TIMES NEWS NETWORK

[ SATURDAY, OCTOBER 05, 2002 01:59:04 AM ]

KURNOOL: India's first community radio has been launched at Orvakallu in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh on Friday.

The woman members of the Mandal Ikya Sangham, who spent over Rs 25,000, to set up the radio station, named Mana Radio, formally launched the broadcast on Friday.

The radio station is located in a small room in this village about 30 km from Kurnool town. The Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) provided technical support and gave training to the women in running the station. It will broadcast 45 minutes of programming every Monday from 6.00 to 6.45 pm. The recorded speeches of employment generation minister B Gopalakrishna Reddy and SERP chief executive officer K Raju were broadcasted during the launch function.

The station's locally-generated programmes, including a play and a news bulletin, have received good response from the villagers. The bulletin was prepared by reporters Nagaraju, Laxmi Prasanna, Jayaram and Prakash. Nagaraju and Laxmi Prasanna read the bulletin, which included local and national news. According to SERP advisor Meera Shenoi, the content includes songs, documentaries, stories, jokes, interviews with officials, and talks on agriculture, animal husbandry and literature. She said 30 young men were given training for three days in producing programmes at Orvakallu.

Technical support came from a technician, Anshuman, who helped the sangham in establishing the radio station. He said the radio signals are being broadcasted at FM 900 mhz and the radius would be increased to 5 km from the present 1 km in the next phase. SERP local officer Vijaya Bharathi said 'Mana Radio' would help promote a feeling of pride in the community.

She added that radio also serves as a platform for local artistes and activists.

Reporter Laxmi Prasanna felt that women of the village are now confident of doing anything as they are running a radio station by recording and also editing programmes. Laxmi said even illiterate women were coming forward to prepare programmes.


Warm Regards,
Alokesh Gupta,
New Delhi, India.

Phone # 0091-11-6177277

--- information about Canadian Community Broadcasting ----

 http://ncra.ca

The CRTC is the Goverment agencey that licences radio stations.

 http://www.crtc.gc.ca
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Over all, this is what canada is trying to do.

 http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Notices/1999/PB99-75.htm


good luck to all involved.

ted