Dear Dr Ramamurthy
I have not been able to quite understand what exactly is being communicated through your email below, and I am sure many others may be as lost. I therefore request some clarifications, while offering some comments from my understanding of what you are trying to say. Please correct me if I do not read your intentions well. I understand that you are complaining against repeated protests in this forum against calling campus radio, state government radio, and radios owned by many other institutions as community radio with regard to India's community radio policy. I request you to put forward your views on this matter more clearly so that others can understand and engage with them. It is especially important since you are leading a key agency working in this area, and this becomes a matter of mutual dialogue and accountability among a set of civil society actors working in the same sector. Community participation and ownership are key concepts and issues in development, and our protests against diluting community participation and ownership in CR comes from this existing basis and background. One has not invented these issues just to spite other people or out of jealousy. There is both enough existing scholarship as well as much ongoing struggle which can clarify the lines of contestation between state control and market domination of development processes on one hand and community participation and ownership on the other. The issue goes right down to the nuances around nature of participation and ownership of communities in NGO and even CBO-driven processes. While an absolute line can never be drawn on what constitutes sufficient community ownership, much progress has been made over the years to lay out at least negative standards - about what clearly isn’t community ownership. (We can discuss this further but that will be a long detour.) The criticism on this list of different varieties of radios that are co-opting the CR terminology comes from this background. You speak of opposition to any initiative that does not *share a particular political ideology*. The only political ideology this group seems to speak from is this ideology of community ownership, which has the stated history and background in development theory and practice. It is in fact now quite a mainstream ideology in development. However, if you mean any other 'political ideology' I request you to state it explicitly, and then alone one will be able to respond. (It is pertinent to mention here that I can see quite a bit of difference between the ideologies practiced, for instance, by DDS, Voices and KMVS.) On the other hand, we do not have anything against campus radio, local government radio or even commercial FM radio. All of them are very useful in their own ways. I just stumbled across this posting by Satheesh made last year on this elist, which makes the point rather well, and clearly. Please allow me to quote it >I am not making any value judgement here. > Our position is that both Campus Radio and Community Radio have a critical > relevance to the democratisation of air waves in this country. But the > distinction should be kept clear and not be confused. Unfortunately since > rural communities do not have the same level of clout and articulation > enjoyed by universities, such distinction has to be articulated time and > again, so that the government does not indulge in obfuscations. (Satheesh) We only object to cooptation of community radio terminology for these other initiatives, including campus radios. We are very willing to support a seperate policy on campus radio. In fact, I have proposed a few times on this list that the CR forum writes to the government for explicitly defining and separating different categories of radios, including different categories of public interest radio, and ensuring clearly separate allocation and provision for radio initiatives that meet the basic criterion of community ownership. That is all what some of us have attempted to do repeatedly on this forum. Every group has a right to define itself in terms of its objectives and area of work, and that by itself doesn’t make it exclusionary in any bad way. In my understating, the CR forum has defined itself as working in the area of community radio which meets a broad definition of community ownership as accepted in current development theory and practice. We have a right to keep affirming that other radio initiatives, not meeting the basic criteria, are *not* community radios and should not be called so. Best regards Parminder > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of sreedher ramamurthy > Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 6:18 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [cr-india] cr-india Digest, Vol 59, Issue 13 > > *I am extremely happy to hear that the Sangam radio has started funcioning > thorugh an allwomen management in AP. I am also glad that you have invited > Justice Sawant to inaugurate instead of the community worker.* > > But while wishing you every success, CR concept allows alternate views to > be > aired. Hope you will patiently take my views into heart.