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Community Radiosin Nepal

Status StudyReportDecember 2012

Social Accountability Status of Community Radios in NepalStatus Study Report | December 2012

Publication Social Accountability Status of Community Radios

in Nepal

Edition December 2012

Copyright© : ACORAB Nepal & UNDEF

Supervision Executive Board of ACORAB Nepal

President

Mr. Min Bahadur Shahi

Vice Presidents

Mr. L. P. Banjara

Ms. Shashikala Dahal

General Secretary

Mr. Khem Bhandari

Treasurer

Mr. Subas Khatiwada

Secretary

Mr. Govinda Devkota

Regional Vice Presidents

Mr. Phul Man Bal

Mr. Mohan Chapagain

Mr. Dhurba Bahadur Shah

Mr. Ngima Pakhrin

Mr. Hariharsingh Rathour

Board Members

Mr. Ramji Bhattarai

Mr. Dwarika Kafle

Mr. Nimesh Karna

Mr. Shivaji Gayak

Mr. Rajendra Kirati

Mr. Jibachh Chaudhary

Mr. Pitamber Sigdel

Mr. Tula Adhikari

Mr. Ganesh Chaudhary

Ms. Pushpa Chaudhary

Coordination Mr. Rabindra Bhattarai

Review Ms Rita Bhadra

Mr. Sharad Neupane

Ms. Juliana Yonjan

Language Mr. Jaya Jung Mahat

Data Analysis Asian Academy for Peace, Research and

Development

Thapagaun, Nayabaneshwor, Kathmandu

Email: [email protected]

Programme/

Management

Tel: 01 4460860

Mr. Baburam Khadka

Mr. Anil Prasad Khanal

Supported by United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF)

ISBN 978-9937-2-6491-4

Published by Association of Community Radio Broadcasters

Chakupat, Lalitpur, Nepal

Phone: +977 1 5260661, 5260671

Fax: +977 1 5260646

Email: [email protected]/

Website: http://www.acorab.org.np/

Designed By Kaya-Kalpa

[email protected]

www.kaya-kalpa.com

Printed at

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]/

http://www.acorab.org.np/

mailto:[email protected]

Forewords

Nepal has experienced

a rapid growth of

community media as

one of the most

effective modes of mass

media in recent

decade. The develop-

pment of community

radio in particular has not a long history in

Nepal; however, this media has been most

pervasive not only in Nepal but also in other

South Asian nations. Community radios in Nepal

are found to be most effective means to inform,

educate, and communicate the community

people within the communities and also to pass

the messages from the external agencies that

are working in favour of advancement of the

community development in terms of physical as

well as human development in a more

sustainable development approach. However,

the development of community radios itself

suffers from many predicaments and barriers.

Some of them are internal to the radios

themselves and some are external that relate to

the legal and policy environment as well as

societal perceptions and understandings.

Association of Community Radio Broadcasters

(ACORAB) Nepal, established in the year 2002, is

the umbrella organization of 221 community

radios in Nepal. Pushing for the application of

democratic norms and accountability,

professionalism, objectivity, gender sensitivity,

inclusiveness and ethical standards of its

members are some of the key objectives of

ACORAB Nepal. Upholding and valuing human

rights, democracy, and rule of law demand

professional and ethical deliveries of community

radios. Considered as a part of the fourth state

of any nation, community radios are also civil

scrutiny of all accountability bearers in the

communities. As social institutions, community

radios also have certain accountabilities to fulfil

towards the communities they serve. Therefore,

ACORAB Nepal has emphasized institutional

reforms of the community radios with their

enhanced roles in the respective communities

for making themselves and other stakeholders

more accountable towards each other and the

bigger communities where they exist and serve.

In order to properly empower the Nepalese

community radios to promote accountability in

Nepalese communities, first it was essential to

assess the current status of the accountability

among community radios. However, there was

a lack of the information that would help us to

even estimate the general trend of the

accountability of the radios. A study was

essential to assess the status of social

accountability of the community radios.

ACORAB Nepal is happy to share this report as a

product of the study carried out earlier for this

purpose.

The study was supported by the United Nations

Democracy Fund (UNDEF) which also supports

ACORAB and Nepalese community radios to

improve the accountability measures of the

Nepalese community radios. I would like to

express our sincere thanks to UNDEF for the

support. The study was carried outsourcing the

research support from a research institute, i.e.,

Asian Academy for Peace, Research and

Development. Therefore, I would also like to

appreciate the efforts made by the institute in

carrying out the study, particularly Ms. Rita

Bhadra and Mr. Sharad Neupane from the

institution.

The research report would not be possible to get

the present form without co-operation of 73

radios and their patience during the research

phase. Despite their busy schedules, the

broadcasters and staffs from those 73 radios

provided valuable information to the research

team through active participation and I express

our sincere gratefulness to all of them. Similarly, I

would also like to thank all the radios listeners,

local civil society representatives and radio

professionals in Ilam, Dhading, Palpa and Dang

who actively attended the focus group

discussions (FGDs) and provided their inputs,

comments and feedbacks on the issues raised

by the study team. They deserve our very high

appreciations and thankfulness.

My special thanks to my colleagues in the

Executive Board who helped tirelessly in framing

out the indicators for facilitating the study by

helping us to identify the indicators of social

accountability of community radios. The

coordination of the project activities along with

providing inputs for design of the study, revision

and updating the study framework and giving

final touch to the report in this publishable form

was the effort made by Mr. Rabindra Bhattarai,

Executive Director of ACORAB Nepal, who

deserves my warmth admiration and to realize

the research considerable efforts and

endeavours were made by Mr. Baburam

Khadka, Admin and Finance Officer and Mr. Anil

Prasad Khanal, Programme Officer. I thank them

for their commendable works. Similarly, I would

like to thank Mr. Soham Subedi, Coordinator of

CIN and his subordinates at CIN. Similarly, I thank

Ms. Ganga Timilsena and Ms. Pabitra Shrestha

for their untiring support in managing

communication and information relevant to this

study.

The final report of the study is now in your hand

and there are recommendations made by the

independent researchers to us. At this moment, I

would like to ask all the community radio

broadcasters to realize the facts and situations

concluded by the study and request all of them

to come forward in improving our system of

institutional governance in order to promote

accountability of community radios and making

them the leading community institutions in

maintaining accountability within themselves

and also in observing the accountability of

others.

Mr Min Bahadur Shani

President,

Association of Community Radio

Broadcasters (ACORAB) Nepal

Asian Academy for Peace,

Research and Development

would like to express

gratitude to ACORAB Nepal

for providing opportunity to

conduct a study on 'Social

Accountability Status of

Community Radios'. As

ACORAB Nepal published a call for interest to

conduct the study, we had submitted the

proposal addressing the mentioned scope of

the work. Our proposal was selected on the

ground of the programme and technical cost

analysis but we were worried as initially we had

not enough literatures available on the

accountability measures applicable to the

community radios in particular.

When we accepted the assignment, our worry

ended. The Executive Board of ACORAB Nepal

expressed its interest to help in developing the

indicators through a consultative process. A

workshop was organized by ACORAB Nepal

where we were invited to take part as the key

implementers. The participants in the workshop

discussed a lot and finally prescribed indicators

of social accountability of community radios.

Acknowledgements

We furthered the research process based on the

indicators developed and adopted by the

workshop where the policy level leadership of

ACORAB Nepal had the crucial role in shaping

them. I would like to mention the names of Mr.

Min Bahadur Shahi, Mr. L. P. Banjara. Ms.

Shashikala Dahal, Mr. Khem Bhandari, Mr. Subas

Khatiwada. Mr. Govinda Devkota, Mr. Mohan

Chapagain, Mr. Nimesh Karna and Mr. Pitambar

Sigdel who deserve high regards and

appreciation from the research team for their

time and their support in policy issues when we

asked for. The research team express sincere

thankfulness to them.

The officials representing 73 community radios

provided the needed information and

cooperated during the entire field visit in

different 19 districts of Nepal as we asked for.

The listeners and other stakeholders provided

information and shared their feedback and

feeling towards focal group discussion in Illam,

Dhadhing, Palpa and Dang. Therefore, we are

indebted to all of them for their invaluable

support and express our sincere gratitude to

them. Asian Academy for Peace, Research and

Development expresses sincere thanks to all the

individuals, community radio officials who

endow with their time for interview or send the

information through email without which this

report would never have taken its shape.

Special thanks go to Mr Rabindra Bhattarai,

Executive Director of ACORAB Nepal, for

providing professional inputs for finalizing the

research design as well as finalizing the report.

Our thankfulness is also to the entire staffs of

ACORAB including Mr. Soham Subedi, Mr.

Baburam Khadka, Mr. Anil Khanal, and Mr. Jaya

Jung Mahat who provided support and

suggestions in rolling out and finalizing the

research.

Finally, it would be injustice to my colleagues Mr.

Sharad Neupane and Ms. Juliyana Yonjon who

worked hard in carrying out tirelessly and with

full compassion in a capacity of Research

Coordinator and Researcher respectively. I

thank them for their valuable contributions.

Ms Rita Shrestha Bhadra,

Team leader

Asian Academy for Peace,

Research and Development

Table of Content

Forewords

Acknowledgement

Executive Summary

1. About Report Itself……………………………...1

1.1 Introduction……………………………………...1

1.2 Objective and Rationale of the

Review of Status………………………………...6

1.3 Structure…………………………………………..8

2. Community Radio and

Social Accountability…………………………11

2.1 Democracy, Media and Community

radio………………………………………………11

2.2 Public Identity of Community Radio………..15

2.3 What exactly is a Community Radio?..........17

2.4 Social Accountability in the Context ……….19

2.5 Major Measures and Tools of Social

Accountability…………………………………..25

2.6 Social Accountability in Context

of Nepalese Community Radios…………….29

3. Methods and Design…………………………..39

3.1 Development of Social

Accountability Indicators…………………….39

3.2 Documentation Template

Developed and Applied……………………..43

3.3 Design of the Status Review and

Data Collection Techniques …………………44

3.4 Methods of Data Entry, Coding,

Presentation and Interpretation…………….46

3.5 Drafting, Sharing and Report Writing…….….47

4. Presentation and Interpretation of

Information………………………..………………..49

4.1 Explanation and Interpretation ..………………49

4.2 Legitimacy of Governance and

Management………………………………………51

4.3 Participation of Constituency in

Governance…………………………………..……55

4.4 Reception of the Complaints and

Grievances of Beneficiaries……………………..56

4.5 Participation of Beneficent Stakeholders

in Radio Programming……………………………57

4.6 Social Responsiveness in terms of

Undertaking Dialogues with the

Community Concerned…………………………58

4.7 Conducting Monitoring and Evaluating

Radio Programme by Radios…………………...59

4.8 Responding the Local Languages of the

Community…………………………………………60

4.9 Conducted Social Audit…………………………61

4.10 Maintaining Service Charter………………......63

4.11 Maintaining Notice Board for

Public Information………………….……………..63

4.12 Beneficiaries' Response on

Radio's Accountability…………………………..64

4.13 Radios Impacts on Causing Community

Institutions Accountable………………………...67

5. Findings..……………………………………………69

5.1 Social Accountability of Frameworks

Radios………………………………………………69

5.2 Application of Measures within Institution…...71

5.3 Sense of Ownership on Radios by

Communities………………………………………73

5.4 Radios Caused other Community

Institutions Accountable………………………..76

6. Recommendations………………………….79

Bibliography

Annex 1A: Information Documentation

Template………………………………..…. i

Annex 1B: Instruction to Enumerators……….… xix

Annex 2A: List of the Radios Visited and

Surveyed……………………………….….. xxxi

Annex 2B: List of the Participants of

Focus Group Discussions……………….. xxxix


(ACORAB) Nepal, established in the year 2002,

is the umbrella organization of 221 community

radios spread in 74 districts in Nepal. ACORAB

Nepal aims at enhancing democratic norms

and accountability, professionalism,

objectivity, gender sensitivity, inclusiveness and

ethical standards of its member community

radios. Human rights, democracy, and rule of

law correspondingly demand for professional

and ethical institutional deliveries and the

accountability comes as an unavoidable

element for enhancing impacts of media

institutions like those of the community radios.

Therefore, ACORAB Nepal has been putting

emphasis on institutional reforms of the

community radios targeted at enhancing their

roles maintaining accountability among

themselves and the other respective

stakeholders. With above background,

ACORAB Nepal felt a need of baseline

information on the status of social

accountability of the operational community

Executive Summary

radios. This study report serves as a review of

the accountability status of the community

radios operational in Nepal.

Social Accountability Status of Community

Radio in Nepal seeks to answer the following

questions:

What is current status of community radios

in terms of social accountability

measures?

To whom are they accountable and

whether their activities alienating or

galvanizing the democratic ideals of

accountability?

