan 30, 2014 at 3:45 PM, sajan venniyoor <venniyoor at gmail.com
> >wrote:
> >>
> >> Radio gaga in red hubs<
> http://www.telegraphindia.com/1140124/jsp/frontpage/story_17858981.jsp> -
> >> 2 of 9 new stations in Jharkhand
> >> Sumi Sukanya | The Telegraph | 24 Jan 2014
> >>
> >> New Delhi, Jan. 23: The Centre has given up its earlier apprehensions
> and
> >> finally agreed to set up community radio stations in some of the most
> >> notorious red-corridors to give voice to those living in these
> Naxalite-hit
> >> regions.
> >>
> >> Nine such radio stations are expected to come up in Jharkhand and
> >> Chhattisgarh in the next few months, the first one in Bastar, a Maoist
> >> bastion in the neighbouring state.
> >>
> >> For Jharkhand, the information and broadcasting ministry has cleared two
> >> community radio centres in Ranchi -- one to be run by Central
> University in
> >> Brambe and another by NGO Manthan Yuva Sangsthan which works among
> youths
> >> to promote rural development and art and culture.
> >>
> >> Chhattisgarh will have seven radio stations -- two in capital Raipur,
> one
> >> each in Ambikapur and Bilaspur, one each in Jagdalpur (Bastar district),
> >> Bishrampur (Surajpur) and Bhilainagar (Durg).
> >>
> >> While an inter-ministerial committee headed by I&B secretary Bimal Julka
> >> cleared the stations, approvals of the ministries of home affairs,
> telecom
> >> and defence have also come in.
> >>
> >> "The idea is to involve people more actively with panchayat level
> >> administration and day-to-day activities," I&B secretary Bimal Julka
> told
> >> The Telegraph.
> >>
> >> "The community radio in insurgency-hit areas will help in quick
> >> dissemination of information, especially decisions taken by local
> >> panchayats," said Julka, who headed an inter-ministerial committee that
> >> cleared the stations after which ministries of home affairs, telecom and
> >> defence okayed the move.
> >>
> >> So far, the I&B ministry has issued 463 licences for community radio
> >> stations across the country. Of these, 161 are functional.
> >>
> >> Around 93 are run by educational institutions, 57 by NGOs and 11 by
> Krishi
> >> Vigyan Kendras.
> >>
> >> Julka said prior to this, the Union home ministry had not cleared
> >> community radio stations for Naxalite areas, its reservations centred
> >> around effective usage.
> >>
> >> Most of all, officials were concerned about the possibility of community
> >> radio stations being taken over by anti-socials or even Naxalites and
> used
> >> to spread misinformation. The government, they felt, lacked resources to
> >> monitor these stations. But over time, many have veered around the
> opinion
> >> that benefits of local radio outweighed such apprehensions and,
> therefore,
> >> such community initiatives needed to be encouraged.
> >>
> >> In Jharkhand, for instance, Birsa Agricultural University runs Radio
> >> Hariyali broadcasting useful tips and information for farmers for the
> last
> >> 10 years. "The decision is expected to provide a platform for deprived
> and
> >> tethered populations. Before this, no permissions were given for
> community
> >> radio stations in areas affected by Left-wing extremism," Julka
> explained.
> >>
> >> The I&B ministry feels the move would step up community participation as
> >> the process of granting licences was rigorous enough to ensure that
> genuine
> >> organisations were the beneficiaries.
> >>
> >> *Source:
> http://www.telegraphindia.com/1140124/jsp/frontpage/story_17858981.jsp
> >> <http://www.telegraphindia.com/1140124/jsp/frontpage/story_17858981.jsp
> >*
> >>
> >> Join the Community Radio Forum. For membership details, please go to
> >> www.crforum.in
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Join the Community Radio Forum. For membership details, please go to
> >> www.crforum.in
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> > End of cr-india Digest, Vol 106, Issue 22
> > *****************************************
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>

-- 
Dr. Vinod Pavarala
Professor of Communication &
UNESCO Chair on Community Media
Sarojini Naidu School of Arts & Communication
University of Hyderabad
Gachibowli, Hyderabad 500046
Phone: +91-40-23135501/23011553
http://www.commuoh.in/
http://www.uccommedia.in/
http://www.communityradioindia.org/
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