* I do expect all > of you to pounce on me and send nasty comments about me as a reply to this > mail. But I will take it in the true CR spirit* > > 1. Pastapaur is an example of* highly pamperted, publicised CR effort in > the > world*. > > 2. I thought CR movement is for an inclusive society and I feel that the > way > things are happening, this station will remain as an island or with a > group > of islands where a group of people will be preaching idealism and show > casing only a few examples like Narasamma for decades. Attempts will > continue to be made to curtail or block similar efforts elsewhere in the > country unless otherwise *they share a particular political ideaology*. > The > main stream papers which are interested in glamour news are enamoured > about > the rhetoric and fall prey to the sustained publicity campaign mounted > natiaonally as well as internationally to project only Pastapur, Budhikote > ( > God knows what is happening to Budhikote nowadas) , Ranchi and Kutch . > Since > others may have different view points which is necessary for a CR > movement, > the CR forum or this web group completely ignores, laughts at others > ventures. In this land of Gandhi, I think it is time for all of us to take > note of others feelings. Keep our eyes and ears open for new thoughts, and > also encourage if anyone shows signs of interest. > > Indian CR movement is not going to expand if the expertise of DDS and the > failure of voices due to poaching or greener pastures or whatsover > reasons > at Budhikote are kept within the group and we take shelter under our past > glory and *following some sort of untouchability with other community > initiatives*. > > My views may be fit to be thrown in the dustbin but sometimes we do get > wealth from waste. regards sreedher > > On Wed, Oct 15, 2008 at 10:01 PM, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Send cr-india mailing list submissions to > > [email protected] > > > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/cr-india > > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > You can reach the person managing the list at > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > > than "Re: Contents of cr-india digest..." > > > > > > Today's Topics: > > > > 1. Re: cr-india Digest, Vol 59, Issue 8 (periyapatna satheesh) > > 2. Re: Community Radio Station in India will be goingon air on > > October 15, 2008 (periyapatna satheesh) > > 3. Re: Sangham Radio goes on air (periyapatna satheesh) > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > Message: 1 > > Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 21:49:33 +0530 (IST) > > From: periyapatna satheesh <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Subject: Re: [cr-india] cr-india Digest, Vol 59, Issue 8 > > To: [email protected], [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], > > [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > > > Dear Geetha > > > > Thank you very much for this warm and thoughtful message of yours. More > > than anything else if the Sangham Radio is singularly focused on making > > itself a platform for the enormous knowledge of the rural women, > > particularly from the excluded and marginalised sections of their > society. > > This is both a fascinating and joyous venture. That is why decision on > the > > date was conscious. We thought of launching the radio on World Rural > Women's > > Day rather the next day, World Food Day though the women have single > > mindendedly worked for their food sovereignty and are considered as > leaders > > in this area. > > > > This is their way of saying that as women they have shown how they can > > achieve a media autonomy of their own. > > > > with warm regards > > > > satheesh > > --- On Wed, 15/10/08, [EMAIL PROTECTED] < > > [EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Subject: Re: [cr-india] cr-india Digest, Vol 59, Issue 8 > > To: [email protected] > > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], > > [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Date: Wednesday, 15 October, 2008, 7:33 AM > > > > Dear Satheesh > > > > Many congratulations to DDS, and to all those wonderful women and others > > who > > have been part of this historic journey! > > > > We are surely part of many, who have been following the history of > women's > > radio over the years as it has unfolded at Pastapur. It is truly > befitting > > that this radio station, owned and managed entirely by these rural women > > should be going on air on October 15th, World Rural Women's Day! > > > > We wish the Community Radio Station all the best in the future and hope > > that > > they will continue as beacons of women's leadership and people's > > communication and voice, in times to come. > > > > Best regards > > Geetha > > > > > > > > > > Geetha Bhardwaj > > Head, Community and Social Media > > OneWorld South Asia > > C 5 Qutab Institutional Area > > New Delhi 110 016. > > Phone: +91-11-41689000 > > Fax: +91-11-41689001 > > Mobile Number: 0-98105 48262 > > > > http//southasia.oneworld.net > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > > Message: 6 > > Date: Sat, 11 Oct 2008 11:21:26 +0530 > > From: "Deccan Development Society" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Subject: [cr-india] First Rural Community Radio Station in India will > > be going on air on October 15, 2008 > > To: [email protected] > > Message-ID: > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > > > Dear friends, > > > > I can't describe the delight with which I am sharing with you the news > that > > the first rural Community Radio Station in India will be going on air on > > October 15, 2008, the World Rural Women's Day. It is also a historic > > justice > > that the DDS Community Radio, the first community radio initiative in > the > > country will pioneer the true and authentic Community Radio. This is a > > radio > > owned, managed and operated by women from the margins of the Society, > > people > > who have been excluded and rendered voiceless in any public forum. > > > > The DDS Community Media initiative started