Community Radio in India: Empowering Communities by Giving Voices

In India, radio is a popular and affordable medium of mass communication. Wide coverage, affordability, and mobility are the reasons for its popularity. Community Radio in India exists along with the public broadcaster, All India Radio, which covers nearly 92% of the country’s area and 99.19 % of the total population, and private commercial radio stations (FM Radio) serving the local community, with their specific information and entertainment needs.

Community Radio in India

Community radio stations (CRS) is seen as an important instrument for empowerment and social development. Therefore, it is also called the radio of the people, for the people, and by the people.

Community radio in India is popular and relevant to a local, specific audience but is often overlooked by commercial or mass-media broadcasters.

Community radio is generally non-profit and provides a mechanism to become creators and contributors of media for community members. Community radio is essential in informing the masses of their fundamental rights and duties.

Community radio is also an intermediary between the Government and the local masses.

Community radio in India is one of the important instruments in strengthening the ‘Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression’ as it not only solves day-to-day life problems that a common man faces but also provides a strong platform from where they can freely disseminate ideas with other community members.

Community Radio Stations in India

After the landmark judgment of the Supreme Court of India in February 1995 that ‘airwaves are public property,’ the campaign to legitimize community radio began in the mid-1990s.

In December 2002, the Government announced its policy to grant permission for setting up CRS for three years. Initially, licenses were mainly granted to esteemed educational institutions, such as IITs/IIMs, with specific limitations in place. The first community radio in India was implemented on February 1st, 2004, at Anna University, Chennai.

Until 2006, only educational institutions could set up campus radio stations with a 10-15 km transmission range.

In December 2006, the CRS policy was revamped and expanded. The Government announced a revised policy for CRS, bringing non-profit community-based organizations, apart from educational institutes, under its ambit.

This included civil society and voluntary organizations, State Agriculture Universities (SAU), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) institutions, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, registered societies and autonomous bodies, and public trusts registered under the Societies Act or any other relevant act. The period of permission was also enhanced from three years to five years.

As of 15 February 2014, 163 community radio stations were operational in India, of which 94 were education-related, 58 were NGOs, and 11 were dedicated to agriculture development and education-related.

Policy Guidelines for Setting up Community Radio Stations in India

1. Community Radio Stations Policy Guidelines of 2002

In December 2002, the Government announced the policy for granting Community radio permissions to educational institutions. The main features of the policy were as follows:

Educational institutions recognized by the Central Government or the State Government, including the Universities and institutes of technology/management and residential schools, were eligible for community radio permissions.

1. Period of permission of three years from the date of operationalization
2. No permission fee
3. Pre-determined Spectrum usage fee
4. Performance Bank Guarantee of 50,000 Rs
5. Maximum 50-watt transmitter power was permitted with an antenna height of 30 meters above ground
6. No permission for news and current affairs, election, and political broadcasts

2. Community Radio Stations Policy Guidelines of 2006

To allow greater participation of civil society in development and social change, the Government, on 4th December 2006, announced a revised policy for Community radio stations in India. The main features of the policy were:

1. Educational institutes and community-based organizations, including civil society and voluntary organizations, State Agriculture Universities (SAU), 5 Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) institutions, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, registered societies and autonomous bodies and public trusts registered under the Societies Act or any other such act relevant are eligible for seeking permissions for CRS
2. Individuals, political parties, and their affiliate for-profit organizations, and organizations banned by the Governments are not eligible to run a CRS
3. The period of permission is extended to five years
4. The operation is to begin within three months
5. No permission fee
6. Performance Bank Guarantee decreased to 25,000 Rs
7. The spectrum usage fee 19,700 per annum.
8. Maximum 100-watt (with approval up to 250 Watts) transmitter power was permitted with a maximum height of 30 m and a minimum height of 15 m above ground.
9. 50% of content should be generated with the participation of the local community
10. No permission for news and current affairs, election, and political broadcasts
11. Program and Advertising Code as prescribed for All India Radio

How to start a Community Radio Station in India

Community radio stations are low-power FM Radio stations with coverage in a 10 to 15 km radius range. It can be established in any part of India, subject to eligibility as mentioned above in 2002 and 2006 guidelines and the frequency spot availability at that location. However, a maximum of 5 Community Radio Stations can be operated in a given area.

The application form for permission to set up a community radio station can be accessed here.

An approximate capital investment cost is Rs. 15 lakhs for setting up a CRS.

Case Study: Sangham Radio 90.4 MHZ

Launch Date: 15-10-2008

Broadcast Timings: 19:00 – 21:00

Languages: Telugu

Programme Bank: 513 Hours

It was founded on the principle that the media has always treated rural people, especially women from the marginalized sections, as consumers and not producers. The media also fails to address the issues specifically related to them.

As many as 2,500 women are contributing to Sangham Radio’s programs. At least ten women come daily from different villages to discuss, debate, sing, tell stories, participate in plays, participate in recordings, etc. Programs include our farming, crops, language and its unique nuances, folk culture, Dialogue of in-laws, food, etc.