There are some significant findings regarding

social accountability. About half of the

community radios have set their Strategic Plan

and Annual Budget System in place. Out of

eight such institutional documents, the majority

of radios have at least six of them and fewer of

them are yet to set these frameworks.

Radios are found to be socially inclusive.

Though there is unavailability of the

comparable database of the compositions of

the ethnicities in each respective community

which respective community radio represents,

the present engagement of the people in

terms of their roles and responsibilities in

organization's governing bodies as well as in

operational staff human resource category,

clearly shows that the radios have been able

to demonstrate diverse ethnic representation

in all their organizational bodies. Annual

general meeting and the meetings of the

governing bodies are found to be held in

desirable time and time periods and these

show internal control mechanism of the

community radios are in operation. Therefore,

it can be inferred that majority of the radios do

have their own operational social

accountability framework.

On the contrary, the radios are found to be

weak in programme planning and

implementation as majority of them do not

involve community people in those processes.

Very few radios have earned trust of the

listeners which can be inferred from the

research fact that only 19 radios have

organized listeners' clubs. Radios are deemed

to be strict even in engaging more community

people in popular opinion polls. The

community radios news, special programmes

and Public Service Announcements are

generated in more than 30 local languages.

The trend of applying social accountability

measures such as organizing social audit,

maintaining service charter, notice board for

public information has been found to be

increasing in the community radios.

Communities are found to be positive towards

the roles played by radios in terms of

information dissemination through which they

address the need of the community people to

the information. There is conformation of roles

played by the radios as civil scrutiny of

governmental offices in the district or at local

level, however, the communities have pointed

out the radios' failure in maintaining social

accountability measures among themselves.

The judgmental opinion of community

representatives, stating that there is low

participation of communities in the radio

management and policy as the radios have

not given priority to engage them in policy

and management level, seems to be valid

and the research findings also verifies the

earlier general perception existent among the

people. The radio listeners' clubs are helpful to

generate several social events for the benefit

of the community. It can be taken as an

empowering contribution of the radios to the

respective communities. However, very less

number of radios have been able to make this

effort. Though there is no sufficient

participation of the socially excluded sections

of the societies in institution's governance and

management structures, through radio

programmes voices of voiceless people have

been addressed, taken care, and channelled

to concerned policy makers and the decision

makers. Contents of radio programmes are

aimed at social changes and are responsible

to make attempts of penetrating healthy

messages to the listeners, however, the

community representatives were found to be

complaining such radio contents to interest of

particular political parties.

In spite of promoting positive news reporting,

patterns of negative news reporting by

community radios are on rise. Moreover, the

communities thrust for the news reports that

are fact based and are covered by the

professionals with right sensitivity. Community

radio is playing a role as a facilitator in terms of

promoting social accountability in the

community and also as an institutional social

accountability practitioner in community by

empowering people to come together for the

common cause in terms of rule of law,

institutional governance, and democratic

practice.

The radios are found to be attempting to hold

accountable the relevant public, government

and social authorities to their beneficiaries by

raising the voices, conducting observation and

social auditing activities. The major area and

issues of such interventions included load-

shedding, market for the product,

environmental and ecological conservations,

agriculture, protection of human rights of

vulnerable groups and individuals,

mainstreaming of marginalized groups,

preserving local resources, infrastructure

construction, and ethical practices of the

service providers.

The study team finally recommended that

there should be a clear state policy to provide

scope and limitation of service delivery by the

radio which accounts as social obligation of

the community radio. Similarly, it also suggest

the concerned external stakeholder to support

community radios in building capacity for

proper maintenance of institutional systems

corresponding to social accountability.

Similarly, the research team also

recommended the concerned authorities and

the radios themselves to work towards bringing

into practice innovative methods of social

marketing for their sustainability.

1.1 Introduction


(ACORAB) Nepal, established in 2002, is the

umbrella organization of community radios in

Nepal. Above 230 radio stations spread in

communities across 74 districts of Nepal form the

core membership of the association. It works to

advance the cause of community radios,

facilitates sharing of knowledge and resources,

and speaks with one voice for the community

that it represents. As a sole organization of

Nepalese community radio broadcasters, it

envisions sound, professional and ethical

operations of community radios across Nepal in

legal, institutional, managerial, and technical

aspects of radio service deliveries.

About Report Itself Chapter

1

2

About Report Itself

Chapter

1

ACORAB Nepal is non-partisan legal entity

which values pluralistic and inclusive

democracy, human rights including right to

information and institutional secularity based on

rule of law. It believes that safeguarding the

rights of the community radios in particular and

other media in general, rests and relies upon

stability and promotion of democracy and

good governance. Its efforts are focused in

protecting, promoting and capacitating

community radios in getting them established as

a fundamental means of information and

knowledge for community people and catalysts

of democratization, development and social

transformation.

ACORAB Nepal aims at enhancing democratic

norms and accountability, professionalism,

objectivity, gender sensitivity, inclusiveness and

ethical standards of its member community

radios. Therefore, since its inception, it has been

endeavouring to improve the radio service

quality by ensuring technical and thematic

support to its member organizations. For further

facilitating this goal, ACORAB has started

3

About Report Itself

Chapter

1

operating the Community Information Network

(CIN) in 2009 which facilitates inter-community

radio information sharing to promote their

quality delivery of radio services not only limited

to their own community but across the

community nationwide or even transnational

community clusters.

Since the establishment of the first community

radio in Nepal in 1997 and its popularity,

creation of such model of radios had gained a

momentum which ultimately resulted into the

increase in number of such radios across

different parts of Nepal. In Nepal, they

established themselves as a credible, fair, and

socially-responsive form of media that has

substantially changed the landscape of the

media by allowing for more pluralism and

freedom of expression.

In many rural areas, these radios are the only

forms of media available and they have been

providing services to the marginalized and

disadvantaged that have been ignored by

mainstream media. The radios have

4

About Report Itself

Chapter

1

demonstrated at a global level that they are

very efficient to reach the remote areas, raise

awareness, provide information and mobilize

rural communities, promote democratic culture,

protect human rights, enhance participatory

development, promote equitable society and

contribute to the overall transformation process

of the nation. As a result, the community radios

have gained social legitimacy and have

become integral part of the communities they

serve.

Human rights, democracy, and rule of law

correspondingly demand for professional and

ethical institutional deliveries and accountability

comes as an unavoidable element for all the

media institutions like community radio.

Therefore, ACORAB Nepal has been putting

emphasis on institutional reforms of the

community radios with their roles in the

community to be accountable and to cause

the others to become accountable

simultaneously.

5

About Report Itself

Chapter

1

However, the community radios are labelled as

weak institutions in terms of consistent

application of community radio principles,

following rule of law and maintaining proper

institutional governance. The allegations against

community radios include: domination by the

elite groups, increased politicization and loss of

local control and contents in radio programmes,

absence of official standards and application of

accountability norms, lacking inclusive and

representative decision-making with adherence

to community accountability.

With above background, ACORAB Nepal felt a

need of baseline information on the status of

social accountability of the community radios

that are currently operational in Nepal. This

study report serves as a review of the

accountability status of the community radios

operational in Nepal. The study was carried out

under financial support from the United Nations

Democracy Fund (UNDEF) and research study

activities were done by Asian Academy for

Peace and Development as an outsourced

consultant.

6

About Report Itself

Chapter

1

1.2 Objective and Rationale of

the Review of Status

Under the felt need of strengthening institutional

governance of community radios, ACORAB has

designed and has been implementing a project

on Institutionalization Social Accountability of

Community Radio in Nepal Project funded by

the United Nation Democracy Fund (UNDEF).

The objective of the project is to strengthen the

institutional capacity to effectively serve as a

legitimate watchdog on social accountability

issues, ensuring that they work as agents of

social transformation at the community levels

while themselves operating within the

parameters of social accountability principles.

The project, specifically intended to improve the

situation by having fresh understanding on the

status of the accountability practices that

community radio are currently undertaking.

The objective of the study was to identify

demonstrable information concerning

accountability maintenance by the respective

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About Report Itself

Chapter

1

community radio to their respective community

and catch up a real picture of the status of

accountability practices by reviewing and

assessing institutional governance status of

community radios. The study also aimed at

identifying the key areas of institutional

governance of community radios that require

reforms and improvements for ensuring delivery

of proper social accountability to the respective

communities of the radios. In this respect,

present study, Social Accountability Status of

Community Radio in Nepal, seeks to answer the

following questions:

What is current status of community radios, in

terms of social accountability measures?

To whom are they accountable and whether

their activities are alienating or galvanizing the

democratic ideals of accountability?

As ACORAB Nepal is aiming at enhancing

democratic norms and accountability,

professionalism, objectivity, gender sensitivity,

inclusiveness, and ethical standards of its

member community radios, the review of the

8

About Report Itself

Chapter

1

status is rationale to serve the urgency of

strengthening institutional capacity of its

members in terms of accountability to their

constituents and legitimate public norms.

1.3 Structure

The status review study was carried out during

August 2012 to October 2012 and the report was

furnished between November 2012 and

December 2012. Of 220 operational ACORAB

member community radios, institutional

information of 73 Radios is covered by this study.

The methods adopted in the review and

assessment of the radio information is provided

in details in each respective chapter.

This report of the review and assessment is

divided into six chapters. First chapter provides

introductory outlines accompanied by a

background which explains the necessity

behind undertaking this study. It also discusses

on why the study was carried out and it also

talks about the objectives and other desired

9

About Report Itself

Chapter

1

study outcomes. It also gives the overall outline

of the research structure.

Second chapter gives outline of some of the

available literatures relevant to the subject

matter. This chapter gives clear background on

the conceptual aspects of community radios

and their service to the communities. It also

shares idea on the social accountability

contextualized in terms of a community radio for

making it easier to understand the interface

between role of the community radios and their

social accountability tasks.

Third chapter deals with the methods, tools, and

techniques applied during the research study.

Fourth chapter provides analytical presentation

of the collected data on social accountability

status of Nepalese community radios. Fifth

chapter gives findings with assessing the analysis

and of the review work and sixth chapter offers

with conclusions and recommendations of the

study.

2.1 Democracy, Media and

Community Radio

Popular participation is perceived, since

centuries, as the foundation of democratic

performance. There were renewed hopes that

"democracy would become a facilitator of

development and allow popular participation of

decision making processes" (AMARCAPSA

1998:10). Democracy is not just casting votes to

elect political leadership; it also encompasses

the accountability, economic justice,

development and social transformation along

with the informed and empowered people at

large. Socio-economic justice with

development is over politicized with partisan

politics resulting over-centralization of power

Community Radio and

Social Accountability

Chapter 2

12

Community Radio and Social Accountability

Chapter

2

though the slogans of decentralization are in

surface.

This led to impediments to the effective

participation of the overwhelming majority of

the people in social, political, and economic

development initiatives. As a result, the

motivation of the majority of the people and

their organizations to contribute their best to the

development process and own well-being are

constrained. These have been resulting

undervaluing and underutilizing collective and

individual creativity of the grassroots population.

The most beautiful and strongest aspect of

democracy is expression of opinions and ideas

by citizens freely. Freedom of speech of citizen is

ensured constitutionally in democratic country.

This freedom is exercised by the citizens through

media. In democratic system, media has more

freedoms. Democracy and media strengthen

each other mutually (Martin Chautari 2012: 1).

Therefore, role of media is very important in

promotion of democratic system and

democratization of societies.

13


Chapter

2

Media as an important source of public

information could be expected to be a vehicle

to encourage the promotion of the principles of

governance, transparency, accountability, and

participation. "The mass media must be able to

perform the functions to criticize, discuss, and

suggest on matters of public concerns, for

example on the issue of corruption at various

levels of government. Media coverage should

strive to give an accurate, independent, and

critical account of a news story which will have

the effect of promoting transparency (Zakaria,

2012).

Modern media include communications,

understood in various ways as mass media,

public media, private media, community

media, and social media. The media is not to be

taken as a medium for information dissemination

if consolidation of democracy is intended.

Provoking and generating public opinion is a

crucial task to encourage democratic process

within the societal entities. Access to

information, freedom of the press, and an

umbrella legal instrument will together support

14


Chapter

2

the processes of democracy, rule of law-based

governance and human rights.

Modern technology of communications has

great role in affecting the lives of the people

and also facilitating understandings among

states, societies, communities and individuals.

Unfortunately, a great part of the media is not

fully independent, and is subject to the

influences of particular interests. Further,

traditionally practiced media emphasis on the

use of mass communications flowing messages

in the top to bottom approach or capital to

periphery only allowed the community people

to get limited information and thus were

hindered to be heard as source of authority or

information, even theoretical democracy they

were considered to be sovereign source of

authority of the state itself.

