Port Blair, Jan 30: The three day Community Radio Awareness Workshop organised by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in collaboration with Seeking Modern Applications for Real Transformation (SMART), concluded today.
The Valedictory address was given by Mr Ajay Kumar Gupta, Secretary, Power, & Civil Supplies, Andaman and Nicobar Administration. He admired the commitment of SMART in engaging the participants in interactive and informative sessions. He said that the Andaman and Nicobar Administration are committed towards encouraging the setting up of Community Radios and providing all support possible.
The workshop saw the display of local talent at its best. After capacity building through several sessions, the organisers divided the participants into three groups and did a mock exercise of setting up radio sand transmitting content. This included formation of a society, choosing a name for the radio, elucidating the language, community to be served, resources and staff. This mock exercise was an indication of the knowledge disseminated and absorbed during the training. The three radio stations set up by the participants were Sagar Vani, Deep Vani and Radio Swaraj. The groups made informative programmes for the fishermen community, farmers and women. This was an exercise full of fun and information depicting the learnings of the last two days.
The participants ranging from the fields of agriculture, environment, tribal welfare, and education, performing arts, and women empowerment appreciated the effort. One of the participants working in the field of disaster management said that more than 90 per cent of the organisations- both government and non-government in the islands had never heard of Community Radio and its potential. Now the Community Radio sector has 40 ambassadors to take this information across the island.
“The workshop was very informative, we realised the importance for community engagement and two track communications. I have been in the line of communications for almost 25 years, but always thought that I knew it all. It was only in this workshop that I learnt that involving the communities and getting their feedback is also important”, said Sanjay Kumar Pandey from CIARI.
“The importance of knowing the pulse of the community and reflecting their needs through the radio are the two learnings I am going back with,” said Dr. Shravani from Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar Institute of technology.
The three day workshop walked the participants through the process and procedures of setting up community radios, shared experiences of operational radios and informed and educated the group on the importance of getting voices of those whose issues never get space in mainstream media.
Mrs Archana Kapoor, from SMART thanked the participants and the media for their support, as said in a press release by Nilesh Kumar Kalbhor IIS, Deputy Director (M&C), PIB Port Blair.
