THE ROLE OF COMMUNITY RADIO IN DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL COMMUNITY

FUNCTIONING AS A PUBLIC RELATIONS TOOL WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO

THE PUDUCHERRY STATE

K. KULASEKARAN,B.Sc., B.Ed., M.Sc., M.A., M.Phil. LL.B., PGDCA.

(Research Scholar-Ph.D.; Madurai Kamaraj University)

Department of Information and Publicity, Govt. of Puducherry.

&Dr.P.RAJENDRAN, Ph.D.

(Head & Academic Coordinator, Dept. Of JMC & Law, DDE)

Madurai Kamaraj University.

NEED AND ROLE OF COMMUNITY RADIO•Villages in rural India are not essentially facing the same types

of problems or expectations.

•Our country is culturally, geographically, educationally and economically divergent.

• The local language, customs and social practices, vary from place to place and region to region.

•Community radio always plays a vital role in building alive communities, in mobilizing groups to action by informing and empowering citizens, in giving voice to the marginalized groups of society, and in bringing community needs to the attention of local and even national governments.

•This type of radio service that offers a model of radio broadcasting beyond commercial and public service.

•The content of broadcasting is largely popular and relevant to specific audience but which may often be overlooked by commercial or mass- media broadcasters.

Cont…

NEED AND ROLE OF COMMUNITY RADIO

•It is functioning as a Public Relations Tools for rural development.

•Community radio stations are operated, owned, and driven by the communities they serve.

• In many parts of the world today, community radio acts as a vehicle for the community and voluntary sector, civil society, agencies, NGOs and citizens to work in partnership to promote community development.

•By the core aims and objectives of this model of broadcasting, community radio stations often serve their listeners by offering a variety of content that is not necessarily provided by the larger commercial radio stations.

HISTORY OF COMMUNITY RADIO IN INDIA

•In India the campaign to legitimize community radio began in 1990s.

•Only educational radio stations were originally permitted.

•Anna FM was India's first campus "community" radio station. Launched on 1 February 2004, it is run by the EMRC.& all programmes are produced by Media Science students at Anna University.

•On 16 November 2006, the government of India implemented new Community Radio Guidelines, which permit NGOs and other civil organizations to own and operate community radio stations.

•About 4,000 community radio licenses are being offered across India.

• 30 November 2008, the Ministry of I & B had received 297 applications for community radio licenses and 38 were operational.

Cont…

HISTORY OF COMMUNITY RADIO IN INDIA

•The first community-based radio station licensed to an NGO was launched on 15 October 2008, when SANGHAM RADIO in Pastapur village, Medak district, Andhra Pradesh state went on the air at 11:00 am on 90.4 MHz, is licensed to the Deccan Development Society.

•The second NGO-led community radio station in India was launched on 23 October 2008 at Taragram in Orchha, Madhya Pradesh state. Named RADIO BUNDELKHAND after the Bundelkhand region of central India where it is located, the radio station is licensed to the Society for Development Alternatives. Radio Bundelkhand also broadcasts on 90.4 MHz for four hours a day.

•Grant of Permission Agreements (GOPA) in 2009,for 62 community radio stations.

•Community Radio SARANG on 107.8 is managed by the Mangalore Jesuit Educational Society and run by St. Aloysius College, Mangalore.

Cont…

HISTORY OF COMMUNITY RADIO IN INDIA

•January 2005 ,BANASTHALI RADIO was the first community radio station licensed in the state of Rajasthan as a campus radio station for students

To create a common platform for the local communities of Supi in Uttarakhand, TERI launched KUMAON VANI, a community radio service, on March 11, 2010

Krishna Kanta Handiqui State Open University, Guwahati, Assam, aired the first programme on 28 January 2009 as an experimental broadcast.

JNAN TARANGA (90.4 FM), the first community radio service in northeastern India, began regular broadcasts November 20, 2010.

COMMUNITY RADIO POLICY

•Any not-for-profit "legal entity" except individuals, political parties, criminal and banned organizations - can apply for a Community Radio license.

•Central funding is not available .

•To operate a 100-watt radio station, with a coverage area ofapproximately a 12-km radius. A maximum antenna height of 30 meters is allowed.

•Community radio stations are expected to produce at least 50 percent of their programmes locally, as much as possible in the local language or dialect. The stress is on developmental programming, although there is no explicit ban on entertainment.

• News programmes are banned.

