Research Papers/Articles - Institute of Management Studies Dehradun

An Analytical Program Contents Study of Community Radios
Functioning in National Capital Territory of Delhi (India)
ABSTRACT
India is one of the few developing countries where community radio is playing a significant role in
bringing the awareness about innovative practices among the society.
The proposed study was designed to find out the types of programs broadcast by community radio
stations and programs preferred by audience for broadcast. The paper is based on analytical study of
contents of programs based on the issues – health awareness, education awareness, economic
development, social development, cultural development, community issues and entertainment which
were broadcast by community radio stations operating in National Capital Territory of Delhi (India). The
respondents for the study are the regular listeners of selected community radio stations.
“Community radio is a social process or event in which members of the community associate together to
design programs and produce and air them, thus taking on the primary role of actors in their own destiny,
whether this be for something as common as mending fences in the neighbourhood, or a community-wide
campaign on how to use clean water and keep it clean, or agitation for the election of new leaders…….
Community radio is most relevant to a group of people, who live and act as a community, and this could be
several families, several neighbourhoods, or ever several villages or communities, but the important thing
is that they interact.”
Introduction
Community radio is a form of public-service broadcasting.
But, it has an approach that is different from conventional
broadcasting. Its specific focus is to make its audience the
main protagonists, by their involvement in all aspects of its
management, programme production and by providing
them with programming that will help them in the
development and social advancement of their community.
Community radio provides a diversity of programs in a
variety of formats and styles. For example, roundtable
discussions, reportage, interviews, talks, phone-in
programs, live broadcasts of meetings in the community
etc. Audiences preferences are taken into account in
deciding what formats are most suitable.
Dr. Devesh Kishore*
Rajesh Agrawal**
(Carlos A. Arnaldo)
Content covers a wide range of topics in accordance with
the expressed desires and needs of the audience. Content
is mainly determined by the lifestyles and livelihood of the
community and by the problems they faces. In rural or
backward areas, themes such as health, farming, fishing,
environment credit, marketing of produce, small-scale
enterprises etc. usually feature prominently, but always set
in the context of community’s actual situation.
UNESCO sees community radio as a medium that gives
voice to voiceless, that serves as the mouthpiece of the
marginalized and is that the heart of communication and
democratic processes within societies.
With community radio, citizens have the means to make
their views known on decisions that concern them. The
notions of transparency and good governance take on
* Professor & Head, Journalism & Communication Research (Noida Campus), Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism &
Communication, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
** Research Scholar, U.P. Rajarshi Tandon Open University, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh.
"Pragyaan: Journal of Mass Communication" Volume 10, Issue 1, June 2012 1