Raghav radio station

A young man from a village in Bihar strung together an antenna with a couple of transistor sets, and started a radio station that broadcasts popular songs, and even AIDS and polio messages. Farmers listen to it while in the fields, their families listen to it, and it is more popular than the FM channels in that part. There are issues with licensing though, and it is likely that the radio station might have to be shut down. But anyhow, this is a very appreciable effort by somebody who does not even know how to read and write properly, but yet has benefitted the community greatly. If broadcast media can be made available to people so easily and cheaply even in the remotest parts of the world, then what are we waiting for! The applications to disaster warnings, healthcare alarms, and news and awareness are just phenomenal and cannot be denied. This is the least that can be done to bridge the digital divide, and help citizen journalism by making the voices of people heard all across the local villages. Commercial radio stations will surely not give slots for news on microfinance self help groups, or whether a new well was dug in a village, or about efforts for watershed development, but such radio stations definitely can, when coupled with a good recording and distribution network handled by the people themselves.

Unfortunately, the station was closed down because it is illegal to operate community radio stations in India. Hopefully new laws will be passed soon, because the community radio initiative is very popular in other democratic countries across the world. Also have a look at another blog posting I did.