However, emergence of community radio has

filled the gap and now the community voice

may be channelled from bottom to top, from

community people to governors, policy and

decision makers. Community radios are in

15


Chapter

2

between the source of popular powers, i.e.,

people in communities and the executors.

Community radio is the audio mode of

community media as a part of mass media.

Community radio "represents the

democratization of communications"

(AMARCAPSA 1998: 9). These developments

have given global recognition of the community

radio development.

2.2 Public Identity of

Community Radio

After the downfall of cold war and emerge of

new mode of democratization in many

developing countries, communication activities

are serving as effective basis for promoter of

popular participations in public affairs and

facilitator for voicing of the voiceless

communities. Even in current democratization

processes, challenges are arisen such as how

can it become possible for populations, in all

16


Chapter

2

their diversity, to determine priorities and modes

development they wish for themselves? or how

to foster democratic culture in enabling

population to take responsibilities for securing

and managing political, economic and social

protections?

In this connection, community radio signifies a

two-way process, which entails the exchange of

views from various sources and is the adaptation

of media for use by communities. In an ideal

world, community radio allows members of a

community to gain access to information,

education, and entertainment. Communities

participate as planners, producers, and

performers of the programming in the

community radios and serves as means of

expression of the community, rather than for the

community. Therefore, community radio adds

value to the notion of democracy at root with

grassroots perspective. Consequently,

community radios are recognized as public

interest entities that are socially accountable on

their own and a watchdog for others social

accountabilities.

17


Chapter

2

2.3 What exactly is a

Community Radio?

Community radio is one of the most effective

community media that has been emerged. The

term „community‟ refers to a collective or a

group of people sharing common characters

and/or interests. Therefore, term „community‟

can either be defined as: "(a) a geographically

based group of persons and/or; (b) a social

group or sector of the public who have

common or specific interests" (AMARCAPSA

1998: 13).

"AMARCEurope (1994: 4) labels a community

radio station as „a “non-profit” station, currently

broadcasting, which offers a service to the

community in which it is located, or to which it

broadcasts, while promoting the participation of

this community in the radio‟" (Carpentier, Lie &

Servaes 2001).Community radio is one that is

operated in the community, for the community,

about the community and by the community.

The community can be territorial or

18


Chapter

2

geographical - a township, village, district. It can

also be a group of people with common

interests, who are not necessarily living in one

defined territory.

National association of community radio

broadcasters in Nepal has defined community

radio as radio station that has received license

of operating from the authority prescribed by

government of Nepal; run by non-profit sharing

local organization or cooperative; producing

and broadcasting informative programmes on

education, health and development for at least

40 percent of its airtime; and producing and

broadcasting 60 percent of total programmes

locally (ACORAB 2009:4).

Consequently, managed or controlled by one

group, by combined groups, or of people such

as women, children, farmers, ethnic groups, or

senior citizens. Community radio is an audio

broadcasting. Therefore, community radio is

community broadcasting which is referred to as

a broadcasting service not for profit, owned and

controlled by a particular community under an

association, trust, or foundation (AMARCAPSA

19


Chapter

2

1998). In some instances it can be managed by

non-governmental organizations or non-profit

cooperatives working in communities. As

community radio falls under the community

broadcasting category, it also refers to a radio

station owned and controlled by a community

defined either geographically or as a

community of interest. Therefore, community

radio is institutional entity that has to be abiding

by the law and be operated in accordance

with the principles of rule of law, institutional

governance, and human rights.

2.4 Social Accountability in

the Context

In an open and pluralistic democratic society,

public or social service are not limited within the

purview of government's performance. Service

provision takes a dominant position in

institutional governance of every legal entity

including constitutional or statutory bodies,

professional or socially obligated civil society

20


Chapter

2

institutions, social and community organizations.

The application of the principles and standards

of governance/democracy, rule of law and

human rights are required in each of such legal

entities to sustain the confidence of their

constituencies. This has pushed up the need and

application of the accountability measures to

improve institutional governance any legal

entity. Accountability is being taken as one of

the crucial issues of governance and rule of law

from the perspectives of legitimacy and

trustworthiness.

The word „Accountable‟ seems to have come

into usage in the English language for the first

time in 1583 in the financial context (Win, 2012)

and at present, has been expanded to cover

every walk of operations of the entities. These

days, accountability is taking liabilities of the

action done or its consequences.

Accountability is a contextual term in bilateral

or multilateral relationships. It relates the

relationship in terms of ownership, participation,

fairness, exchange or transfer of powers and

21


Chapter

2

visibility of the governance. It comes in

reference of relationships of an individual to an

organized unit, an organized unit to an

individual and between or among various forms

of public and social entities. It operates on such

relations where their performance of tasks or

functions are subject to another‟s oversight,

direction or request that they provide

information or justification for their actions.

Therefore, the concept of accountability

involves two distinct stages: answerability and

enforcement. Answerability refers to the

obligation of the organized unit or the entity, its

agencies and officials to provide information

about their decisions and actions and to justify

them to the public and other relevant

accountability oversight institutions. Enforcement

suggests that the accountability oversight wing

or organ can sanction the offending party or

remedy the contravening behaviour.

Accountability comes as an issue in terms of

implementation of the policies and programmes

and attainment of the assigned task. It has been

22


Chapter

2

an agreed rule of institutional governance that

the goals must be spelt out, targets and

milestones must be fixed, functions must be

assigned, the needed decision making power

must be delegated, and performance must be

periodically monitored. The strength of

accountability and transparency in a system is

expressed by its efficiencies and effectiveness,

which in turn may be measured by the extent

and quality accrued by the target beneficiaries.

In the words of Christopher Politt, "accountability

is the relationship between two (or more) parties

in which one recognizes an obligation to give an

account of its actions to the others. Some form

of public accountability is fundamental to most

conceptions of democracy. Without an

acceptance and understanding of these both

sides, it is extremely doubtful whether the

maximum requirements for democratic

governance can be met" (Christopher Politt,

cited in Obaidullah, 2001). Therefore,

accountability may be simply defined as

objectively answering or responding to political

or policy authorities and sovereign constituents,

23


Chapter

2

beneficiaries/owners.

Aucoin and Heintzmann 1999, cited in

(Obaidullah, 2001) point out that accountability

relationship may aim at:

1. Control of Abuse, Corruption, and Misuse

of Powers:

assurance that resources are being used in

accordance with publicly stated intentions

and police, and that service values are being

adhered to.

2. Improvement of Efficiency and

Effectiveness of Programme:

The visible and credible pursuit of each of

these three objectives contributes to a fourth -

the enhancement of the legitimacy and trust.

3. Accountability and Efficiency:

Formal Control and Performance

Management

Social accountability is a "measure of an

organization's state of being mindful of the

emerging social concerns and priorities of

24


Chapter

2

internal and external stakeholders"( Business

Dictionary, 2012). Community, employees,

governmental and nongovernmental

organizations, management, and owners are

considered to be the stakeholders in terms of

such social accountability. Social accountability

is viewed as reflection of organization‟s

verifiable commitment to certain factors such as

(1) willing compliance with employment,

health and hygiene, safety, and

environment laws, (2) respect for basic civil

and human rights, and (3) betterment of

community and surrounding. Therefore, social

accountability is a part of general

accountability as a component of social

compliance.

Social accountability is also taken as civic

engagement. It relates with the participation,

transparency, confidence, fairness, and broader

social compliance. It is believed that social

accountability helps to ensure that power-

holders are more responsive to needs and

demands of people; and this enables more

effective public service delivery and policy

design; rights-holders are empowered by the

expansion of freedom, agency and choice,

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/owner.html

25


Chapter

2

which are key elements of effective

development and in turn contribute to greater

democratization, effective development and

reduced leakages, corruption and misallocation

of resources (ACFID 2009: 5).

2.5 Major Measures and Tools

of Social Accountability

Participatory and professional performance;

periodic shifting of the office of the authority;

access to information; visible and transparent

institutional operation; planned, controlled,

monitored and information disseminating

system, budgetary system; internal and external

exits for settlement of institutional disputes are

considered to be the fundamental social

accountability measures. Following indicators

may serve the main indicators of social

accountability measures:

26


Chapter

2

Legality, participation and ownership

Legitimacy ensured by statutory

authority/Legal recognition of entity,

Defined and publicly announced as a

institutional entity,

Openness and non-discrimination in

membership measures,

Periodicity of term of office of the authorities

and renewal of authority,

Inclusion and participation at various level,

and

System of institutional information sharing

with members.

Governance

Separation of powers between the organs of

the organization,

Defined role and responsibilities of officials,

departments and employees,

Hierarchy of decision making process,

Periodic strategic visioning and plan,

Internal information flow mechanism,

Monitoring and evaluation system,

27


Chapter

2

Financial and accounting system,

Audit and other institutional oversight

mechanism, and

Operation regulatory system.

Public Relation and Information Dissemination to

Outsiders

Measures of institutional information

dissemination to public,

Declared forms of maintaining social

accountability measures,

Communication complain disposal

mechanism

Collaboration with other social

accountability oversight entity

External communication

Institutional measures to satisfy right to

information of outsiders.

Looking at the current practices around the

world targeted at measuring social

accountability, several tools are found to be

developed and implemented. Those tools

28


Chapter

2

address different aspects of the aforementioned

social accountability measures. The forms of

social accountability measures are known as

participatory budgeting, independent budget

analysis, expenditure tracking survey,

ombudsman, citizens' charter, citizens' juries,

social audit, and public hearings are popular

tools of measuring social accountability of

public or social entities. Participatory budgeting,

independent budget analysis, expenditure

tracking survey, social audit, public hearing, and

even citizens' juries may be applicable in terms

of measuring social accountability of institutional

entities and organizations mandated as the

public interest institutions. Other forms, including

these, are applicable in broader public service

state or government bodies as well.

29


Chapter

2

2.6 Social Accountability in

Context of Nepalese

Community Radios

Community Radio movement in Nepal is

relatively a recent phenomenon. However,

community radios have been one of the most

effective means to social changes in the areas

of health, sanitation, education, agricultural

development, micro financial advancement,

ecological preservation, and eco-friendly

infrastructure development. These radios

enhance equity focused social practices by

demystifying existent superstitious traditional

beliefs among Nepalese societies and thus

promote practicing of scientifically more

appropriate and effective practices which

further impart more benefits to the targeted

audiences. Community radios effectively

educate people on diverse social issues through

airing relevant information at the local people's

easy reach and thus help them make aware of

issues that affect them.

30


Chapter

2

Similarly, the community radios have played

significant roles in past in bringing awareness

among citizens on major social issues including

human rights promotion, rule of law, national

unity, social security, ethnic harmony, good

governance, peace building and conflict

transformation at local, national, regional and

global levels. Positive impacts of contributions

made by such radios are also observed in

promoting gender equality, girls' education,

nutrition, and in issues of youths and

adolescents. Additionally, community radios

have also efficiently addressed the implications

of public and social performances by various

publicly responsible institutions like governmental

and nongovernmental organizations, local

authorities, and private firms.

The relevance of community radio in the current

landscape of Nepal is crucial. The introduction

of community radio has many advantages for

Nepal as it addresses language issues in many

matters given the larger numbers of different

local languages and vernaculars; plays role as a

media educator for remote populations,

31


Chapter

2

empowers communities for ownerships in

developmental initiatives as it provides a

platform for debate, exchange of ideas and

reactions to plans and projects. It can

accommodate people's ideas and satisfy their

spiritual and psychological wellbeing much

better than any other form of media.

32


Chapter

2 N

um

be

r o

f A

CO

RA

B m

em

be

r ra

dio

s in

th

e d

istr

ict

of

Ne

pa

l

33


Chapter

2

Perceivably, Nepal has poor performance of

public sector stakeholders due to minimal

accountability of them to the people in general

and also due to the rampant corrupt practices.

Right to Information Act-2007 incorporates

provisions of 'Social Audit' to ensure citizen's right

to information on public expenditures. The Good

Governance Act 2064 BS recognizes Social Audit

for each organization's programs and activities.

It has envisioned to make public administration

people oriented, accountable, transparent,

inclusive, with rule of law, free from corruption,

decentralization, financial discipline and also to

have service oriented administration with

effective service delivery mechanisms. Despite

presence of the vibrant media sector, especially

the community radios, civil surveillance of

democratic and accountable operation of

public sector is surrounded by various

discrepancies. Also, as civil society

organizations, they are still young entities; and

they lack internal good governance,

accountability, and transparency norms.

34


Chapter

2

Even being a great publicity in the country and

abroad that Nepal stepped very highly in

community radio sector, there is no clarity in

broadcasting law and practice on commercial

and community radio (Martin Chautari 2012: 4).

