Thaindian News

New Delhi, Apr 7 (ANI): Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ambika Soni today said that her ministry will consider setting up of “Community Radio Fund” to ensure the sustainability and enhanced outreach of the community radio movement within the country.

Inaugurating the first National Community Radio Sammelan for operational Community Radio Stations in India here, Soni said: “This would be based on the model followed in several countries where the setting up of such a fund has been a success. For this purpose, the issue would be taken up on high priority with the key agencies such as the Planning Commission and concerned ministries.”

She said that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting would also prepare a proposal whereby a certain portion of infrastructural costs of setting up of Community Radio stations within constituencies of MPs could be met from the MPLADS Scheme. “The suggestion was mooted in view of the enhanced allocation within the scheme recently. Once the proposal was examined and prepared,” she added.

Regarding financial sustainability, Soni said that in order to facilitate this aspect, not only guidelines for empanelment of Community Radio Stations with DAVP had been approved; efforts were also being made to increase the advertisement rates, which were abysmally low at the moment.

She called upon the participating agencies to generate maximum revenue from advertisements and assured the support of DAVP in streamlining advertisements to this medium.

Speaking on the potential of the medium, Soni said the pro active functioning ensured quality information on flagship schemes of the government to the people. Similarly, it would also make the local community conscious of their rights and entitlement.

“As a medium of communication, it would engage the local communities with empowering information thereby leading to national integration, pride and identity. The goal of each community radio station was to promote self-esteem not only within the community but each individual. As part of the outreach process, the ministry had undertaken a roadmap to create an awareness generation programme,” she added

During the three days deliberations, discussions would be held on issues concerning policy changes in the existing community radio guidelines, quality of content being broadcast from the community radio stations, strategies to engage community in programme production, funding and sustainability, encouraging and popularizing local cultural talent.

The consultation will bring together community broadcasters and other key stakeholders such as non-governmental organizations, media activists, academia and the policy makers to take stock of the achievements of this burgeoning sector of radio broadcasting in India, and explore ways to take this movement to the next level. (ANI)