more than ten years ago was > > founded on the principle that media has always treated the rural people > in > > particular and women from marginalised sections in particular, consumers > of > > the media and never its producers. In recent times, it has totally > ignored > > them. Therefore a media of the people, for the people, by the people is > the > > only way to responde to this media marginalisation of the rural poor and > > women. > > > > The DDS Community Radio, now called Sangham Radio [for some strange > reason, > > the government has banned the use of the word FM in the names of > Community > > Radio Stations. Therefore DDS radi has metamorphosed from the earlier > > titleSangham > > FM.] has several firsts to its credit. It is the first rural community > > radio. It is the first all women radio. It is the first community owned > and > > managed radio. It is the first radio owned and managed by marginalised > > communities. It is also of historical significance that the first > authentic > > community radio will start from the same place where the first clear > > definition and call for Community Radio emanated eight years ago in the > > form > > of Pastapur Declaration by the Community Radio advocates. It is also > > significant that DDS was the first applicant for Community Radio as far > > back > > as 2000. > > > > The Sangham Radio will be another link in the historical continuum of > > community radio in India. Justice P B Sawant who delivered the landmark > > judgement Airwaves are public property will switch on the DDS Radio. > Former > > Secretary I & B as well as former D G Doordarshan Dr Bhaskar Ghose along > > with senior feminist journalist Kalpana Sharma, Ms Jai Chandiram, Chair, > > International Association for Women in Radio and Television and Dr Vinod > > Pavarala, Professor of Communication and Dean, School of Communication, > > University of Hyderabad and the author of the first Indian book on > > Community > > Radio The Other Voices will join the celebration. > > > > Hundreds of women from the DDS sangham families will make the occassion > > vibrant and will literally echo the rural voices and issues as the radio > > goes on air. > > > > It will be an extraordinary pleasure for all of us if you can come and > join > > us in these celebrations. > > > > DDS COmmunity Radio will also be the first baby of the struggle of the > > Community Radio Forum launched with such devotion and nobility by all of > > you. > > > > Please see attached the official invitation drafted by General Narsamma, > > Algole Narsamma and myself on behalf of the Community Media Trust. > > > > With warmest regards > > > > satheesh > > > > -- > > Deccan Development Society (DDS) > > 101 Kishan Residency, street no- 5, > > Begumpet,Hyderabad-16, > > AP,India. > > > > Ph# + 91-40-27764577 / 27764744 > > > > Visit us at : www.ddsindia.com > > *************************************** > > > > > > > > YOU CAN SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY RADIO FORUM (India) BY JOINING AND TAKING > AN > > ACTIVE PART IN ONE OF THESE NETWORKS > > > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-awareness (Awareness building) > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-helpdesk (Offering help) > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-policy-advocacy (Policy advocacy) > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-techoptions (Technical options) > > > > _______________________________________________ > > cr-india mailing list > > [email protected] > > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/cr-india > > > > > > > > Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to > > http://messenger.yahoo.com/invite/ > > -------------- next part -------------- > > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > > URL: > > http://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/cr- > india/attachments/20081015/41818a88/attachment-0001.html > > > > ------------------------------ > > > > Message: 2 > > Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 21:51:32 +0530 (IST) > > From: periyapatna satheesh <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Subject: Re: [cr-india] Community Radio Station in India will be > > goingon air on October 15, 2008 > > To: Deccan Development Society <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Cc: [email protected] > > Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > > > Thank you very much James. We know that the wishes of people like you is > > with us and this is the strength on which we were able to achieve what > we > > did today. > > > > satheesh > > > > --- On Wed, 15/10/08, [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Subject: [cr-india] Community Radio Station in India will be goingon air > on > > October 15, 2008 > > To: "Deccan Development Society" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Cc: [email protected] > > Date: Wednesday, 15 October, 2008, 1:34 AM > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Dear Mr.P.V.Satheesh, > > > > Greetings from PARD. > > > > It is wonderful to hear that the DDS Community > > Radio is to be going on air on October 15th with the coincidence of > World > > Rural > > Women's Day. > > > > As an organisation still sturggling for > > getting through the process of getting the License for establishing a > > Community > > Radio Station, rather than anybody else We know the value of your > > achievement and with all these experiences we would like to congrtulate > you > > for being on air after all these struggles. > > > > I am very happy to wish you all the best and the > > effective