Due to such gaps and lack of proper governing

state policy and oversight system to the entities

like community radios, community radios face a

number of governance and accountability

related challenges including: inconsistent

application of community radio principles,

domination by elite groups, increased

politicization and loss of local control and

content. Despite large numbers of stations that

use the label „community radio‟, many of these

stations would score low or fail if a well

researched set of criteria– including those

principles espoused by Nepal‟s own community

radio groups – were applied to their operations.

If not the direct result of the lack of regulation,

this inconsistency is certainly exacerbated by

the absence of official standards to which

stations are accountable.

35


Chapter

2

From the view points of institutional governance

integrity, unbelievably perceived as strong force

of change, the community radios are not

running like institutionalized legal personality.

They simply operate, not well managed, the

radio – the zeal and drive of the founders and

volunteers, not system and process, run the

radio station without having clear long-term

institutional visibility strategies and plans to guide

the station. The situation represent that they are

rightly labelled as being in the infant stage of

organization development (ACORAB, 2009:50).

There was a consistent concern expressed in

past that community radio had been

dominated and „captured‟ by the elite ethnic

and caste groups, both at the national and the

local levels, a reality which is reflected in limited

station ownership and the absence of

democratic or proportional representation in

decision-making or mechanisms for real

community accountability. The issue of „elite

capture‟ raises the question of community

radio‟s role in social change and development

36


Chapter

2

and whether it tends to reinforce inequities and

re-empower the earlier empowered people. The

extent to which traditionally under-represented

groups participate in community radio in

management and as a staff is limited (Ian and

Subba 2007).

The rapid growth in number, influence and

effectiveness of community radios in recent

years has produced greater demands for

accountability of the radios; accountability to its

stakeholders and to the society as a whole. The

very fact that the radios aspire to empower their

respective communities means they have

committed themselves in some manner to

perform activities on behalf of others; their ability

to accomplish what is expected and promised is

fundamental and necessary to their relationship

with others as well as to the community. As the

radios interact with a number of other

institutions, and individuals in a number of

different ways, they have multiple

accountabilities. They are accountable to the

funding agencies, communities for which they

work, to other media and civil society

37


Chapter

2

organizations which they associate and lastly

the radios must be accountable to their own

internal governance.

Though the radios have been serving as

autonomous agents of accountability, they are

not immune from operating within parameters

of the accountability principles. They should not

only hold politicians, public officials and

institutions accountable, but they themselves be

accountable for their actions and improve their

capacity to effectively serve as legitimate

watchdog and work as agent of social

transformation.

Method and Design of the Status Review Work

3.1 Development of Social Accountability Indicators

At first the project document was approved by UNDEF and based on the project document, ACORAB Nepal developed the scope of the work of the study to be carried out on existing social accountability community radios. Scope of the study was specified to analyze the following major thematic responsibilities of community radio organizations:

a. Awareness/realization: How far the radio is aware of, realizes and convinced of the importance and benefits of social accountability;

b. Adoption/practice: Whether or not and how far the radio has been addressing accountability in practice corresponding to the area of institution's organization and the management;

c. Accountability framework: How the radio has arranged for, or is practicing, whether the policies, systems and practices are implemented or not;

d. Good practices and gaps: What are the good practices adopted by a radio that others can emulate, and what are the gaps or the areas of improvement needed.

After the determination of the scope of the study,

Chapter

3

Methods and Design of the Status Review Work3 Methods and Design of the Status Review Work 3

40 41

project team prepared a draft of the indicators of the social accountability measures that could be applicable in the context of community radios considering them as the community institutions working on issues of public interests. A workshop was organized on 14th August in 2012 which held a rigorous discussion on the draft of the indicators prepared by project team. The workshop, attended by the ACORAB Nepal board members, community radios representatives and the project team, finalized the indictors as conceptual framework applicable for the review task in the name of Indicators of Social Accountability Framework of Community Radio applicable in general framework of Governance and Accountability. The thus identified final indicators are as follows:

a. Participation and ownership

b. Governance

c. Maintenance of Social Accountability

Indicators Means of Verification• Defined and publicly

announced as a community broadcasting

• Openness of membership (all citizens in the community are eligible)

• Inclusion and participation at various level

• Complaints handling mechanism

• Accessibility of listeners

• License, legislation, by-law, websites, board decision, communication methods to its members

• Membership criteria and restrictive clauses in statute and methods applied in renewal and making new members; membership fees and minimum quantities of share to be purchased

• Disintegrated data of General Members, Board Members, Staff and programming; and electoral and selection policies

• Procedure of receiving complaints, suggestions and feedbacks from among the members and other people regarding ownership, independence and impartiality

• Existence of correspondence, No. listeners clubs/groups

Indicators Means of Verification

• Decision making process• Defined role and

responsibility of employees and departments

• Separate editorial policy with independence of newsroom

• Periodic strategic visioning and plan

• Sharing of internal info-rmation

• Monitoring and evaluation system

• Defined authoritative policy and regulatory norms with defined authority to take decision within institution; frequencies of board meeting and staff meeting, terms of service and social benefits

• Different policy, Job Descriptions, Terms of service

• Defined editorial policy/Style book• Periodic and annual plans• Employment policies and regulations • Dissemination methods of sharing major policy

decisions, budgetary situations (quarterly, half yearly) and audit reports to members and staffs

• No. of programme review, action plan, audit report, news event, news clipping


• Public dissemination of institutional status

• Maintenance of local programme at least 60 percent of the total

• Status of audience survey

• Sharing of the upco-ming programmes on local affairs in periodic basis

• External communication

• Means and methods of disclosing the information of a. and b. to audience; social audit events organized in a year; through publication in papers; periodic, display at institutional premises; upload in website etc.

• Program schedule, case stories; analysis of communications received from stakeholders

• Audience survey report, Changes brought after receiving feedback and comments; Number, nature and contents and timing of aired programme; language and dialects applied in the programmes; surveys conducted; their periodicity; documentation and assessment and responding system on received feedbacks and comments from audience,

• Notification in advance about the upcoming programmes in planned manner including inviting suggestions for making them effective,

• Focal person, phone


42 43

d. Networking

A notice, in order to call for the Expression of Interest from the eligible and qualified consulting firms, was circulated through member stations and other public notice forums. Through competitive bidding process, the Asian Academy for Peace, Research and Development was selected to undertake the study as an outsourced consultant agency. An agreement was entered between ACORAB Nepal and Asian Academy for Peace, Research and Development on 27 August 2012 for the research study project 'Review of Social Accountability of Community Radios'.With effect to the agreement and based upon the review of the conceptual literatures on accountability philosophy, a team comprising representatives from both the organizations having expertise in law, media and research had developed a draft conceptual framework of the applicable social accountability standards for a community radio. The draft conceptual framework was given the name as 'Social Accountability Indicators Applicable for Community Radio' and was presented to the policy advisers and the Executive Board Members for their final consideration and approval.

3.2 Documentation Template Developed and Applied

Following the approval of the indicators applicable for conduct study, the consultant agency came up with a template in the form of an interview question schedule for the documentation of data and information through field works and through communicating with member community radios where the fieldwork of the study would not be carried out. The template, used as interview schedule in the field visits by the members of the study team and institutional profile documentation of community radio by resource centre of ACORAB Nepal, provided framework for taking important information about the community radios including those on institutional details and legality of the radios, human resource engagements in the governing and management, frequency and watt capacity, memberships, approximation of audience and geographical coverage, broadcasting hours, time allocated for local programmes, languages, policy and other institutional legal documents, plan and budget system, monitoring and evaluation system, system of general assembly and tenure and positional change of policy officials, complaint and grievance handling system, communications from audience, types of programme having special effects, system of interacting with communities and opinion polling and other institutional information.The draft documentation template was initially used in six radios in Kathmandu valley in order to test the suitability of the questionnaire for the research purpose.


• Dissemination of social accountability information of other public and community organizations through radio programmes

• Partnerships with social accountability promoters

• invitation and participation in social accountability events

• Number of organizations and programmes broadcasted; programme produced and broadcasted on the social accountability issues of the public and community organizations,

• Number, period and natures of partnership programmes

• No. of social audit, public hearing, knowledge building training


44 45

Revision in the template was done based on the feedback and felt required improvements by the pre-test. Revision had given practical consideration of the data gathering by short-time field visit interview with the officials/representatives of the community radio stations. Enumeration guidelines were also prepared to facilitate documentation process in interviews in the field and also for institutional documentation at ACOARB Nepal's resource centre. The template is attached to present report as Annex 1A and the Enumeration Guidelines as Annex 1B.

3.3 Design of the Status Review and Data Collection Techniques

The study was designed with a view to capture both the quantitative and qualitative information which might be applicable for the purpose of the study. Therefore, personal interview, questionnaire filling through institutional correspondence, observation and FGDs were chosen as techniques of data collection.Of the total 219 on air community radios in Nepal, 50 radios from 17 districts were identified the key places to be observed in the field and interviewed the respective officials in person. The districts were purposively selected giving the representative coverage of geographical distribution, population density, ethnic distribution and language, frequency-watt, nature of legal personality of operating organization and closeness and remoteness from the district headquarters. List of the

radios visited for interviews and physical observation are annexed as Annex 2A.

Sampled Radios

69%

27%

1% 3%

Number of FM

NGO

Cooperative

LocalgovernanceOthers (collageand library)

Four locations were selected for FGDs to collect qualitative information which would not be possible through carrying out personal interviews and observation. FGDs were conducted in Ilam (Eastern Region), Dang (Mid Western Region), Palpa (Western Region) and Dhading (in Central region). The FGDs were mainly attended by local community radio representatives, other media persons and the listeners of the community radio. Four FGDs grasped information from 15 community radio representatives, radio listeners and other stakeholders including those from Bar Associations, NGOs. The lists of the participants of the focus group discussion are attached as Annex 2B.


46 47

Photo: Participants of the FGD Discussing the Issues Madampokhara, Palpa

3.4 Methods of Data Entry, Coding, Presentation and Interpretation

The information thus gathered through personal interview and institutional documentation, by applying individual documentation templates, was entered into a computer system with coding and decoding processes. Information gathered through observations and FGDs were documented, classified and analysed manually. Chapter 4 of this report provides analysis, presentation and interpretation of the thus collected and processed data and information.

3.5 Drafting, Sharing and Report Writing

The final findings of the research study were presented at the National Workshop on Social Accountability of Community Radios of Nepal on December 14 in Kathmandu, Nepal. The final report is prepared by incorporating all the inputs made by the participants at the workshop.

Chapter

4Presentation and Interpretation of Information

4.1 Explanation and Interpretation

Information collected from 73 community radios through interview schedule, observation of 50 radios and four focus group discussion with representation of 15 community radios listeners and stakeholders was tabulated in structured data form. Structured framework of the data showed that 50 sampled radios are operated by cooperatives, 20 are operated by nongovernmental organizations, and three others are operated by either local body or educational institution. The capacity of the sampled radios varies from 30 to 2000 Watts. Table 1 shows the orientation of the distribution of radios on the basis of Watts. It was found that radios with more than 100 Watts dominate the studied list of radios.

Capacity of Community Radio Number of FMBetween 100 to 500 Watts 33Above 500 watts 10Total 73

Table 1: Distribution of Sampled Radio by their Watt Capacities

Among these radios, 24 radios operate for 18 to 21 hours a day; 27 radios operate 14 to 18 hours daily; nine radios continue their broadcast for 10 hours a

Presentation and Interpretation of Information Presentation and Interpretation of Information

Chapter

4

50 51

Chapter

4day; only two radios remain on air for less than 10 hours a day; and only two radios remain on air for more than 21 hours a day.

24 radios

9 radios

27 radios

2 radios

Time Duration of Broadcasting

Table 2 gives an orientation of the weekly airing times and their respective frequency distributions.

CapacityWeekly Airing Time

Below 75 hrs

75-100 hrs

100-125 hrs

125-150 hrs

Above 150 hrs

Up to 100 2 8 8 3 0100 to 500 0 1 16 15 1Above 500 0 0 3 6 1

Total 2 9 27 24 2Table 2: Time Duration of Radio Broadcasting

4.2 Legitimacy of Governance and Management

As governing system of institution constitutes a core social accountability indicator, inquiry was made in terms of existence of institutional legal framework including Charter/Statute, governance By-laws including policies on administration, finance, gender and editing. Furthermore, existence of strategic plan, annual plan and budget was taken into consideration while carrying out the survey.

