Centre mulling fund for community radio stations

In what can be a giant step for the sustainability of the medium that serves as the mouthpiece of the marginalised, I&B minister Ambika Soni said the Centre is considering setting up of a fund for community radio stations in the country.

In what can be a giant step for the sustainability of the medium that serves as the mouthpiece of the marginalised, I&B minister Ambika Soni said the Centre is considering setting up of a fund for community radio stations in the country.

HT Image

“International organisations and some countries around the world have created community radio funds. We should also look at it,” the minister said in her address to community radio stakeholders during the inauguration of the First National Community Radio Sammelan and Exhibition on Thursday.

Stressing on quick action, Soni had a word for ministry staff too: “I want them to be as forthcoming and quick in seeing how to get the Planning Commission or the Centre to create this concept of community radio funds.”

Terming the audio-visual publicity department’s advertisement rate of R1 per minute for such radio stations as “shameful”, the minister said: “Economic advisor of the ministry is put in charge of a group to work out what should be the rate for community radio ads.”