Tuesday 13 January 2009

[creative-radio] Digest Number 2540

There are 2 messages in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

1. Alapur, Uttar Pradesh, India - Community Radio to end villagers woes
From: George Lessard

2. Journalist's Survival Guide: What to Do Before the Ax Falls
From: George Lessard


Messages
________________________________________________________________________
1. Alapur, Uttar Pradesh, India - Community Radio to end villagers woes
Posted by: "George Lessard" mediamentor@gmail.com themediamentor
Date: Tue Jan 13, 2009 7:20 am ((PST))

Community Radio to end villagers woes

http://keralaonline.com/commentary/village-community-radio-give-voice-peoples-issues_16608.html
Image
http://images.keralaonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/comm.jpg

"Community radio is the real voice of the people, it is a communication
service that caters to the interests and needs of a certain area, its
culture, craft, cuisine and above all social and development issues," said
Mridul Srivastava, the station director of 'Lalit Lokvani'.

'Lalit Lokvani', is a village community radio planned to be operational in
Lalitpur region of Uttar Pradesh state (India). It is a joint initiative of
a Sai Jyoti Gramudyog Seva Sansthan (a non-governmental organization) and
the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), situated just 22 km from
Lalitpur in Alapur village of Birdha block.

The 15 km transmission range will take in its fold 60 villages comprising
around 100,000 population. While dry run has been initiated the actual
transmission will start after getting the license from the Ministry of
Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. For now, the community
radio station has been granted 90.4 megahertz frequency.

Mridul, station director and four reporters of the Lalit lokvani, interacted
with the UP state media at 'Media for Children', a bi-monthly media
initiative organized by UNICEF and 'Media Nest', on issues of women and
children. Media Nest is an organization that works for the welfare of media
persons and their families.

Mridul and his team of twelve village reporters, including two women, have
been provided technical training in reporting, researching, programme
production, and broadcasting. As part of their capacity building exercise,
they have prepared programmes on local culture, festivals, development,
women and health issues.

It is unthinkable that a daughter-in-law of a village can actually record
radio programmes, edit and in fact help in solving issues of women, said
Sunita Chandel, who shared her experience of being a radio reporter. She
said initially there were lots of questions, but once the family and society
realised how productive the work was, they gave their permission.

"I am both happy and proud after I became a community reporter," she said.
"If it is difficult to step out of one's home for a daughter-in-law, then
believe me, it is even more difficult for a daughter to do so, but I held my
ground and today I am an example setter-for the village girls," said Varsha,
a young community reporter.

This was the first journey outside Lalitpur for both Sunita and Varsha, and
they were thrilled with this great sense of empowerment and purpose in life.

For the other two male reporters- Bhagwan Das and Kashi Ram the work has
meant the unfolding of a new tool of communication.

"We get a chance to see the real issues of the people and through our work
we even provide a solution," said Bhagwan Das.

As for Kashi Ram, being a community reporter was a great feeling of being
useful to society and community. He said while earlier he was just a
listener of radio today he is the communicator and he enjoys the work which
gives him a chance to be a leader.

The Government of India made a policy of issuing private community radio
licenses for 5000 stations in November 2007. This made it possible for
registered non-government organizations to enter the field, said Augustine
Veliath from UNICEF.

"UNICEF saw the potential of this communication medium and selected
Lalitpur, one of its integrated project districts for setting up the maiden
community radio station," informed Augustine.

"Such interactive sessions with the real people help broaden vision of the
media. The idea is to sensitize the press, give them in-depth information on
issues which they can then translate into reports and features," said Kulsum
Talha, Secretary General, Media Nest.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Messages in this topic (1)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. Journalist's Survival Guide: What to Do Before the Ax Falls
Posted by: "George Lessard" mediamentor@gmail.com themediamentor
Date: Tue Jan 13, 2009 7:25 am ((PST))

Journalist's Survival Guide: What to Do Before the Ax Falls

Here's one thing we know for sure: The layoffs, buyouts and general
downsizing in journalism last year weren't the last. Chances are good that
some of you who are reading this now won't have jobs at the end of 2009.
http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=101&aid=156461


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Messages in this topic (1)

--
This e-mail service is edited, managed and moderated by
George Lessard http://mediamentor.ca

Make a donation via PayPal:
http://members.tripod.com/media002/make-a-donation-via-paypal.html

Creative-Radio is an independent forum for people active in or interested in the use of radio in development, in particular promoting public health, improved education, protection of the environment, improved livelihoods, good governance and conflict mitigation. Since it started in 1996, Creative-Radio has been in the forefront of radio's resurgence as a tool for social change and peace-building, and it helps promote best practice in these areas.

Creative-Radio is pleased to be supported by:
Media Support Solutions / Media Support Partnership <http://www.mediasupport.org>


Creative-Radio Moderator
media@web.net

RSS feed:
http://rss.groups.yahoo.com/group/creative-radio/rss

Change your subscription
- to daily digest mode by sending a blank message to:
creative-radio-digest@yahoogroups.com

- to individual e-mails by sending a blank message to:
creative-radio-normal@yahoogroups.com

- delivery on hold by sending a blank message to
creative-radio-nomail@yahoogroups.com

Caveat Lector- Disclaimers, NOTES TO EDITORS
& (c) information may be found @
http://members.tripod.com/~media002/disclaimer.htm
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Developing Nations license.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/devnations/2.0/
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Because of the nature of email & the WWW,
please check ALL sources & subjects.
Members who post to this list retain their copyright but grant a non-exclusive license to others to forward any message posted here. They also grant the list owner permission to maintain an archive or approve the archiving of list messages.
Other use of e-mail to this list requires the permission of individual writers

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/creative-radio/

<*> Your email settings:
Digest Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/creative-radio/join
(Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
mailto:creative-radio-normal@yahoogroups.com
mailto:creative-radio-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
creative-radio-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

------------------------------------------------------------------------