Dear Preeti
Apologies for coming late on this. I was away on leave for nearly three weeks
now
However the news that UJAAS has begun test transmissions makes me extremely
heartened. As the pioneering co travellers in the CR movement, Sangham Radio
and Ujaas have a very strong with each other. We both are committed to bring
the most excluded voices onto the air. We both work with women and the excluded
people at the bottom of the economic and social ladder. Therefore the fact of
our voices going into the air space is a matter of spiritual rejoice for me. My
heartiest congratulations to you and KMVS for your heroic battle for pioneering
the CR movement and succeeding in your battle.
This also brings me to the very loud, shrill and aggressive voices I am getting
on my Inbox from a group called CR Association of India. On enquiry I find that
it is a grouping of campus radios who have always masqueraded themselves as
community radios to gain greater legitimacy. And the government, as it does in
any sphere, is happy to sail with them because they both speak the same
language, further the same agendas. The aggressiveness "demanding" voices I
hear from this network is very disturbing. This is so alien to the CRF groups
who have always been polite and respectful to each other. CRF has never
demanded anyone to contribute their fees, immediately send in their membership.
And has never inflicted a working body on its members. To the best of my
knowledge CRA has not done anything like this. If I am wrong, I apologise in
advance.
In this context, it becomes urgent that the original partners of CR movement,
who are part of the communities, work within the conmmunities and have set up
CR stations with completely ownership to the communities unlike campus radios
who "invite" communities to participate, who design programmes "for" the
communities and not let it be designed "by" the communities must get together
and knit ourselves into a different associaiton that upholds the values and
identities of community radio as true and authentic associations of community
radios within the broad umbrella of CRF.
I am also very unhappy that the CRF has elected a body for itself in which
there is not a single elected member of the real communities. This does not
augur well for the CRF itself. I had said this ten years ago when the UNESCO
had its CR meeting in Hyderabad which led to Pastapur Declaration on Community
Radio. I had cautioned that this space will also be taken over by the urban,
educated, middle classes with real communities having to wait to be led by
them. Later when CRF had been realised, I had again urged that at least 50% of
the executive must be reserved for the actual community radio broadcasters. But
now after all the elections are over, CRF says that it will "coopt" two
community broadcasters. This is an extremely sad situation. People who are
apparently committed to democracy, transparency and participation also behave
exactly like the people they fight on the political front. I think we also need
first to put our house in order.
Priti I am addressing this mail to you so that some of us who have stood by the
communities and have allowed ourselves to be lead by them must think of a
strategy to keep our spirit alive.
I have no problem if campus radios have their own association. It is their
legitimate right. But they cannot hijack the CR space. Our agendas are light
years away from their agendas. Therefore let us work out a way of overcoming
this problem
warmly
satheesh
--- On Thu, 15/3/12, Hemant <[email protected]> wrote:
From: Hemant <[email protected]>
Subject: [cr-india] ujjaas radio begins test transmission
To: [email protected]
Date: Thursday, 15 March, 2012, 10:23 PM
Hello All.,
It could be termed as a historic day. Probably the first ever community radio
station very close to the international borders in India has begun its test
transmission at around 6.30 in the evening of March 10, with the community and
Nomad team jointly celebrating the moment.
Ujjaas radio, promoted by KMVS (Kuthc Mahila Vikas Sanghathan), is located at
Bhimsar village in Nakhatrana Taluk, Kutch District of Gujarat. The area is in
close proximity to the international border with Pakistan.
It took them five years. Ujjaas Radio applied for the CR license way back in
2007. They kept the community engaged for so long with narrow casting and a lot
more. We all need to learn a lot of lessons from our comrades in KMVS and
community members.
Congratulations to all.
Join the Community Radio Forum. For membership details, please go to
www.crforum.in
Join the Community Radio Forum. For membership details, please go to
www.crforum.in
