Project Description
Community radio is a social event where members of a community come together to design, produce and air programmes, which would empower them with relevant information and help them fight poverty and illiteracy. This community audio production centre kicked off operations in September, 2001. Equipped with an analog mixer, a recording room, instrument room and portable recorders, the centre is used and managed by the local community.

Project Objectives

• To bring the voices of the marginalized from the periphery of information & awareness to the center & give them the opportunity to make informed choices & decisions
• To foster a sense of ownership and enthusiastic participation by the community
• To be able to encourage a casteless, women empowering, value based environment
• To make technology accessible and relevant to rural settings
• To act as a legitimate case to make way for legislation conducive to the opening up of community radio in India
• To investigate whether Information & Communication Technologies can help reduce poverty gaps.

Intended Beneficiaries
Community of Budikote

Partners Involved
VOICES, MYRADA, UNESCO, All India Radio Bangalore, and the Budikote community.

Impact: Costs and Benefits
Thirty-four villages may listen to agricultural, medical, educational, and cultural programmes. Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal have shown interest in community radio and have taken steps to launch community radio stations in their states.

Project or Related URLs:

http://www.voicesforall.org/communityradio/commradio_home.htm

http://www.thehoot.org/briefing_main1.asp