Community Radio

Community Radio

₹10,000.00

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Learning Objectives

Community Radio and its successful operation needs skill and knowledge of radio station management. the course is directed towards this objective. The learners shall learn the scope of community radio, the equipment used in the studio, transmission tower, antenna, cable, transmitter, its use and operation, basic operation, program code, type of programs, broadcast ethics.

During and post COVID, Community Radio is an excellent tool to impart online education

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Description

Community Radio Station

(Copyright: World Development Foundation)

Community radio is the most potent tool for increasing democratic political participation in development projects. CR empowers marginalized groups, giving them skills in communication, helping them develop support networks, and programming for their linguistic, health, social, and cultural needs. It uses format that runs the gamut from dramatic soap-operas to public service announcements in local dialect on topics such as community health (AIDS, HIV, Malaria, etc.), anti-violence programs, gender issues, women empowerment, children’s rights, news of development projects in the area, rights and privileges etc. Community radio stations also support distance education projects, by broadcasting programs on literacy, skill development, farming. entrepreneurship etc. This has the capacity to achieve the Millennium Development Goals {MDGs) set by United Nation (UN) aimed at the reduction of poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, environmental degradation, and discrimination against women.

The challenge with the informed society is to communicate with people in their own language and impart knowledge and skill to enable them to earn their livelihood and improve their living conditions. The power of oral communication to impart knowledge is inherent in ancient tradition of many countries of the world. The ancient system of education in India has been by way of storytelling for knowledge, skill, introspection, critical analysis and self-realization which was considered the ultimate goal of human life. Aesop (5th Century BC) and Homer thrilled their audiences with oral tales ranging from the fall of the Trojans to fables. Osayimwense Osa and Hale both described the importance and functions of oral storytellers in western sub-Saharan Africa, the griots, which involved ‘advising, diplomacy, and instrumental music. Use of oral stories to convey messages embedded with knowledge has been common across most of the civilizations. The history goes back in time to days before people developed the ability to read and write. An evolutionary advancement of traditional systems is to integrate the modern technology to communicate with that segment of population which is still illiterate or suffering from digital divide. Community Radio with the dynamism and adaptability of life as lived in organic communities to support local economic development, social justice, and political empowerment. Variety of formats such as stories, rhymes, riddles and proverbs can be used.

A pilot to examine the use of Community Radio for education of farming practices was implemented in India by World Development Foundation. The program contents were based on following main themes.

  • Agriculture programmes, seasonal farming (group discussion), gardening in home, growing of flowers, medicinal plants, aromatic plants etc. weather and season for crops, information to farmer based on Argo-met Advisory Service of Department of Agricultural Physics and Meteorology, transfer of technology to the farmers from University and research centers, format for reply to questions of farmers etc.
  • Whole-sale market rates (on daily basis), business linkages with SHGs / NGOs of different villages, programs related to Piggery farm/ Goat farm/ nurseries/ dairy farm, sharing of programs of public broadcaster and different media houses and institutions.
  • Interview of legal advisers, career counselors, bank officials, scientists, experts, block officials, health educators, doctors,
  • Gender sensitization and woman empowerment programmes
  • Local songs sung by local singers, folk songs and music.