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Community radio to sweep IIMC, Jamia
Radio will be used by Delhi?s first community radio stations, operating from the IIIMC and Jamia Milia Islamia University.
“Radio, someone still loves you.” Queen’s lyrics come to mind every time radio reinvents itself.
In yet another innovation, this mass medium will be used by Delhi’s first community radio stations, operating from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) and Jamia Milia Islamia University.
As the name suggests, community radio stations will not be available to the entire city. They will cater to people living within 8-10 km from the campus. The frequency of transmission is 96.9 Hz for IIMC and 90.4 Hz for Jamia. The stations will be managed by students to quite an extent, but the main objective is the maximum involvement of people living in the vicinity.
“We have other campuses and schools around IIMC and we are planning to involve them in some of the programmes,” said Raghava Chari, head of the department, broadcasting journalism, at the institute. The station at Jamia will try and involve those in colonies, universities and even slum-dwellers.The content will range from issues relating to education and to the community. “We'll be taking up social or civic problems. We may also call officials of the area to deal with these,” said Iftekhar Ahmed, director of AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Milia Islamia.
Both the radio stations realise that an element of entertainment is important. “We plan to air folk music and invite people from the community to participate. Skits and dramas with a social message will be aired as well,” said Chari.
Publicity for the stations, which are to start this month, has already begun. The IIMC has written to NGOs and other organisations in the area, while Jamia will inform the local community through banners and street plays.
Community radio will expose students to radio production and give them an understanding of audience preferences.
