Public Discussion on “Community Radio in Goa”

Monday | 6th March 2017 | 10.30 am – 1.00 pm

Co – organised by The International Centre Goa
& GoaCAN (Consumer Action Network)

The session will be led by
Mr. Sajan Venniyoor,
founder- member of the Community Radio Forum

Chairperson: Roland Martins, Co-ordinator, GoaCAN

Entry is Free & Open to All

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ABOUT COMMUNITY RADIO
Between 2002 and 2006, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Govt of India, came out with two Community Radio Guidelines that made it possible for Educational Institutions, Civil Society Organizations and Agricultural Institutions to set up and run low-power Community Radio (CR) stations.
Typically, these CR stations cover a radius of 10-15 kms, depending on the terrain, and are allowed to broadcast a range of programmes that are “relevant to the educational, developmental, social and cultural needs of the community.” Community participation is essential for both the management of the radio station as well as the production of programmes.
The government, under a scheme for financial support for CR Stations, offers substantial financial aid to successful applicants, both for setting up CR stations as well as for production of programmes. CR stations are also allowed to broadcast advertisements, up to 7 minutes of ads per hour of broadcast. Government advertisements are also provided to CR stations that register with DAVP, the advertising wing of the ministry.
As of now, political news is not permitted on CR stations, though any information of relevance to the community can be broadcast.
Today, there are 252 licensed (and 200 operational) community radio stations in India. Other than a few states on the North East border of India,
and the island territories, Goa is the only state in ‘mainland’ India that does not have a community radio station.
The public discussion will focus on CR Awareness on the following areas:
1. Background to Community Radio in India
2. CR Policy Guidelines — an overview
3. Applying for a CR license
4. CR in Goa — potential of CR; eligible groups
5. Sustainability of CR
About Sajan Venniyoor
Sajan Venniyoor is one of the founder-members of the Community Radio Forum, a network of community radio broadcasters and activists which helped to frame India’s community radio policy (2006). He began his media career as a public service broadcaster, first in All India Radio and later in Doordarshan as a producer. He then joined the UN as an ICT Resource Person for a knowledge-sharing initiative in India. Currently, he’s a media consultant for an international broadcaster.
Venniyoor writes on media and ICT issues, but his particular interest is community media. He has been associated with the community radio movement in India since the late 1990s.