13 new Community radio stations projects

Community radio is today believed to be an important tool for social upliftment and empowerment of the marginalised. With that thought in mind, the Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (CEMCA), the Asian chapter of Commonwealth of Learning (COL) is now preparing to launch 13 community radio stations (CRS) in South and North India during 2007-08.

Community radio refers to a type of radio service catering to the interests of a specific area, broadcasting material that has relevance to a local audience. The term has somewhat varying meanings. In the UK, it originated in the illegal pirate radio stations whereas in America, as well as in India, community radio is more commonly non-profit and non-commercial, often using licensed class-D FM band transmitters.

With the successful implementation of its pilot projects, first of running the only licensed CRS at Anna University, Chennai, and the second one in Kongu Engineering College, Erode, CEMCA is all set to repeat its success at Bhagwan Mahavir Jain Institute, Bangalore, on June 25 and at Holy Cross College in Tiruchirapalli on June 26. The target audience for these stations will be women. First we will document their knowledge, including their superstitions, and then our experts will guide them. Then we will set up the radio stations. At the end of the year we will take into account the change in their behaviour and attitudes said an official.