Table 3: Existence of Legal and Policy Documents


Chapter

4

52 53

Chapter

4The study found that 54 community radios are running with separate charter or statute to get recognition of radio station as legal entities. Similarly, other 19 radios do not have separate statutory frame and their legal identity is lined with broader legal entities. Among 73 radios, only 51 radios have their administrative policy.Similarly, only 42 community radios have financial policies in declared form. Only 22 community radios have gender policies in declared form and 51 radios lack gender policies. Inclusion policy is possessed by 32 community radios and others have not yet felt the need of separate inclusion policy. There are 46 community radios that currently have separate editorial policies and 27 community radios were found to be running their newsroom without a formal declared editorial policy in place. About half of the community radios have set their Strategic Plan and Annual Budget System, .i.e., 37 radios have strategic plans and 47 are running with annual budget plan and projection. The study also found out that 36 radios do not have their strategic plans and other 26 radios do not have their annual plans and budget plans.Another aspect of institutional governance accountability rests in the responsiveness of the governing bodies to their constituencies. From that perspective, annual general assembly was held by 67 radios. Though the radios have been holding their annual AGMs on time, in past five years the responsibilities of the key positions including president, secretary and treasurers in 50 radios have been looked after by the personnel.

Governance in

Operation

General Assembly by

67 radios annually

31 radios hold 1-4 meetings annually

27 radios hold 5-8 meetings annually

9 radios hold more then 9

meeting annually

23 radios has changed the key position

in last 5 years

In response to the query on the frequency of meeting held by the institution’s governing bodies on an annual basis, 31 radios were found to be holding 1-4 such meetings per year, followed by 27 radios holding 5-8 meetings and only nine radios were found to hold such meeting more than nine time per year.

Following table indicates the number of the meetings held and the decision taken by the board and sub-committees in last three years:


Chapter

4

54 55

Chapter

4

Executive Board Radio Managing Sub-Committee

Meetings Major Issues Meetings Major Issues

8 meetings per annum per radio

• Developing the strategic plan

• Exploring the land for radio

• Delegation of authority• Increase the

memberships• Personnel Policies• Marketing Policies• Radio equipment

purchase• New leadership

19 meetings per annum per radio

• Staff appointment and hiring

• Developing Personnel Policies

• Evaluation of Radio Programmes

• Collecting Feedbacks from communities

Table 4: Numbers and Issues of Decision Making Meetings

4.3 Participation of Constituency in Governance

It is ideal that the governing structures and the power exercising bodies should represent the composition of its constituencies. Therefore, the survey tried to study the status of the inclusion patterns in the community radios. Radios were asked to provide composition of the governing board and human resources engaged in the management based on their ethnicity, gender, and topographical origins. The cumulative aggregate of responses indicated the following composition:

Table 5: Ethnographic Compositions

Inclusion

2

37

511

27

204

14

1

16

3 5

26

58

70 4 0 1 3

122

60

94 2 3

25

22

3117

39

63

193

131

136

22

58

98

5013

08 13

35

0 111

0 6 919

30

50

100

150

200

250

Dal

it

Janj

ati

BC

Dal

it

Janj

ati

BC

New

a

Dal

it

Janj

ati

BC

Dal

it

Janj

ati

BC

New

a

Madhesh Pahadi Madhesh Pahadi

Male Female

Executive Board Operation Sub committee Paid Staff full Volunteers


Chapter

4

56 57

Chapter

4and patterns of complaint receiving techniques by the radios, a question was set seeking answers on the means of receiving complaints and suggestions.

Capacity RadiosMode of Communicating Complaints and Suggestions

Letter Email SMS Phone

Less than 50

50-250

Above 250

Less than 50

50-250

Above 250

Less than 50

50-250

Above 250

Less than 50

50-250

Above 250

Up To 100 30 6 17 7 14 13 3 10 2 18 3 1 26

100 to 500 33 6 20 7 10 21 2 7 4 22 2 31

Above 500 10 4 4 2 6 2 2 3 7 1 9

Total 73 16 41 16 30 36 7 20 6 47 6 1 56

Table 7: Means of Complaints, Grievances, and Feedbacks

4.5 Participation of Beneficent Stakeholders in Radio ProgrammingMeaningful engagement of beneficiaries and concerned stakeholders in radio programming could be a vital social accountability measure in overall social accountability of community radios. To identify the situation of the engagement of the beneficent stakeholders in specific communities and in radio programming, a question was asked with specific focus put on involvement of community people in radio programming, in radio programme preparation and production, in process of constituting listeners’ clubs, in making appreciation of the participation of listeners and the opinion poll. Responses showed that only 15 radios engage listeners in radio programming, 32 in preparations of programme, and 19 in formation of listeners’ club. Of all the 73 radios, 45 radios were found to be appreciative towards their listeners by

The openness in while giving access to interested individual to be a member of the constituency is a condition of inclusiveness as well as an ensured participation, to study the situation a question was asked to the respondents on the procedures involved, existent limitations and other related issues on acquiring memberships. The following responses were received from the respondents:

Table 6: Membership Distribution

The responses show that of total number of radios visited for the study, 47 radios are open in giving memberships and the openness ranges from 60 to 70 percent of the existing radios.

4.4 Reception of the Complaints and Grievances of BeneficiariesInstitutional responses of the governing bodies and management to the complaints and grievances of the beneficiaries is an important component of the social accountability of a radio. To know the means

Promoted by Open Close Total

NGO 31 19 50Cooperative 14 6 20

Local governance 1 1

Others 1 1 2Total 47 26 73


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4communities about their respective programmes.

Capacity of Community radio

Number of FMs

Interaction with community people annually

Having No Interaction 1-5 6-25 above

25Up to 100 30 13 9 1 7100 to 500 33 15 5 9 5Above 500 10 4 2 3Total 73 32 16 13 12

Table 9: Number of Interactions between Radios and Communities

4.7 Conducting Monitoring and Evaluating Radio Programme by RadiosThe social accountability of any public interest institution is also measured by looking at and making critical analysis of the institution’s monitoring and evaluation system and the related periodic activities. In a response to study the radios monitoring and evaluation system and activities, it was found that of all the radios contacted for the study only 60 of them were conducting relevant monitoring and evaluation activities of their radio programmes.

Capacity M & E SystemYes No

Up to 100 24 6100 to 500 30 3Above 500 6 4Total 60 13

Table no 10: Monitoring and Evaluation of Radio Programmes

providing awards and prizes to the listeners on frequent basis. Similarly, 32 radios were found to involve people through opinions pool.

Capacityin Watt Radios

ProgrammePreparation

of programme

Formation of Listeners

club

Prize and appreciation

Opinion poll

Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No

Up to 100 30 7 23 10 20 8 22 18 12 12 18

100 to 500 33 7 26 16 17 8 25 18 15 19 14

Above 500 10 1 9 6 4 3 7 9 1 1 9

Total 73 15 58 32 41 19 54 45 28 32 41

Table no 8: Number of community radio that involve people in different area

4.6 Social Responsiveness in terms of Undertaking Dialogues with the Community ConcernedSocial responsiveness of the community institutions, like community radios, may be measured by the measuring frequencies that they dialogue and interact with their respective communities. To assess the situation on how community radios take this issue, a question was asked to the respondents and responses show that of total of 73 radios, 41 radios were found to be interacting with their respective communities. Of those 41 radios, the majority of the radios indicated that they interact with their community people up to 25 times a year. The study also suggested that most radios conduct interaction with their communities to get familiar with the local issues and thus raise those issues among the local authorities. Additionally, it was also found that some of the interactions were held by radios to inform


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4

4.8 Responding the Local Languages of the CommunityRadio is a means of communication used to communicate with large mass of people at once. For effective communication and also for making radios more accountable and local in their respective communities, tongues of the people have to be taken into consideration. Therefore, local languages are the preferred languages for radio programmes in all the respective community Medias; however, the radios also have to give considerable space for radio programmes of other mutual languages for meeting the demands of people with different language groups and also for dissemination of information on local, national and global affairs. To assess this, the study team asked respondents on the languages the radio programmes mainly uses while airing on weekly hour basis. According to the respondents, it was found that 30 languages are used by 73 radios for radio programming; news and current affairs gets broadcasted in 23 languages. In all the radios, specific radio programmes are broadcasted in 30 languages, where as Public Service Announcements (PSAs) are broadcasted in 22 languages and advertisements are broadcasted in 21 languages. Table bellow gives an overview of the distribution of the languages in radios:

SN Language Number of Radios BroadcastingNews Program PSA Advertisement

1Nepali 73 73 63 622Maithili 14 15 11 113Nepal Bhasha 4 5 3 24 Tamang 6 10 5 55Magar 10 14 9 56 Bhojpuri 7 11 6 57Rai 3 4 3 28 Bantawa Rai 4 5 3 39 Limbu 5 7 4 2

10Hindi 4 6 4 611Urdu 2 7 1 212 Tharu 22 27 23 1913 English 4 3 0 314Rajbanshi 1 2 2 015 Satar 1 1 0 016Doteli 5 5 3 217Rana tharu 2 2 1 018Avadi 7 8 7 419Gurung 3 3 1 020Chepang 1 1 2 121Achami 1 1 1 122 Bejuki 1 1 1 123Majhi 1 2 1 024Marwari 0 2 0 125 Bengali 0 1 0 126 Sunuwar 0 1 0 027Danuwar 0 1 0 028 Sherpa 0 2 0 029Dura 0 3 1 130Chaudhari 0 1 0 0

Table 11: Radio Programme in Languages

4.9 Conducted Social AuditConducting social audit is one of the recognized forms of deliberation of social accountability for any institution obligated to its constituencies, beneficiaries and stakeholders. To assess this aspect of the community radios, the respondents were asked whether their radio


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4stations are having system of conducting social audit on periodic basis or not. Additionally, they were also asked whether their radios are engaged in causing or encouraging social audit of other social institution.

The study found that only 24 radios were having a system of arranging social audit events. The study also found that despite radios’ efforts in conducting social audit events, they are not organized in the organized ways. Of total respondents, 5 radios mentioned airing of income and expenditure of their radios during annual function events. One of the radios also mentioned that they display their radio’s annual income and expenditure on the notice boards and also do share with their listeners’ clubs. The study also found that few radios inviting stakeholders, government officials and listeners during their annual programmes where their annual income and expenditure are shared.

4.10 Maintaining Service CharterWhat services an institution provides to the service recipients, the processes involved and time to get such services are listed in organization’s Citizen’s Charter. In case of radios, it is reasonable to desire by the outsiders to know about the forms of services being provided by the individual radio, associated applicable costs and the processes involved. In order to find out this fact, the research team had visited 50 radios and the team found that the radios displaying such information in the form of their daily programme schedules and in remaining 10 radio stations, there were no such systems. However, the study also found that still there is lack of local radio initiated permanent ways or plans of placing Service Charter Boards in the premises of the radios and also the information about the nature of services being provided by the institution are posted in notice boards.

4.11 Maintaining Notice Board for Public InformationMaintaining public notice board is a pre-requisite of any corporate institution. As one of the community institutions, community radios also required to maintain this system in their station premises and other available business offices. Among all the 50 radios observed for this purpose, only 40 of them had established this system in their institutions.

Social Audit

11

9

4

19

24

6

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Up to 100 100 to 500 Above 500

Number ofCommunityRadios SocialAuditConducted

Number ofCommunityRadios SocialAudit NotConducted

24 Radios do the Social Audit but not in a structured way


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4.12 Beneficiaries’ Responses on Radio’s AccountabilityQualitative information was gathered from the local communities through organizing FGDs in four places. Such events were aimed at getting the information on how the communities have been perceiving community radio’s social accountability status. Participants of the discussion were asked to concentrate each FGD on identifying how the status of social accountability of community radio is understood and taken by the respective communities and stakeholders? And, it also provided enough discussion session on improving the social accountability status of community radios?The inputs of participants on perception of local communities and respective stakeholders about the social accountability of community radios are found to be as follows:

• Still, community radios do not fully represent the communities that they belong to;

• Issues of public concerns; those which are intended to be concealed by the government agencies are made and exposed among people and they are better informed on these issues;

• Community radio are facilitating communities on information exchange and communication based on the need of the respective communities;

• Community radios are effective in playing roles as a civil or citizen scrutiny of governmental offices in the concerned district or at the local

levels, however, they themselves are not able to demonstrate their own institutional accountably through maintenance of social accountability measures;

• Very low level of community participation exists in the radio management and policy levels due to the lack of priority setting by the concerned radio to engage locals in the policy and in the management levels;

• The radio listeners’ clubs are helpful to generate several social events for the benefit of the communities which can be taken as the empowering contribution of radios to the respective communities;

• Efforts of radios in disclosing information on mismanagement or wrong governance of social agencies, such as cooperatives, in Ilam have contributed a lot in promotion and practice of social accountability among local social institutions at the local levels in Ilam and the vicinity;

• Though there is no sufficient participation of the socially excluded sections of the societies at institution’s governance and management structures, through airing of radio programmes on relevant issues the voices of voiceless people have been addressed, taken care and channelled to corresponding policy and decision makers;

• Social accountability of community radios are adversely affected by lack of proper regulatory legislative framework providing clear definition


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4social auditing of the radios themselves;

• Instead of promoting positive news reporting pattern, the patterns of negative news reporting were found to be on rise;

• Reporting and programming on ritualistic festivals that are empowered by commercial media to be more extravagant are to be discouraged by sharing factual and scientific information; and

• Community radios should be more responsible to the rights of the victims in cases where cases are related to the violation of human rights and on crimes.

