[cr-india] {CRF India} Re: Centre sends right signal to the Cuddalore’s flood-affected

[osama manzar]

Dr Sreesher JI

Namaskar

As I was reading your entire mail and its intimate story telling and felt
like what a script it would be if someone would make a movie out of it.

Love

Osama

On Monday 14 December 2015, sreedher ramamurthy <r.sreedher at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Let me clarify my thoughts and also answer some of Vinod's observation
>
> 1. UNESCO was the pioneer in community radio in the world and had some
> models which they wanted to try in India.
> 2. In 2002 they tried to start the Pasteur Radio by giving a transmitter
> and AIR engineers helped to set up the transmitter . The WPC cried foul
> play and stopped the transmission. UNESCO did not follow the rules
> regarding import of transmitter
> 3. UNESCO helped to develop the CR by narrow casting and DDS, Voices,
> Jharkhand, and Kutch were examples. Thousands of dollars poured into these
> experiments .Today when the CR licenses have been issued all four got the
> licenses , one did not launch and other three are not at all examples of
> sustainable radio stations. With the national media support , they have got
> enough publicity and credits . The electronic media friends helped them to
> get world wide coverage. But in India they stand nowhere in taking the
> moment forward.
> 4. UNESCO was for policies and guidelines, ethics etc and when I tried to
> roping UNICEF in 2006 it had complete resistance from UNESCO . Of course
> UNESCO was being advised by 10 wise men from our country.  The difference
> between UNESCO and UNICEF is the latter uses Indian governments money and
>  only administer them by offering technical guidance and advice. But the
> UNICEF model of a CR costs more than a crore of rupees for setting up a
> station and nurturing it for five years through highly paid consultants
> whose fee might be several times more than the cost of setting up of the
> station.
> 5. When CEMCA which is not a bilateral or a multilateral agency, but an
> inter-governmental agency  entered the sector , i came into direct line
> fire from all the CR activists. They wrote letters to the ministry, wrote
> unparliamentary language against me, to scuttle. CEMCA uses indian money,
> indian governments money, did not charge any consultancy or fee for its own
> staff, and reinvested  the institutional charges back to the same sector.
> But CEMCA never offered transmitters or hardware. CEMCA never imposed its
> own model.
>
> I know when the National consultation was held in 2010 in IIMC, CEMCA
> tried to join. I know the humiliation i and my then vice president and
> todays president an Indian woman Prof Asha Kanwar had to face in that
> consultation. While CEMCA was doing work at the ground level, they had
> invited a person  from Vancouver who was a friend to most of the
> organizers, to address them at the consultation. Not even a word about
> CEMCA even at the time of vote of thanks . Now I am happy Vinod is
> including the name of CEMCA along with international agencies, may be
> because he is in the advisory board of CEMCA. May be i am wrong and may be
> pardoned for the comment
>
> 6. Once I left CEMCA , the same 10 wise men started advising the new
> director, joined him in new projects which funded their outfits, and saw to
> that CEMCA exited from the CR scene.
> 7. One world Foundation is a multilateral agency - and we know what is
> happening to CR sector workshops and sampans. Less said is better.
> 8.When a disaster strikes, the first few days will see immense
> humanitarian work and the relief materials will reach some of the affected.
> As days go by, politicians, aid agencies will come with lots of  money with
> stickers of their leaders or organizations . If UNESCo gives aid, it has to
> be acknowledged in each and every document. They get undue publicity . They
> come with a specific model, specific ethics and guidelines to run the
> station. Often these reflect a particular school of thought nearing the
> borders of some political parties.
> 9. My only contention is setting up of a CR station provided the license
> is given, is not  rocket science and is not that costly compared to
> disaster relief efforts. Help them to get a license. Send a locally made
> equipment with one of the nearby CR staff and launch the station. In this
> case why BECIL , we could have gone to Hemant.
> 10. Granting temporary WPC clearance is a well known procedure existing
> from 1865 telegraph act. Only thing is that it must be applied by an Indian
> organization .
> 11.Let us use bilateral, multilateral agencies for policy updates by the
> government, and not for grass root level activities.
> 12. In this case while Delhi and Bengalru CR activists were involved, who
> prevented them to contact James, Sherley or any other nearby CR station to
> rush with volunteers to help them
> 13. The people who helped Cuddalore did a marvelous job but while doing so
> they did not think of anyone else except who are closer to them.
> 14. It is unfortunate that I am away from the country, otherwise I would
> have been the first person to rush, mobilise local volunteers and launch
> the station with least delay