manner that the DDS Community Radio Stations to bring > > a change in the life of the community with which is it > > working. > > > > With warm regards, > > > > James Rajasekaran.E > > PARD. > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > > From: > > Deccan > > Development Society > > To: [email protected] > > Sent: Saturday, October 11, 2008 11:21 > > AM > > Subject: [cr-india] First Rural Community > > Radio Station in India will begoingon air on October 15, 2008 > > > > > > Dear friends, > > > > I can't describe the delight with which I am sharing > > with you the news that the first rural Community Radio Station in India > > will > > be going on air on October 15, 2008, the World Rural Women's Day. It is > > also a > > historic justice that the DDS Community Radio, the first community > radio > > initiative in the country will pioneer the true and authentic Community > > Radio. > > This is a radio owned, managed and operated by women from the margins > of > > the > > Society, people who have been excluded and rendered voiceless in any > > public > > forum. > > > > The DDS Community Media initiative started more than ten years > > ago was founded on the principle that media has always treated the > rural > > people in particular and women from marginalised sections in > particular, > > consumers of the media and never its producers. In recent times, it has > > totally ignored them. Therefore a media of the people, for the people, > by > > the > > people is the only way to responde to this media marginalisation of the > > rural > > poor and women. > > > > The DDS Community Radio, now > > called Sangham > > Radio [for some strange reason, the government has banned > > the use of the word > > FM in the names of Community > > Radio Stations. Therefore DDS radi has metamorphosed from the > > earlier title > > Sangham FM .] has several firsts to > > its credit. It is the first rural community radio. It is the first all > > women > > radio. It is the first community owned and managed radio. It is the > first > > radio owned and managed by marginalised communities. It is also of > > historical > > significance that the first authentic community radio will start from > the > > same > > place where the first clear definition and call for Community Radio > > emanated > > eight years ago in the form of > > Pastapur Declaration by the > > Community Radio advocates. It is also significant that DDS was the > first > > applicant for Community Radio as far back as > > 2000. > > > > The Sangham > > Radio will be another link in the historical continuum of > > community radio in India. Justice P B Sawant who delivered the landmark > > judgement > > Airwaves are public > > property will switch on the DDS Radio. > > Former Secretary I & B as well as former D G Doordarshan Dr Bhaskar > Ghose > > along with senior feminist journalist Kalpana Sharma, Ms Jai Chandiram, > > Chair, > > International Association for Women in Radio and Television and Dr > Vinod > > Pavarala, Professor of Communication and Dean, School of Communication, > > University of Hyderabad and the author of the first Indian book on > > Community > > Radio The Other > > Voices will join the celebration. > > > > Hundreds > > of women from the DDS sangham families will make the occassion vibrant > and > > will literally echo the rural voices and issues as the radio goes on > > air. > > > > It will be an extraordinary pleasure for all of us if you > > can come and join us in these celebrations. > > > > DDS COmmunity Radio > > will also be the first baby of the struggle of the Community Radio > Forum > > launched with such devotion and nobility by all of you. > > > > Please > > see attached the official invitation drafted by General Narsamma, > Algole > > Narsamma and myself on behalf of the Community Media Trust. > > > > With > > warmest regards > > > > satheesh > > > > -- > > Deccan > > Development Society (DDS) > > 101 Kishan Residency, street no- > > 5, > > Begumpet,Hyderabad-16, > > AP,India. > > > > Ph# + 91-40-27764577 / > > 27764744 > > > > Visit us at : www.ddsindia.com > > > > > > > > > > > > YOU CAN SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY RADIO FORUM (India) BY JOINING AND > > TAKING AN ACTIVE PART IN ONE OF THESE > > NETWORKS > > > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-awareness > > (Awareness building) > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-helpdesk > > (Offering help) > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-policy-advocacy > > (Policy advocacy) > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-techoptions > > (Technical > > options) > > > > _______________________________________________ > > cr-india > > mailing > > list > > [email protected] > > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/cr-india > > YOU CAN SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY RADIO FORUM (India) BY JOINING AND TAKING > AN > > ACTIVE PART IN ONE OF THESE NETWORKS > > > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-awareness (Awareness building) > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-helpdesk (Offering help) > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-policy-advocacy (Policy advocacy) > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-techoptions (Technical options) > > > > _______________________________________________ > > cr-india mailing list > > [email protected] > > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/cr-india > > > > > > > > Get rid of Add-Ons in your email ID. Get [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Sign up now! http://in.promos.yahoo.com/address > > -------------- next part -------------- > > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > > URL: > > http://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/cr- > india/attachments/20081015/397de458/attachment-0001.html > > > > ------------------------------ > > > > Message: 3 > > Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 21:58:13 +0530 (IST) > > From: periyapatna satheesh <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Subject: Re: [cr-india] Sangham Radio goes on air > > To: sajan venniyoor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Geeta Malhotra > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Cc: [email protected] > > Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > > > Dear Geetha > > > > Since your mail was copied to a number of gender groups, I thought of > > mentioning to you that the signature tune of the Sangham Radio goes like > > this: > > > > Akka chellenlu koodi podamay > > Mana Sanghamla maatalada podamay > > > > which roughly translates into "Let us together go sisters, to our > sangham > > so that we can talk". This is so powerful a message by them that they > are > > going to use their radio to talk among themselves. Last night sitting in > > front of their station they composed a song which translates roughly as > > follows: > > > > > > > > > > > > Sisters, let us go > > together to our sangham, so that we can talk. > > > > > > We have retrieved > > forgotten conversations > > > > and brought them alive in > > our radio > > > > > > > > We have recovered lost > > festivals > > > > and described it in > > our radio > > > > > > > > We have planted > > diverse crops > > > > And sung about it in > > our radio > > > > > > > > We have saved > > traditional seeds > > > > And brought their > > methods to our radio. > > > > > > Thus their radio has symbolised for them the deep pride in what they > have > > done as a community of women. And it is this that they would like to > talk > > about in their radio. > > > > with warm regards > > > > satheesh > > > > --- On Wed, 15/10/08, Geeta Malhotra <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > From: Geeta Malhotra <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Subject: Re: [cr-india] Sangham Radio goes on air > > To: "sajan venniyoor" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Cc: [email protected] > > Date: Wednesday, 15 October, 2008, 8:29 AM > > > > CONGRATS TO THE PASTAPUR TEAM AND ALL BEHIND THIS EFFORT. > > > > Geeta > > > > > > On Wed, Oct 15, 2008 at 11:26 AM, sajan venniyoor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > wrote: > > > > Sangham Radio in Pastapur, India's first true community radio station, > > is on air. The transmitter was switched on at 11.15am today, 15 > > > > October 2008, by Justice Sawant who had delivered the historic > > 'airwaves judgment' in 1995. Sajan > > > > -- > > Sent from Gmail for mobile | mobile.google.com > > > > > > YOU CAN SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY RADIO FORUM (India) BY JOINING AND TAKING > AN > > ACTIVE PART IN ONE OF THESE NETWORKS > > > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-awareness (Awareness building) > > > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-helpdesk (Offering help) > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-policy-advocacy (Policy advocacy) > > > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-techoptions (Technical options) > > > > _______________________________________________ > > cr-india mailing list > > > > [email protected] > > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/cr-india > > > > > > > > > > -- > > Geeta Malhotra > > Country Director > > READ INDIA > > +91 9311203055; 9818193575 > > www.readglobal.org > > > > YOU CAN SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY RADIO FORUM (India) BY JOINING AND TAKING > AN > > ACTIVE PART IN ONE OF THESE NETWORKS > > > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-awareness (Awareness building) > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-helpdesk (Offering help) > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-policy-advocacy (Policy advocacy) > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-techoptions (Technical options) > > > > _______________________________________________ > > cr-india mailing list > > [email protected] > > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/cr-india > > > > > > > > Get rid of Add-Ons in your email ID get [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sign up > > now! http://in.promos.yahoo.com/address > > -------------- next part -------------- > > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > > URL: > > http://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/cr- > india/attachments/20081015/be46ec93/attachment.html > > > > ------------------------------ > > > > _______________________________________________ > > cr-india mailing list > > [email protected] > > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/cr-india > > > > > > End of cr-india Digest, Vol 59, Issue 13 > > **************************************** > > > > > > -- > Dr. R. Sreedher > Director > Commonwealth Educational Media centre for Asia > 8/4 Sarv priya vihar, , New Delhi 110016 > 91 11 26537146 > Fax 91 11 2653 7147 > Res: B1/43 Ground Floor rear > Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016 > Cell No: 09810778473 > Phone:91 11 26535649,9111 46067664 > email:[EMAIL PROTECTED]<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ cr-india mailing list [email protected] https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/cr-india