4.13 Radios Impacts on Causing Community Institutions AccountableCommunity radio has empowered people to come together for the common cause in terms of rule of law, institutional governance, and democratic practice. One of the examples is the promotion of accountability of local Cooperatives in Ilam through providing institutional progress report to their constituent members through radio notice.

Radios have not only informed farmers to get the real price for their products, but also helped them to demand fertilizers and technical assistance from the government’s agricultural offices. In results, government employees’ accountability to the service recipients has been found to be promoted by these

and demarcation of the Community Radio and the Commercial Radio;

• Ownership by respective communities on the contents of the radio programme is yet to be expanded;

• Contents of the radio programmes of community radios are intended at causing or facilitating social changes at the local levels which further are more accountable with attempts made at penetrating healthy messages to the listeners;

• Contents on holistic community development have been promoted and the languages used in programme delivery and relevant explanations are understandable by local communities;

• An inclusive and participative organizational structure of a radio facilitates social accountability practices by the radio and other stakeholders;

• Information on radios themselves is shared to the communities through their radio programmes, annual meetings and events. However, execution of social accountability tools like social audit and public hearing would aid radios in enhancing responsiveness elements of the individual radio;

• Some of the radios are found to be more attached to the interest of the political parties;

• The radios have not shared the idea of their ethical codes among the listeners due to which the concerned listeners are not aware on the proper roles and responsibilities of the radios. Additionally, there is not established system of

Presentation and Interpretation of Information

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4practices which also helped in holding accountable the agro-product traders which resulted in situation where the farmers were able to have enough bargaining capacity for their products.

Community radios have always raised the issues of voiceless people. They impacted people’s lives starting from the individual level to the highest possible level. For example, in Ilam it is found that radio programme had provided justice to two innocent families who were blamed for a murder case. Many cases on educational scholarships designed to offer to the Dalit students were not offered to them by the schools which was also advocated by the local community radio and the local stakeholders were made accountable to their actual roles in identifying the real beneficiaries and distributing the prize toi them.

Many radios have also started a programme targeted at observing performance of the government officials. Under this initiative, the radio reporters visits government offices at 10:00 am in the morning to check whether the respective employee has arrived at their place to perform the roles given to them by the Government of Nepal. Similarly, if the reporters find anything wrong then they go to the head of the department to discuss about thus found out misbehaviour. The name of the programme is “10 O’clock”. This is a weekly live radio programme where the reporters go to each government office once a week. This has made the officials to be more focused in their work and held accountable to their service beneficiaries.

5.1 Social Accountability of

Frameworks Radios

The majority of the community radios are run as

the independent and self-governed community

institutions which was also supported by the

study which found 54 radios were having

separate institutional legal identity documents;

including the Charter, bylaws and policies;

which are essential frameworks for a socially

accountable institution. Similarly, about half of

the community radios have set their Strategic

Plan and Annual Budget System in place and

out of eight such institutional documents, the

majority radios have at least six with them. The

study also concluded that few radios were sort

of these frameworks.

Radios are found to be socially inclusive. Though

there is no availability of the comparable

Findings Chapter

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70

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5

database of the compositions of the ethnicities

in the respective communities which these

radios represent, the present engagement of

the people in terms of their governing bodies as

well as operational human resources, the radios

have been able to demonstrate diverse ethnic

representation within their institutional structures.

Furthermore, the study also found that more

than 80 percent of the radios do have their

monitoring and evaluation system in place.

Moreover, the Annual General Meetings and

the meetings of the governing bodies are found

to be organized on suitable time and tenures

which support the fact that the internal control

mechanisms of these radios are in operation

which finally implies that the social

accountability frameworks exist in majority of the

Nepalese community radios.

71

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Chapter

5

5.2 Application of Measures

within Institution

Community participation in the programming of

the radios is one of the good measures that

ensure application of social accountability. In

this context, the radios are found to be weak as

majority of the radios do not involve community

people in preparation and implementation of

their radio programmes. Very few radios have

earned trust of the listeners and only 19 radios

have organized listeners' clubs. Radios are also

deemed to be strict while it comes to engaging

more community people in popular opinion polls

which was also supported by the study finding

which state that only 32 radios were found to be

engaging community people in their opinion

polls. Similarly, there is a marginal equilibrium in

the statistics of the radios those holding the

interaction with communities to those not

holding such events, i.e., 43 percent (32 out of

73).

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5

Radios are found to be very responsive towards

their respective communities in terms of

applying local languages in radio programming.

It was found that more than 30 languages are

used by the surveyed 73 radios in preparation of

radios news, special programmes and Public

Service Announcements.

Finally, the trend of applying social

accountability measures such as organizing

social audit, maintaining service charter, notice

board for public information has been found to

be increasing among the community radios.

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5

5.3 Sense of Ownership on

Radios by Communities

The respective communities of the radios are

found to be receptive to the respective radios

as their own media even if they are not fully

satisfied with the services being provided by the

community radios and on whether they

represent the real interests of the communities or

not. Radios also helped in making public the

information on issues of public concerns and

those are intended to be concealed by the

government agencies which helped the public

agencies to become more accountable to the

citizens. Similarly, the communities were found to

be positive towards the roles played by the

radios in terms of information dissemination.

There is conformation of the roles played by the

radios as civil scrutiny of government offices in

the districts or at the local levels, however, the

communities have pointed out that the radios

themselves are not been able to establish and

maintain accountably within their institution.

74

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5

The judgmental opinions of community

representatives stating that there is low

participation of communities in the radio

management and policy and radios' failure in

giving priority to engage them in policy and

management level seems to be valid and the

study findings also corresponds to this fact.

The radio listeners clubs are helpful to generate

several social events for the benefit of the

communities which can be taken as empow-

ering contribution of radios towards respective

communities. However, only few radios have

made this effort institutionally.

Efforts of radios in disclosing the misman-

agement or wrong governance of social

agencies have contributed in maintenance of

social accountability of social institutions at the

local levels. Though there is no sufficient

participation of the socially excluded sectors of

the societies in institution's governance and

management structures, the voices of voiceless

people have been addressed, taken care and

channelled to the concerned policy and

decision makers through radio programmes.

75

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5

Social accountability of community radio is

adversely affected by the lack of proper

regulatory legislative framework which clearly

defines and set demarcations of the Community

Radio and Commercial Radio. Contents of the

radio programmes are primarily aimed at

causing or facilitating social changes and are

more accountable at making attempts to

penetrate healthy messages to the listeners,

however, the community representatives are

found to be worried about the inclinations of the

radios towards interests of the particular political

parties. The community representatives were

found to be interested in receiving ethical

codes of radio operators and the engaged

professionals.

Finally, in spite of promoting reporting of positive

news, the radios were found to be giving more

time for reporting of negative news. Similarly, the

community people were found to be interested

in receiving more fact based information for

which right sensitivity of the radio workers is seen

as a necessary component.

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5

5.4 Radios Caused other

Community Institutions

Accountable

Community radios have been playing the roles

as a facilitator in terms of promoting social

accountability and as an institutional social

accountability practitioner in community by

empowering people to come together for the

common cause in terms of rule of law,

institutional governance and democratic

practice. They are found to be one of the key

social accountability practitioners in the

community in institutional capacity.

Community radios are found to be acting as an

intermediary between the government

agencies and the local communities. Local

people channel their grievances to the

government through radios. The radios are

found to be attempting to hold accountable

the relevant public, government and social

authorities to their beneficiaries by raising the

voices of the voiceless people, conducting

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5

observation and social auditing activities in the

respective communities. The major area of such

interventions included load-shedding, market for

the product, environmental and ecological

conservations, agriculture, protection of human

rights of vulnerable groups and individuals,

mainstreaming of marginalized groups,

preserving local resources, infrastructure

construction, and ethical practices of the

service providers.

Based on the overview of the legal system and

the framework of the present study and the

presentation and findings above, the study

team offers following recommendations to

improve institutional social accountability of

community radios and to promote institutional

social accountability of other service providing

institutions in the localities of the community

radios:

In Nepal there has been the lack of legal

framework and no clear definition of what

community radios actually are, and how they

differ from the privately or government owned

radio stations. Government needs to make it

clear so that the work of community radios will

be distinct from other forms of radio services. It

is recommended that there should be clear

state policy to provide scope and limitation of

Recommendations

Chapter

6

Recommendations 6

80

service delivery by the radio that accounts as

social obligation of the community radio.

Community Radio derives its strength and

popularity from community participation. In

practice, participation is harder than it seems,

because it is labour intensive, requires the right

attitude, skills and motivation. There needs to

be external support in building the capacity of

the radios in maintaining institutional systems

corresponding to the principles of social

accountability.

Without proper management skills, as well as

some knowledge of financial management

and income generation, it is very hard for

Community Radio to survive. There is an urgent

need of organizational development support

from the perspective of financial sustainability

of the community radios.

As community radios' financial aspects are

relied upon the contributions made by the

communities they serve for and the social

marketing, community radios are in need of

assistance in skill development on social

marketing and fund raising within community

Recommendations 6

81

and also on strategies to tap resources from

outside. It is recommended to donors and

national organizations working to support

radios to assist radios in these aspects.

Community radios have provided valuable

inputs for bringing changes in terms of

democratization of the communities, social

transformation of the local practices and

promotion of sense of social accountability;

however, the efforts made by them in these

respects are not found valued and brought to

broader public notice by the concerned

Government Ministries and development

agencies. Therefore, it is recommended to the

government agencies to highlight the roles

played by the community radios in community

development.

There is growing number of radios, even in a

single community, and the community itself is

found to be divided for this reason and

emergence of a sense of enmity within the

community seems to be potential in near

future. Even the plurality in information

dissemination is important, considering the

costs and other aspects, the community radios

Recommendations 6

82

working in the same communities are advised

to promote joint programming endeavour by

sharing thematic leads.

Assessment of Social Accountability Status of

Community Radio 2069 BS

1. Name of the radio:

Capacity: Frequency:

2. Address:

Registration No.: Establishment date:

3. Name of the owner organization:

4. Address:

Registration No.: Establishment date:

Information

Documentation Template

Annex 1A

ii

Information Documentation Template

Annex

1A

5. Radio manager and the working human

resources

5.1 Number of employed people at the station

Total Madhesi Hill

Janajati Dalit Chettri/

Brahmin Janajati Dalit

Chettri/

Brahmin Newar

FT PT V FT PT V FT PT V FT PT V FT PT V FT PT V FT PT V

Female

Male

Total

FT: Full Time, PT: Part Time, V: Volunteer

Note: Please state if the human resource also composed of

disabled or third gender individuals.

5.2 Organizational Working Committee/ Number

of committee members

Position Gender

Madhesi Hill



Chettri/

Brahmin Newar

President

Vice

President

Secretary

General

Treasurer

Members



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Annex

1B

5.3 Details of Sub-Committee (If you have one)

Position Gender

Madhesi Hill



Chettri/

Brahmin Newar

President

Vice

President

Secretary

General

Treasurer

Members



6. Provision of membership: a. Open to all b. Limited to the selected

If membership is limited to the selected

ones, who are they and how membership

request is approved?

………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………

7. Estimated number of listeners: ………………..

8. Areas of coverage:

……………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………

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9. On air time (weekly in hours):

……………………….……………………………………

10. Local production (weekly in hours):

……………………………………………………………

11. On air time of programmes produced by

other than CIN (weekly in hours):

…………………………………………………………….

12. In languages the radio programmes are

broadcasted? (Weekly in hours)

Language News Programme PSAs Commercial clips

13. Is there any documentary radio operation

guidelines? a. Constitution/ Operation bylaws: Yes No

b. Administration regulations: Yes No

c. Economic regulations: Yes No

d. Gender Policy: Yes No

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e. Inclusion Policy: Yes No

f. Editorial Policy: Yes No

14. Do you have your radio's strategic plans:

a. Yes b. No

If yes, when was it formulated and for how

long?

…………………………………………..

15. Do you prepare radio's annual plan and

budget plan?

a. Yes b. No

If yes, how is it prepared and who

participates in this process?

a. Community b. Community and

community organization

c. Only staff d. Staff and the

sub-committee

e. Staff and other

organization's members

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16. Do you perform Monitoring and Evaluation

of the radio programmes?

Yes No

If yes, when is monitoring and evaluation is

done? a. Monthly b. Once in three month

c. twice a year d. Annually

d. As per the requirements

16.1 How do you implement suggestions

received through monitoring and evaluation?