•The government recently clarified that certain categories of news are permitted on radio, including sports news and commentaries, information on traffic and weather conditions, coverage of cultural events and festivals, information on academic events, public announcements pertaining to utilities such as electricity and the water supply, disaster warnings and health alerts.

Cont…

COMMUNITY RADIO POLICY

•Five minutes of advertising per hour is allowed on community radio. Sponsored programs are not allowed, except when the program is sponsored by the government at the local or state level.

•The Community Radio Forum, India, was registered as a Society and Trust on 26 February 2008.

• In the meantime, mobile telephone operators have begun to offer commercial broadcast services over GSM, evading government restrictions built around traditional concepts of broadcasting technology,By 1 st July 2010.

• The Ministry of I&B announced that 715 applications for Community Radio licenses had been received, including 104 under the old campus-radio guidelines.

•231 Letters of Intent were issued.

•Grant of Permission Agreements (GOPA) were signed with 102 applicants, and 68 community radio stations were on the air. 107 applications were rejected, and 377 applications were being processed.

COMMUNITY RADIO IN PUDUCHERRY

Frequency (in kHz, FM in

MHz)

Name Address

Karaikal

100.3 MHz All India Radio Karaikal(AIR / Akashvani Karaikal)

Radio Avenue, Nehru Nagar, Karaikal -609605

Pandicherry (Puducherry)

1215 kHz101.3 MHz

All India Radio Pondicherry

(AIR / Akashvani Puducherry)

204, Coubert Avenue,Gorimedu, Pondicherry - 605001

90.8MHz HONY FMAchariya Arts & Science CollegeAchariyapuram, Villianur,Pondicherry - 605110

92.7 MHz Big 92.7 FM Pondicherry

93.5 MHz Suryan FM G-1, Industrial Estate,Thattanchavady, Pondicherry .

106.4 MHz Hello FM Malar Publications, Pondicherry107.8 MHz Puduvai Vaani Convention-cum-Cultural Centre

Pondicherry UniversityPondicherry - 605014

90.4MHz NILA FMSri Manakula Vinayagar EngineeringCollege, Madagadipet, Pondicherry - 107

• Community radio in Puducherry State is a type of radio service that outfit to the interests of a certain area, broadcasting content that is popular to specific local audience of Pondicherry and Karaikal

COMMUNITY RADIO IN PUDUCHERRY

NAME OF RADIO

COMMUNITY PROGRAMME

Suryan FM

Sun Network owns two Radio brands: Suryan FM in Tamil Nadu and for other Pondicherry territories Red FM (Suryan FM 93.5). The top slot is a result of a carefully planned thoroughly enjoyable, round-the-clock, wholesome entertainment-oriented package and there is a substantial localization of content to retain the regional flavor.

Hello FM •Hello FM is the largest network of private FM radio stations in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. • The sound-scpe of Hello FM 106.4 is a reflection of the mood-map of the city. •minute detail has been carefully designed to ensure that it addresses the appropriate mood of the relevant target group at the right moment of the day.

Big 92.7 FM

92.7 BIG FM is a nationwide private FM radio station in India owned by Indian businessman Anil Ambani. It broadcasts at 92.7 MHz (92.7FM).Currently, it covers 45 cities. This is the only private FM radio

station t from Srinagar and Jammu in J& K.

HONY FM ACHARIYA Arts and Science College, Villianur, Pondicherry has started 'HONEY FM 90.8 MHz' and working for particular community development like education, health and sanitation, etc. It is also to help students to understand the meaningful relationships between art and craft and technology so as to enable them to become globally recognized media professionals Department owns an FM Radio station and television channel namely 'HONEY FM' helping the students to prepare themselves for the industry

Puduvai Vaani

The “Puduvai Vaani” is very important Community Radio Station in Puducherry State established by Pondicherry University with the support of UGC, New Delhi. The full time transmission was gone on air from 1st January 2009 onwards. Puduvai Vaani has been started with an aim to make awareness among the rural community people to improve their nature of life style.

Puduvai Vaani, Honey F.M., Akashvani Puducherry and Karaikal are mainly functioning as community radio in Puducherry State. This community radios are the public broadcaster to awaken, inform, enlighten educate and entertain all section of the people including the programme on women empowerment, communal harmony, food habit, health and sanitation, and education. It also brings out the hidden talents of the students in and around the University campus.

METHODOLOGY

•A list of 100 people was selected who were actively involved in programmes of the community radio.

•Among these 100 people, 90 respondents have given response for this study.

•17 respondents who were working in the Government of Puducherry were also interviewed.

