[FoME] Buying radio air time for community purposes

[Georg Amshoff]

Dear Colleagues, dear Richard,

as the Desk Officer Asia / Pacific of CAMECO, I know of several NGOs that actually buy air time from AIR (All India Radio). Some of these programs have become very successful - like a womens program by KMVS in a local dialect of Gujarat that provided crucial information after the devasting 2001 earthquake when more than 42,000 people died. However, it is not easy to ensure real community ownership of these kind of programs, even if KMVS uses teams of volunteers that swarm out and get the opinion of the rural women. 

Another NGO called Voices in Bangalore has developed a more cost-efficient way to broadcast their Radio-Program: they feed it into the TV cable net of their village and provide adaptors that even ordinary transistor radios can receive the signals. According to the Founder of Voices (and newly elected President of AMARC Asia-Pacific), Ashish Sen, the so-called 'narrowcasting' is the most viable way for communities until the Government of India allows them to run an FM station.

However, I too would be interested in experiences from other countries on 'alternative' broadcasting systems.

Kind regards,

Georg Amshoff





=======================
CAMECO
Catholic Media Council
ph . ++ 49 241 70 13 12 - 15
fax  ++ 49 241 70 13 12 - 33 
Georg.Amshoff at CAMECO.org

>>> richard.gerster at gersterconsulting.ch 07/13/06 11:34  >>>
I have come accross an example in India where an NGO buys air time at the
governmental All India Radio to spread self produced audio messages. India
has not a favourable legislation for community radios as do not have many
other countries either. I would be interested to hear whether there is
experience available (reports etc.) from other countries of NGOs looking for
such second best windows of opportunity. Thanks and best regards
 
Richard Gerster