……………………………………………………………

…...………………………………………………………

17. How many General Assembly events have

been held earlier?: ..……………………………….

When was the last General Assembly held?:

………………..………………………………………

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If the General Assembly has elected the

officials, provide the details:

General

Assembly

Held

Year

Names of the main members of the

working committee

President General

Secretary Treasurer

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18. Please provide the details of meeting held

between Radio working committee, sub-

committee abd the Manager

Year

Working Committee Sub-Committee

Meeting

No.

Main

outcome of

the meeting

Meeting

No.

Main

outcome of

the meeting

19. How do you collect listeners' comments and

recommendations?

a. Letters b. Telephone

c. Email d. SMS

e. Facebook f. Face-to-face

g. Others interactions

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20. What kinds of listeners' comments and

recommendations do you receive?

a.

b.

c.

20.1 What was the toughest comment or

recommendation you have ever received and

how you dealt with it?

……………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………

21. What is the monthly frequency of listeners'

letters, emails and phone calls?

Letters: a. < 50 b. 50-100 c. >100

Email: a. < 50 b. 50-100 c. >100

SMS: a. < 50 b. 50-100 c. >100

Phone: a. < 50 b. 50-100 c. >100

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Annex

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22. Do you have your affiliated listeners' club?

a. Yes b. No

If yes, how many such clubs do you have?

a. 1-5 b. 6-10 c. 11-15

d. 16-20 e. >20

23. Did your broadcasted programmes bring

any significant social transformation in that

area?

a. Yes b. No

If yes, provide details of such examples:

………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………

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Social Accountability towards the Community

24. Does your radio conduct any discussions and

interactions through visiting local communities?

a. Yes b. No

If yes, what is the frequency of such

programmes?

Programme

Conduction Timeline Frequency of Programmes

a. Weekly …………………………….

b. Bi-monthly …………………………….

c. Quarterly …………………………….

d. Bi-annually …………………………….

e. Annually …………………………….

25. What is the main purpose of such

interactions? Please tick: a. To advocate local issues for stakeholders'

concern

b. To receive local complaints

c. To inform community of the radio programme

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d. Others (please provide details)

………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………

…………………………………

26. Does your radio perform voting on locally

prevalent disputable issues?

a. Yes b. No

If yes, fill up the following table:

Method Time Issue of Concern

SMS

Radio Voting

Survey

Selection of a

Radio Programme

Phone

Email

27. What you do to promote community

participation?

……………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………

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28. On the monthly basis, how often do you

include community people in your

programmes?

Method of Promoting

Participation

Average Number of

Participants

Participation through live

interaction with the radio

listeners

Encouraging participation

during programme production

Participation through radio

clubs establishment

Participation through engaging

in formal award ceremonies

organized to award or to honor

listeners and supporters

Others (please specify)

29. Within past one year, did your radio

broadcast programmes produced by other

organizations?

a. Yes b. No

If yes, how many:

Local (…………..)

and of the network (………)

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Local Network

Name of

the

programm

e

Duration Name of

the

programm

e

Duration

Broadca

st

Agreeme

nt

Broadca

st

Agreeme

nt

Expansion of the Working Network

30. Are there any other joint partner

organizations for programme production?

a. Yes b. No

If yes, how many? Local (…………..) and

from the network (…………..)

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31. Do you involve different thematic area

specific organizations or professionals during

programme production?

a. Yes b. No

If yes, in which thematic areas they were

involved in?

1.

2.

3.

32. Does your radio the affiliated branches of

FNJ or of other professional federations?

a. Yes b. No

33. Does your radio perform its own social audit?

a. Yes b. No

If yes, please provide details on

methodologies employed and duration of the

audit period:

……………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………

xvi


Annex

1A

34. Does your radio perform social audit of other

organizations?

a. Yes b. No

If yes, please provide details on

methodologies employed and duration of the

audit period:

……………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………..

35. For correspondence purpose, please

provide the following details:

Management/ Administration Committee

SN Name Position Telephone Mobile Email

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

xvii


Annex

1B

Human Resources at the Radio Station

Contact Person Name Position Telephone Mobile Email

Station

Manager

News Chief

Programme

Chief

Account/

Administration

Chief

Marketing Chief

Technical Chief

Association of Community Radio Broadcasters Nepal Guidelines for Completing Social Accountability Survey

Questionnaire

1 Introduction and Request


Nepal (ACORAB), in partnership with Asian

Academy for Peace Research and

Development and with financial support from

UN Fund for Democracy (UNDEF), has been

conducting an assessment survey on baseline

social accountability status of community radios

in Nepal for proper knowledge management.

The required information for designing a survey

Instruction to Enumerators

Annex 1B


Annex

1B

xx

questionnaire for this purpose has been

accomplished by collecting relevant

information from all the radios and after

processing all the collected data, a final survey

questionnaire has been designed accordingly.

Besides information collected through this

questionnaire, the research team has also been

collecting additional information on geological

diversity, capacity of the radios and diversity of

radio owner institutions from 40 different

community radios employing participatory and

non-participatory observation methods,

individual informal interviews and consultations.

For bringing uniformity and verifiability in all the

collected data and also for assisting

stakeholders to complete the questionnaire,

following guidelines have been designed.


xxi

Annex

1B

2 Brief Guidelines

The survey questionnaire has been prepared

simple for making it easily understandable by all

the respondents and brief completion guidelines

have been also included in every respective

sections of the document. This document has

been supplemented with additional information

and guidelines required while completing the

questionnaire.

While completing the questionnaire, please

clearly put a mark () on an empty box which

corresponds to your matching answer. Similarly,

in case of descriptive answers please write

down your answers in legible letters and

numbers.

All the collected details and information from

this survey will be studied and analyzed

collectively and information on specific radio or

institutions will not be published while producing

the final study report. Thus, all the details and

information should be completed as per the

demand of the questionnaire.


Annex

1B

xxii

3 Section wise questionnaire

completion guidelines

1 Please write down the details of community

radio in questions 1 & 2.

2 Please write down the details of either the

license holder social organization, or

cooperative or respective institution of the

community radio.

3 In question 5.1, provide the details of human

resources at the radio. Please fill the details of

people from different backgrounds from

Terai and Hill accordingly. While completing

this part of the questionnaire, take the

reference of categorization attached

herewith this guidelines. In case of Newar, fill

their details in their specified places. Please

duly mention the number of males and

females from different backgrounds.

4 While filling the details of management

committee, administration committee or sub-

committees of the radio, please also mention

about the organizational structure and

authority given to others of the respective

institution. If the completed details deem to


xxiii

Annex

1B

be insufficient, please attach photocopies of

additional respective documents.

5 Please complete the details of estimated

radio listeners under question number 7 by

taking the reference of active radio listeners

in the radio coverage area and also the

letters and emails sent by the listeners, radio

listeners' club and their members. Please try

to mention those aspects as clearly as

possible.

6 In question number 8, please mention the

radio coverage districts and areas.

7 While completing questions through 9-12,

please write the details in weekly basis by

calculating weekly broadcasting time

duration unless they are specified to be

completed on the daily basis.

8 Questions through 13-16 are based on the

details of the institutions that run the radios.

While completing these questions, please be

sure to write the already published details

and which the radio employees are already

aware of and are being under operation. If

you mark the assertive answer (YES) while

completing these questions, ACORAB may

ask you to provide details in the form of


Annex

1B

xxiv

photocopied documents during the study

period.

9 Question number 17 assesses the status of

democratic practices and leadership

development in the radio. Thus, please

mention the details of all the previous

general assembly including the number of

the assembly, the year when it was held and

the elected main members of the working

committee.

10 Question number 18 is meant to collect

details on which kinds of decisions were

taken by the radio owner institution within

past three years with the objectives of

making radio more responsible towards

communities and also making radio

operation as transparent as possible. So,

please provide the details of the number of

meetings held in one year and the major

decisions made from those meetings to

make radio more transparent, socially

responsible and good governing.

11 In question number, please provide the

details of the most complicated comments

and recommendations received from the

listeners and how they were resolved.


xxv

Annex

1B

12 In question number 21, if your response

exceeds the number of alternatives

provided, mark the answer (C) and mention

the number accordingly.

13 While providing the details in question

number 24, please mention the issues which

were accomplished by visiting the local

communities. Also, please DO NOT mention if

community people were called in for a radio

programme.

14 While answering question number 30, please

provide details of the participation made for

programme production only.

15 In question number 31, while providing details

of the availability of subject specialists as

content advisors for producing programmes

in related fields. For example, the availability

of agricultural specialists for producing

agriculture based programmes.

16 In question number 33 & 34, provide the

requested information only if your radio itself

conducts social audit events on radio's

progress and income – expenses reports.

Other simple events like general assembly

are not needed to be mentioned here.


Annex

1B

xxvi

17 While providing the personal details in

question number 35, please provide name

and other details which will also help to

reveal the gender and backgrounds of the

individuals.

Index 1

Janajatis and Indigenous nationalities in Nepal

(CBS, 2001)

Himal

18

Bhote, Sherpa, Dolpo. Lhome (Shing Sawa),

Lwopa, Larke (Nupriya), Siyar (Chumba),

Mugali, Barhagaule, Balung, Thudam, Tangbe,

Tapkegola (Dhokya), Tingaule Thakali,

Barhagaule Thakali, Marfalai Thaklai,

Chairotan, Byasi

Pahad

24

Chepang, Gurung, Jirel, Lepcha, Limbu,

Newar, Magar, Rai, Sunuwar, Tamang, Thami,

Dura, Hayu, Chyantal, Hoyolmo, Pahari,

Bhujel/Gharti, Baramo, Surel, Kusunda, Fre,

Kushwadia (Kuhawadia), Bankaria

Inner

Terai

Bhote, Danuwar, Kumai, Darai, Majhi, Raji,

Raute

Terai

Dhanuk (Rajbansi), Dhimal, Gangai, Rajbansi

(Koch), Tharu, Meche (Bodo), Kisan, Satar

(Santhal), Tajpuriya, Jhangad


xxvii

Annex

1B

Dalit Categories as identified by National Dalit

Commission

Note: Dalits are the people who despite the legal

provisions against discrimination on them face

discrimination. Sunar, Sonar, Lohar from Madhes are not

the dalits however, Dhaula, Pode, Chyame from Newar

communities can be included in the list as well.

Pahadi

Dalit 5

Gandarva (Gaine), Pariyar (Damai, Darji,

Suchikar, Nagarchi, Dholi, Hudke), Badi,

Bishwokarma (Kami, Lohar, Sunar, Uud,

Chunara, Parki, Tamata)

Madhesi

Dalit 17

Kalar, Kakaihiya, Kori, Khatik, Khatoe (Mandal,

Khank), Chamar (Ram, Mochi, Harijan,

Rabidas), Chidimar, Dom (Marich), Tatma

(Tanti, Dras), Dusadh (Paswan, Hajara), Dhobi

(Hindurajak), Pattarkatta, Pasi, Bantar, Mushar,

Mestar (Halkhor), Sarwonga (Sarbariya)


Annex

1B

xxviii

100 Classified Social Groups (CBS, 2001)

Janjati

Groups

11 groups based on Jati/Janjati

(Classification of 100 Social Groups)

(Number of sub-groups)

1.

Brahmin/

Chettri

1.1 Brahmin from Pahad (1) : Brahmin from

Pahad

1.2 Chettri from Pahad (3): Chettri, Thakuri

and Sanyasi

1.3 Chettri/ Brahmin from Madhes (4):

Brahmin from Madhes, Nurang, Rajput,

Kayastha, (Bhumihari)

2. Others

from

Madhes

2.1 Other groups from Madhes (26): Yadav,

Teli, Koiri/Kushhawa, Kurmi, Sonar, Baniya,

Kalwar, Thakur/Hajam, Kanu, Sudhi, Kumhar,

Haluwai,Badhai, Barai, Bhediyar/Gadari,

Kewat. Mallaha, Lohar, Nuniya, Kahar,

Lodha, Raajbhar, Wing/Vinda, Dhuniya,

Kamar, Mali

3. Dalit

3.1 Dalits from Pahadii (6): Kami, Damai/

Dholi, Sarki, Badi, Gaine, Non- Identified

Dalits

3.2 Dalits from Madhes (10): Chamar,

Mushhar, Dusad/ Paswan, Tatma, Khatwe,

Dhobi, Banttar, Chidimar, Dom, Halkhor

4. Newar 4. Newariii (1)


xxix

Annex

1B

5.