•The data were collected by personal contacts with respondents and by attending Self Help Group meetings and with the help of the interpreter.

IMPACT OF COMMUNITY PROGRAMME

ON FAMILY SYSTEM

Sl. No IMPACT

DIMENSIONS

CHANGE INDICATORS

YES NO

Nos. Percentage

Nos.

Percentage

1 Family planning and its importance

70 77.80 20 22.20

2 Change in family occupation

25 27.80 65 72.20

3 Dowry has decreased for the past few years

59 65.55 31 34.45

4 Knowledge on age of marriage for boy/girl has increased

55 61.11 35 38.89

IMPACT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

ON FOOD HABIT

Sl. No IMPACT DIMENSIONS

CHANGE INDICATORS

YES NO

Nos. Percentage

Nos.

Percentage

1 Food habits have changed in recent past due to awareness programmes

32 35.55 58 64.45

2 Knowledge about healthy and balanced diet has increased

72 80 18 20

3 Consumption of milk and fruits has gone up due to awareness

39 43.33 51 56.47

4 Maintaining cleanliness has increased

75 83.33 15 16.67

IMPACT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

ON EDUCATION

Sl. No IMPACT

DIMENSIONS

CHANGE INDICATORS

YES NO

Nos. Percentage

Nos.

Percentage

1 Started sending children to school regularly

79 87.78 11 12.22

2 Programmes motivated boy / girl to go out for higher studies

25 27.78 65 72.22

3 Girl education has increased

50 55.56 40 44.44

4 Children motivated to go for higher studies

73 81.11 17 18.89

IMPACT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME ON HEALTH AND SANITATION

Sl. No IMPACT DIMENSIONS

CHANGE INDICATORS

YES NO

Nos. Percentage

Nos. Percentage

1 Awareness programmes have increased the knowledge on given preventive cares to children

72 80 18 20

2 Taking precautionary measures for keeping members of the family disease free

53 58.89 37 41.11

3 Timely use of medicines

51 56.67 39 43.33

4 Timely treatment of sick members of family

75 83.33 15 16.67

IMPACT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME ON LEADERSHIP

Sl. No IMPACT

DIMENSIONS

CHANGE INDICATORS

YES NO

Nos.

Percentage

Nos.

Percentage

1 Respondent offers advice and information to others

28 31.11 62 68.89

2 Respondent used to seek advice and information from others

64 71.11 26 28.89

OVERALL SOCIAL IMPACT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

PROGRAMME

FAMILY

SYST

EM 4

0%

FOOD H

ABIT 5

0%

EDUCATI

ON 6

0%

HEALT

H &

SANIT

ATION

70%

LEADER

SHIP

80%

0

20

40

60

80

100 FAMILY

FAMILY

CONCLUSION

•In the real sense, community radio plays a essential role in making the masses aware about their basic rights and duties.

•Not only limited to solving problems which a common man faces in his day-to-day life, community radio provides him a strong platform from where he can freely disseminate his ideas among his community members in the best possible manner. Thus, community radio becomes one of the important instruments in strengthening our ‘Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression’.

•The overall social impact of community development programmes likes women empowerment, communal harmony, health and sanitations, and education indicated that the participation and awareness created by various community development programmes had great impact on leadership behaviour. •Leadership was accorded with the highest mean score of 80 and hence was ranked first and this was followed by health and sanitation, education, food habit and family system which were ranked second, third, fourth and fifth respectively. Cont…

CONCLUSION

•Besides solving social problems as well as entertaining local people, community radio also acts as an intermediary between the Government and the local masses.

•This is the place from where local people can air their grievances to the Government as well as get the solutions to their problems too.

•Needless to say, community radio has played a major role in bridging the communication gap between the Government and the local people. As, the community radio is still evolving it might be possible that in the near future, we will witness its various new forms which will be technologically more superior as well as user-friendly.

• Well, whatever the case may be, community radio has proved to be one of the best medium of communication at the grass-root level.

Cont…

CONCLUSION

•The findings of the study may be utilized by the extension agencies, non-Government organizations, policy makers and other similar organizations for community mobilization.

•Findings of impact assessment of community radio station would help the researchers to understand how timely access to information can help in socio-economic and cultural development of the people.

•Dimensions such as leadership, family system, savings, education, health and sanitation, etc have brought about significant changes in the life of the people in Puducherry State.

•Hence, community radio can play a catalytic role in changing the life of the rural people.

Thank You