> 15.. Let us use this occasion to train all our CR station staff on
> disaster management and communication. May be that we devote a whole day in
> the next sampan to discuss case studies, experiences and guidelines instead
> wasting time and money. Of course, the way in which i am being treated, i
> have no hope of being in it anymore. But hope our friends will take it
> forward. Let us use foreign money and expertise in developing the capacity
> of all i repeat all CR stations to face disasters
>
> sreedher
>
>
>
>
> Dr. R. Sreedher
> Media expert and Community Radio Practitioner
> Emeritus Professor Apeejay Stya University, Sohna India
> B 1/ 43 Hauz Khas
> New Delhi 110016
> Phone: +91 *9810778459*
>
>
>
> On 14 December 2015 at 05:40, Vinod Pavarala <vpavarala at gmail.com
> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','vpavarala at gmail.com');>> wrote:
>
>> With all due respect, I think the policy about refusing foreign aid
>> during national calamities refers to bilateral aid.  Over the years,
>> various high-ranking government officials have gone on record asking for
>> loans from multilateral agencies such as the World Bank and ADB to rebuild
>> disaster-hit areas of the country.
>>
>> But, at a larger level, in terms of support to the CR sector generally,
>> some of the organizations that have played a significant role in its growth
>> in the country include: CEMCA, Ford Foundation, UNESCO, and UNICEF.  Out of
>> these, FF as a foundation is described, perhaps, as an INGO, while the
>> others are multilateral agencies of which India is a full member-partner.
>> And, from what I understand, CEMCA was set up through an agreement between
>> GoI and COL. If CEMCA has been able to do such good work to support CR in
>> India over the years despite its 'international' tag, I don't see any
>> reason why that tag should be thrown at UN agencies and argue against their
>> involvement in community radio in India.  Let us just go beyond
>> name-calling of organizations such as the ones I mentioned and get on with
>> our work. If radio stations have been benefiting from their association
>> with these agencies, there's no reason to thwart that now in the name of
>> some misplaced or misdirected nationalism.
>>
>> Of course, this is all independent of the fact that Government of India
>> has no qualms about seeking public or private funding from other countries
>> for a variety of their pet projects.  Japanese aid to the new bullet train
>> project is a case in point!
>>
>> best,
>> Vinod
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Thu, Dec 10, 2015 at 5:46 PM, sreedher ramamurthy <
>> r.sreedher at gmail.com
>> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','r.sreedher at gmail.com');>> wrote:
>>
>>> The Govt of India whether it is UPA or NDA has taken a policy decision
>>> that it will not encourage foreign aid during national calamities. It is
>>> the army, navy, airforce, ndrf which manages these calamities.
>>>
>>> When people wanted to set up a CR station with UNESCO assistance, the
>>> govt did not give permission. But when an Indian organization offers to run
>>> a station with an Indian company giving technical support,  the approval
>>> was given r fast. In fact such temporary licenses are known in Cr sector ,
>>> first Anna university, then at Guwahati and later at Port Blair.  WPC has
>>> been giving temporary licenses. It is a very simple procedure. It hurts
>>> when foreign donors or organizations poke their nose.
>>>
>>> sreedher
>>>
>>> Dr. R. Sreedher
>>> Media expert and Community Radio Practitioner
>>> Emeritus Professor Apeejay Stya University, Sohna India
>>> B 1/ 43 Hauz Khas
>>> New Delhi 110016
>>> Phone: +91 *9810778459 <9810778459>*
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 10 December 2015 at 07:11, sreedher ramamurthy <r.sreedher at gmail.com
>>> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','r.sreedher at gmail.com');>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Don't claim astronomical credits to CR Forum. It is to the credit of
>>>> Tamilnadu government, and Nelson who was interested in community radio
>>>> right from 2004 and to the WPC. At the most CR forum might have played a
>>>> supplementary role. This is what irritates people. The cause is more
>>>> important than the person.  What is the difference between amma, AIDMK,
>>>> Kalignar DMK , BJP , Congress and CRF ? Are we taking the same path as
>>>> politicians by pasting stickers for some donations given by unknown people?
>>>> What is the difference between pasting amma stickers and claiming it as her
>>>> effort, and CRF claiming it as its success. Where is CRF all these days?
>>>> What is the legal standing of CRF? I am a member and i don't know whether
>>>> any General body meeting was ever held for the past three days? What are
>>>> its activities? Have they submitted their mandatory reports like annual
>>>> report and financial statement to the Registrar of Societies? When it is
>>>> now illegal entity and claiming its success is a mockery of the whole
>>>> system.
>>>>
>>>> Dr. R. Sreedher
>>>> Media expert and Community Radio Practitioner
>>>> Emeritus Professor Apeejay Stya University, Sohna India
>>>> B 1/ 43 Hauz Khas
>>>> New Delhi 110016
