Dr Vinit Kumar Jha Utpal
On July 25, 2024, India celebrated a significant achievement with the inauguration of its 500th community radio station. Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw marked this milestone by launching ‘Apna Radio 90.0 FM’ at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) Aizawl campus in Mizoram. This is the first Community Radio Station (CRS) in Mizoram, expanding the reach and impact of community-based media in the northeastern region.
Anthropologists estimate that around 350 different ethnic and social groups are present in the seven states of Northeast India. In this context, Krishna Kanta Handiqui State Open University initiated the region’s first community radio station, which began broadcasting at 90.4 MHz on January 28, 2009. On November 20, 2010, the Assam Chief Minister launched “Jnan Taranga,” the KKHSOU Community Radio, into regular programming. The second community radio station in the region, “Radio Luit” from Gauhati University, started on March 1, 2011. By 2013, there were 144 community radio stations operating across India, serving diverse communities in various regions. Over the past decade, this number has surpassed five hundred.
In his address at the event, Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasized the transformative potential of this new radio station for the local population. He noted that ‘Apna Radio 90.0 FM’ would play a crucial role in improving the quality of life in its broadcast area by providing relevant and timely information. This initiative aligns with the Government’s Act East policy, aimed at strengthening connections and development in the eastern states of India. Vaishnaw also highlighted the essential functions of community radio stations in disseminating important information about agriculture, government schemes for farmer welfare, and weather updates. Community radio serves as a powerful tool for bridging information gaps, fostering local engagement, and supporting community development.
Community radio operates with low-power transmission, typically covering a radius of 20 to 30 kilometers. It addresses local communities that share similar development challenges, resources, and regional concerns, while also contributing to broader national and regional development goals. These stations offer a unique platform for alternative voices by presenting content in regional and local languages. Community radio is particularly significant for underserved and marginalized populations who often lack access to mainstream media.
A typical community radio station features programs created locally, in native languages or dialects, focusing on issues relevant to the community. Community radio is the third tier of radio broadcasting in India, following public service and private broadcasting. It is characterized by its local management and ownership. In many parts of the world, community radio had already matured. In the UK, community radio began operating on cable networks in the early 1970s. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the newly established Radio Authority granted licenses to several new cable-based community projects. The first World Conference of Community Radio Broadcasters was held in Montreal, Canada, in August 1983, bringing together passionate community radio enthusiasts. The first Asian community radio station was launched in Girandurukotte, Sri Lanka, in 1986 as part of the Mahaweli Community Radio project.
In India, discussions on community-driven media gained momentum following the Supreme Court’s 1995 decision declaring airwaves as public property. This led to the creation of the Pastapur Declaration in 1998, named after Pastapur in Medak District, Andhra Pradesh, where the discussions and adoption took place. This declaration established a framework for continued dialogue with the government. Persistent advocacy with the Government of India resulted in the introduction of the first Community Radio Policy in 2002, which allowed educational institutions across the country to set up small-scale local radio stations.
With support from civil society organizations, government officials, and international agencies such as UNESCO and UNDP, revisions were made to the partially enabling 2002 policy. The government allowed reputable institutions, including IITs and IIMs, to apply for community radio licenses. A breakthrough occurred in 2006 when the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) introduced new guidelines for establishing community radio stations. This significant step supported the Indian government’s broader goal of media democratization and amplifying the voices of marginalized and underserved communities.
On February 1, 2004, Bharat Ratna Shri L.K. Advani, then Minister of I&B, inaugurated the first community radio station. Dr. Sreedher Ramamurthy, Director of the Audio Visual Research Centre at Anna University and widely regarded as the father of community radio in India, launched “Anna FM,” the country’s first campus-based community radio station. In 2006, the Indian government updated the community radio policy to permit educational institutions, agricultural universities, and civil society organizations-including NGOs-to apply for licenses to broadcast on the FM band 88-108 MHz. The first NGO-operated community radio in India, Sangham Radio, was licensed to the Deccan Development Society and began broadcasting in 2008 from Pastapur village in the Medak district of Andhra Pradesh.
Community radio stations are leading the way in a revolutionary era of communication for India, having a profound impact on many facets of daily life and society as a whole. These stations are crucial in fostering local economies and influencing community dynamics. They actively shape the social, cultural, and economic fabric of communities, significantly improving the quality of life by empowering residents, preserving traditions, and promoting local development through their diverse roles.
(The writer is Assistant Professor in Communication at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Northern Regional Campus, Jammu.)
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