Janajati

5.1 Janjati from Pahad/ Himal (31): Magar,

Chantyal, Rai, Sherpa, Bhujel/Gharti, Yakya,

Thakalai, Limbu, Lapchha/Rong, Bhote,

Byasi/Sauka, Jirel, Hyolmyo, Balung, Gurung,

Dura, Tamang, Kumal, Sunuwar, Majhi,

Danuwar, Thami/Thangmi, Darai, Bote,

Baramu, Pahari, Hyau, Kusunda, Chepang,

Raji, Raute

5.2 Janajati from Terai (15): Tharu, Jhangad/

Ghangad, Dhanuk, Rajbansi, Gangai,

Santhyal/ Satar, Dhimal, Tajpuriya, Meche,

Koche, Kisan, Munda, Kusbadiya/

Pattarkatta, Non-Identified Indigenous

Group Janajati

6.

Muslim 6. Muslim (1): Muslim

iAs Bhumihar is not mentioned in the population census, it is

enlisted in a box. However, due to their inclusion in the

Population Health Survey, they are included under

Brahmin/Chettri from Madhes.

ii Classified under Dalits of Pahad category due to the higher

prevalence of non-identified dalits in Pahad. Similarly, non-

identified indigenous people are found in Terai, they are enlisted

under indigenous group people from Terai.

iii Khadgim Kapali/Jogi, Dayola and Raj from Newar

communities used to fall under untouchables (kfgL grNg])

group. Also Chyame & Pode also used to fall under the category

of untouchables which is not mentioned in the population

census.

1 List of visited Community

Radio

SN Name of Radio Frequency Address

1 Radio nepal

bani 94.9 Ilam municipality-2

2 Ilam FM 93 Ilam-2

3 Phulbari

Samudaik

Radio

105.4 Grahmin Chowk,

Lahan 10

4 Radio Salhesh

FM 88.8

Hanumannagar,

Bhaluwaha, Siraha

5 Radio Samagra

FM 107 Lahan Na. Pa. 6

6 Samad FM 102.6 Krishna Tole, Lahan

1

7 Radio Saugat 88.1 Lahan- 7

8 Radio

Purbanchal 104.4

Paanchali,

Biratnagar 16

List of Radios Visited

and Surveyed Annex

2A

List of Radios Visited and Surveyed

Annex

2A

xxxii


9 Radio

Paribartan 89.4 Itahari-5, Sunsari

10 Gantantra FM 95.1 Dharan-11, Sunsari

11 Radio Makalu 92.2 Bahrdhan Tole,

Dhankuta-7

12 Radio

Dhankuta 106.2

Chuliban

Dhankuta-7

13 Nagrik FM 107.5 Bhadrapur-4,

Jhapa

14 Radio Sargham 88.8 Mechi Nagar-1

15 Radio Sandesh 103.9 Surunga-5, Jhapa

16 Mero FM 93.5 Kathmandu-33

17 Radio

Sagarmatha 102.4 Lalitpur-4

18 Grace FM 107.6 Dhulikhel-6

19 Radio Namo

Buddha 106.7 Kavre Gabisha-2

20 Radio

Upatyaka 87.6

Kathmandu-21,

Yangal

21 Radio Mahakali 96.2

Bhi. Na. Pa. 18,

Katan,

Mahendranagar

22 Radio

Swargadwari 102.8

Ghorai

Nagarpalika 11,

Dang

23 Jagran FM 90.8 Birendranagar 6,

New road, Surkhet


xxxiii

Annex

2A


24 Radio Bheri 102.7 Birendranagar 8,

Surkhet

25 Radio Tulsipur 100.2 Tulsipur 5, Ghorahi

road, Dang

26 Radio Deukhuri 105.8 Chaulahi Ga B Sa

2, Lamahi

27 Radio Highway 103.5 Chaulahi Ga B Sa

2, Lamahi

28 Rey Paschim

Today 88.8

Red cross bhawan,

Dhangadi - 5

29 Bulbule FM 103.4 Birendranagar 6,

New road, Surkhet

30 Radio Surkhet 90.2 Birendranagar 6,

Surkhet

31 Radio Saryu

Ganga 104

Ka line, Birendra

Chowk, Tulsipur 5

32 Gandaki FM 90.2 Pokhara 1

33 Radio Nayayug 107.3 Chailare Ga B Sa-2

34 Radio Hamro

Pahuch 89 Tulsipur, Dang

35 Bheri FM 105.4 Shantipath

36 Gorkhali Radio 106 Shimal chour-8,

Pohkara


Annex

2A

xxxiv


37 Sunaulo FM 102.2 Chipledhunga,

Pokhara 4

38 Radio Dhading 106 Nilkantha 5,

Dhading

39 Samudaik

Radio

Madanpokhara

106.9 Madanpokhara 9,

Palpa

40 Radio Mukti 95.5 Laxminagar,

Butwal 6

41 Radio Lumbini 96.8 Manigram,

Rupanehi

42 Community

Radio, Muktinat 90.8 Tansen, Palpa

43 Suklaphata FM 99.9 Nachanthali, -8,

Kailali

44 Community

Radio, Rampur Rampur, 3, Palpa

45 Tikapur FM 101 Tiakapur, Kailali

46 Radio Bheri

Awaj 95.6

Karkando-5,

Surkhet

47 Radio Jan

Aawaj 97.3

Puspalal Chowk,

Nepaljung

48 Radio Rubaru 104.5 Nepaljung, Banke

49 Radio Krisnasar 94 Nepaljung, Banke

50 Radio Prakriti

Tulsipur, Dang


xxxv

Annex

2A

2 List of Community Radio

information through Email

SN Name Frequency Address

1 Samudaik Radio Adhi Khola

105.4 Walling 4, Syangjha

2 Appan Mithila 94.4 Jaleshwor 5, Mahotari

3 Baglung FM 96.4 Baglung Nagarpalika 2, Majkot

4 Radio Rudraksh 98.8 Jaleshwor 5, Mahotari

5 Samudaik Radio Parbat

103.6 Khanigaun 2, Phalewas Parbat

6 Radio Rajmarg 92.1 Goganpani 4, Ranimala

7 Shakti FM Hetauda, Makwanpur

8 Radio Buddha Aawaz

89.6 Banganga 8, Bairiya

9 Radio Deurali 101 Khan 4, Argakhachi

10 Radio Ramarosan FM

92 Mangalsain 6, Aacham

11 Radio Rapti FM 104.8 Khala 5, Dardagaun

12 Radio Sanskriti 98.2 Bidhyapatinagar, Gaur, Rautahut


Annex

2A

xxxvi


13 Sumhatalung FM 104.2 Phidim 4, Pachthar

14 Radio Sungava FM

107 Gauridarda, Bardibas, Mahotari

15 Radio Mustang 89 jomsom VDC-6, Mustang

16 Afno FM 104.8 Amargadhi, Daheldhura

17 Afno FM okhaldhunga

104.8 Okhaldhunga

18 Radio Salyan 101 Khalaga 5 Salyan

19 Radio Madhyabind FM

101 Kawasoti, Nawalparasi

20 Rupako Radio 96.6 Diktel 6 Khotang

21 Radio Jagaran 93.6 Butwal11 Rupandehi

22 Solu FM 101.2 Salleri 7, Dorpu Bazar, Solukhumbu

23 Janaki FM 106 Janakpur Na. Pa. 11






xxxvii

Annex

2A



28 Samudaik Radio Parbat

103.6 Khanigaun 2, Phalewas Parbat

29 Radio Rajmarg 92.1 Goganpani 4, Ranimala

30 Shakti FM Hetauda, Makwanpur

31 Radio Buddha Aawaz

89.6 Banganga 8, Bairiya

32 Radio Deurali 101 Khan 4, Argakhachi

33 Radio Ramarosan FM

92 Mangalsain 6, Aacham

34 Radio Rapti FM 104.8 Khala 5, Dardagaun

35 Radio Sanskriti 98.2 Bidhyapatinagar, Gaur, Rautahut

36 Sumhatalung FM 104.2 Phidim 4, Pachthar

37 Radio Sungava FM

107 Gauridarda, Bardibas, Mahotari

38 Radio Mustang 89 jomsom VDC-6, Mustang

39 Afno FM 104.8 Amargadhi, Daheldhura

40 Afno FM okhaldhunga

104.8 Okhaldhunga


Annex

2A

xxxviii


41 Radio Salyan 101 Khalaga 5 Salyan

42 Radio Madhyabind FM

101 Kawasoti, Nawalparasi

43 Rupako Radio 96.6 Diktel 6 Khotang

44 Radio Jagaran 93.6 Butwal11 Rupandehi

45 Solu FM 101.2 Salleri 7, Dorpu Bazar, Solukhumbu

46 Janaki FM 106 Janakpur Na. Pa. 11






FDG List of Participants Illam

SN Name Organization SN Name Organization

1. Som Nath

Suseli Nepal Bani FM 2. Sagar Rijal Student

3. Narwada

Subedi Shanti Dada 4.

Devendra

Rimal

Nepal Bani

FM

5. Khagendra

Sapkota Ilam FM 6. Devi Adhikari

Nepal Bani

FM

7. Mahes Basnet Ilam FM 8. Nawaraj Sankar Student

9. Narendra

Khadga Ilam FM 10.

Satendra

Jabeju Student

11. Chudamani

Khanal Ilam FM 12. Khyam Bhujel Student

13. Gyanendra

Niraura Radio Sargam 14. Buddhi Chhety

Hamropost

Daily

15. Ashok Chhetri Punarabedan

Bar Unit 16. Dilli Chapagai Ilam FM

17. Indira Gimire Ilam Post

Dainik 18. Tika Khatiwada

Sandakpur

Daily

19. Bibas

Capagai Student 20.

Dipendra

Chapagai Student

21. Yadav

Bhattrai Student

List of Participants of

Focus Group Discussions Annex

2B

List of Participants of Focus Group Discussions

Annex

2B

xl

FDG List of participants Dhading

SN Name Organization SN Name Organization

1. Sarita Shrestha Radio

Rajmarga 2. Susil Gurung

Radio

Loktantra

3. Laxmi Shrestha 4. Hari Prasad Risal Radio

Loktantra

5. Manish Duwadi Radio

Loktantra 6. Mahindra WAiba

Radio

Loktantra

7. Rita Shrestha Asian

Peace 8. Kamal Ale Magar

Radio

Rajmarga

9. Anil Khanal ACORAB 10. Susila Bhandari

Nari

Jagaran

Kendra

11. Sanu Babu

Timilsina

Radio

Dhading 12. Muna Simkhada

Radio

Loktantra

13. Subahas

Khatiwada ACORAB 14. Ambika Rupaketi Sahes

15. Rabindra

Bhattarai ACORAB 16. Bhawana Thapa

Radio

Bihani

17. Krishna Shisir Radio

Dhading 18. Gita Adhikari

Radio

Bihani

19. Sharad Neupane

Asian

Peace

Academy

20. Urmila Koirala Radio

Dhading

21. Upendra

Adhikari Krishi Radio 22. Shanker Shrestha

Radio

Dhading

23. Saroj Poudyel Krishi Radio 24. Rajaram Sharma Radio

Dhading

25. Narayan

Chandra Subedi

Radio

Rajmarga 26. Thakur Guring

Radio

Bihani

27. Bhumiraman

Nepal

Ban Tatha

Batawaran 28. Santosh Shrestha

Radio

Bihani

List of Participants of Focus Group Discussions

xli

Annex

2B

List of Participants in Palpa

SN Name Address SN Name Address

1.

Manoj

Kumar

Khanal

Madanpokhara

- 9 Palpa 2. Kamal Palli

Madanpokhara-

1 Palpa

3. Toyashwor

Chaudhary

Karahiya - 8

Rupandehi 4.

Chhabilal

Bhattrai

Madanpokhara-

7 Palpa

5. Yamuna

Saru

Jhayase – 8

Palpa 6. Binita Luintel

Madanpokhara-

6 Palpa

7. Bindu KC Madanpokhara

– 5 Palpa 8.

Suresh Kumar

Pokhrel

Rampur 5-

Mohari

9. Narayan

Pande

Tansen

municipality 14

Kunsare Palpa

10. Sukadev

Pokhrel Rampur -5 Palpa

11. Radha

Bhusal

Madanpokhara

-6 Palpa 12.

Yagya Bahadur

Pande Chhetri Madanpokhara-

6 Palpa

13. Shanti

Gahatraj

Madanpokhara

-1 Palpa 14. Rita Shrestha

Kathmandu,Sita

paila

15.

Deepak

Bishwokarm

a

Tansen - 12

Palpa 16.

Khem

Bhandari

KTM, Buddha

Nagar

17. Shiva Khand Madanpokhara

-4 Palpa 18.

Rabindra

Bhattrai Kathmandu

19.

Som

Bahadur

Hitunga

Madanpokhara

-2 Palpa 20.

Birendra

Ghimire

Madanpokhara-

5 Palpa

21. Sujan

Neupane

Madanpokhara

-5 Palpa 22. Juna Ghimire

Madanpokhara-

5 Palpa