Bhubaneswar: Several community radio station operators from the state and the others have batted for more teeth to the community radio stations during disasters to allow them to broadcast at tougher time with lesser dangers.
The Community Radio Association of India which comprises several community radio representatives of Odisha in a recent meeting of the countrywide radio stations in their resolution has asked the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to ensure more teeth to the operators at the time of disasters.
It was said that during the recent cyclone Fani, the operational community radio stations in Puri, Khurda suffered a setback and struggles for longer periods to resume broadcasting. A leading community radio player from the Puri district said that the resolution demanding lesser permissions required for relocation during critical situation.
“The norms say that during disasters the Collector’s nod is needed to relocate the stations besides informing the ministry. We want that during disasters such stations can relocate within the broadcasting zone without approvals. But the ministry and Collector should be informed accordingly,” a director of a community radio station from Puri district said.
He said that such demands came from the need of many community radio stations to relocate at the time of disasters. The association, meanwhile, also raised several other demands. It said that as the community radios often suffer from the paucity of funds and government advertisements it should be allowed to take revenues from outside government sources.
In a letter of demands to the ministry, the association said, “Such stations should be permitted to take sponsored programmes from agencies other than the government. Thus the multilateral foundations, NGOs, reputed organizations and companies can also sponsor the programmes to make the stations viable.”
The community radio stations in the country forms the third tier broadcasting after public broadcaster-All India Radio and private commercial FM channels. Community radios are limited hour broadcasting system meant to enlighten the local community with information and supposed to be run by the local people and meant for the consumption of the hyper local population.