>>>> Phone: +91 *9810778459 <9810778459>*
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On 10 December 2015 at 03:17, Arti Jaiman <arti at trfindia.org
>>>> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','arti at trfindia.org');>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> An achievement CR Forum and the entire CR sector should be proud of.
>>>>>
>>>>> More power to radio.
>>>>>
>>>>> Arti
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Sent from a phone. Please ignore typos.
>>>>>
>>>>> On Thu, 10 Dec, 2015 at 12:16, Sajan Venniyoor
>>>>> <venniyoor at gmail.com
>>>>> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','venniyoor at gmail.com');>> wrote:
>>>>> [*Thanks to Jean Parker for this link
>>>>> <http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/centre-sends-right-signal-to-the-cuddalores-floodaffected/article7967369.ece?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS_Syndication>*
>>>>> ]
>>>>>
>>>>> Centre sends right signal to the Cuddalore’s flood-affected
>>>>> <http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/centre-sends-right-signal-to-the-cuddalores-floodaffected/article7967369.ece?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS_Syndication>Makeshift
>>>>> radio station set up in Cuddalore within five days of receiving SOS from
>>>>> Chennai.
>>>>>
>>>>> As the focus shifts to relief and rehabilitation in rain-ravaged
>>>>> Chennai, it is perhaps the first time that the Central government has
>>>>> helped facilitate the setting up of an emergency community radio station
>>>>> within five days of receiving an SOS, at Cuddalore, 180 km away.
>>>>>
>>>>> 107.8MHz, offering listeners’ services related to relief in this
>>>>> flood-affected town, became operational at 5 p.m. on Wednesday. *The
>>>>> Hindu* had reported on Tuesday how thousands of residents have been
>>>>> cut off by waters.
>>>>>
>>>>> The setting up of the radio station once again brings into sharp focus
>>>>> the need for communication services to be set as part of emergency protocol
>>>>> which in this case, was expedited due to some quick thinking by the
>>>>> Ministry of Communication and Technology’s Wireless Planning and
>>>>> Coordination Unit. Usually, the decision of awarding frequencies to
>>>>> community radio is a process that can take days to months.
>>>>>
>>>>> In the past, requests for emergency radio services have been made
>>>>> during the Kosi flood in 2008 and the rains that wreaked devastation in
>>>>> Uttarakhand two years ago, for setting up radio stations on a temporary
>>>>> basis to address local issues and help in relief.
>>>>>
>>>>> The district administration had underlined the importance of community
>>>>> radio in emergency situations. The National Disaster Management Authority
>>>>> was also part of the discussions. But nothing came of it.
>>>>>
>>>>> *Team effort*
>>>>>
>>>>> This time round, as a submerged Chennai sent an SOS, processes for
>>>>> setting a radio station worked fast. The Broadcasting Engineering
>>>>> Consultants India Ltd. (BECIL), a public sector enterprise which provides
>>>>> consultancy services to the entire gamut of radio and television services,
>>>>> moved in with expertise after a local NGO Saranalayalam sounded them out on
>>>>> December 4.
>>>>>
>>>>> The Tamil Nadu government gave the permission to the NGO after which
>>>>> the Community Radio Forum initiated the process of seeking a frequency
>>>>> which was given on December 5 by the Telecom Ministry. Mr. John Nelson
>>>>> dropped a mail to the senior deputy wireless administrator in the Ministry
>>>>> at 11 pm which was responded to by 1 am the following day.
>>>>>
>>>>> BECIL moved its transmitter by road from Benagaluru, and on Tuesday
>>>>> night, the process of setting up a radio station began literally at 12.30
>>>>> pm in the Cuddalore Collector’s office where basic Internet and telephone
>>>>> services were provided.
>>>>>
>>>>> With the help of the Public Works Department, materials like lightning
>>>>> arrester were put in place. The antenna came up at 10 pm and test
>>>>> transmission started soon.
>>>>>
>>>>> “The Collector wants us to continue our services 24 hours a day till
>>>>> relief reaches everyone,” Mr. Nelson, who is running the radio now, said
>>>>> from Cuddalore.
>>>>>
>>>>> A 20-second announcement is played over and over on 107.8 FM. The-set
>>>>> up, Mr. Nelson said, is extremely basic but sufficient to start with.
>>>>>
>>>>> The radio station is in the process of building a partition to
>>>>> separate the recording place from the broadcasting studio and work is on to
>>>>> fix the antenna.
>>>>> ------------------------------
>>>>>
>>>>> http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/centre-sends-right-signal-to-the-cuddalores-floodaffected/article7967369.ece?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS_Syndication
>>>>>
>>>>> jean
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Join the Community Radio Forum.
>>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
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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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>>
>
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