Community Radio in Climate Change

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Environment _____________________________ Climate Change Comm unity

ICT for Development Comm unity

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Query: Using Radio for Spreading Aw areness on Climate Change- Experi ences; Advice.

Compiled by Ramesh K. Jalan , Resource Person and Kirtiman Awasthi , Research

AssociateIssue Date: 22 N ovember 2010

From R.K. Patil and Haribhai Mori, Kamalnayan Jamnalal BajajFoundation, Mum baiPosted 27 September 2010

I work for the Kamalnayan Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation which has interventions in 200 villages of five talukas of Wardha district in Maharashtra state since 2009. It aims at integratingdevelopment of society through participatory approaches that sets benchmarks and standards forothers to emulate for sustainable development. Recently we have made partnership withNABARD for WADI development projects under its Tribal Development Fund. We are alsoaddressing climate change issues through execution of the above programs including awarenessgeneration.

Like the Government of India, we also recognize climate change as a major developmentchallenge and creating mass awareness in this regard is of utmost importance. The impacts of climate change affect all of us, all countries, all states and all sections of the society, and wemust strive to move to a climate resilient and low-carbon growth and development path.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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TV, print and cyber media has already been used widely for spreading awareness onenvironmental issues. Awareness generation through the radio, which was a traditional mediumof communication, could reach a wide section of Indian society to understand the nuances of climate change and how an individuals carbon footprint adds to the overall problem, and how anindividuals actions can help reduce the problem. In the race for development we have leftbehind our traditional systems of communication which are more energy efficient and effective.

However, communication through the print and electronic media being used extensively thesedays is more energy consuming, more resource intensive, market driven leading to greaterresource consumption thereby altering the equity of co-existence of all species on the planet.

We seek your views on the following: What role the radio, both commercial radio stations and community radio could play in

spreading awareness on key themes related to climate change? What are the specific themes that could have a greater impact for creating awareness when

radio is used as a medium for communication? What are the issues that need to be taken up by the print and electronic media that could

make an impact on the masses?

We look forward to your enthusiastic response on this crucial area for creating awareness onclimate change which is an integral part of our Programme. Contribution of members will besuitably acknowledged.

Responses w ere received, with thank s, from1. Aparna Krishna , Developm ent Alternatives, New Delhi2. P.V. Satheesh , Deccan Development Society, Hyderabad3. Hemantha Kumar Pamarthy, Hand in Hand Micro Finance Limited, Chennai

( Response1 ; Response2 )4. Stella Paul , Video Volunteers, Baga, Goa5. J.P. Tripathi , Aga Khan R ural Support Porgramme (India), Gujarat6. Aw anish Somkuw ar , Madh ya Pradesh Rural Livelihoods Project , Bhopal7. N.P. Mohapat ra , Mumbai8. Meitei Rajesh N , North East Inform atic Solution, Shillong9. Rajiv Williams , JSL Stainless Ltd, New Delhi10. Sharad Pant , Hum an & Environment Care Association (HECA), Amravati11. R.K. Patil_ res , Kamalnayan Jam nalal Bajaj Foundation, Wardha12. K. Rajasekharan , Kerala Inst itute of Local Administra tion (KI LA), Thrissur, Kerala13. Ravi Verma , Up Front Foundation, New D elhi14. Venu Arora , Ideosync Media Com bine, Faridabad, Haryana15. Nilanjan Sen , New Delhi16. Anindya K umar Banerjee , Independen t Consultant, Kolkata17. Sonia Sarkar , UNICEF, New Delhi18. Rupsh a Banerjee, University of Bologna, Italy ( Response 1 ; Response 2 )

19. Manju Sharma , Jimm a University, Ethiopia20. V. Gangi R eddy , Rural Recon struction & Developm ent Society, Andhra Pradesh21. CK Raju , Indian I nstitute of Technology, Kharagpu r22. Umesh Chandra Gaur , Confederation of Community Based Organizations of India,

Delhi23. Ashish Gupta , Organic Farming Associat ion of India, Delhi24. Sejuti Basu , Pragya, Gurgaon25. Pradeep Sharma , Eye & Shadow Media, Kopaerkhairane, NaviMumbai,

Maharashtra


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26. Anima Sharma , Indepen dent Consultant , Delhi27. Sajan Venniyoor , RedAct Media, New Delhi28. R. Padmini , Child Rights Trust, Bangalore29. Alladi Mahadevan , Open Source M odels, Chennai30. Basavaraj K.H. , Prawarda, Sastapur, Karnataka31. Indira Mansingh , Developmen t Alternatives, New Delhi

32. Raghu Menon , Pondich erry Science Forum, Pondicherry33. Bazlur Rahman , Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication(BNNR C), Dhaka, Bangladesh

34. Rajen Varada , LabourNet, Bangalore35. Rajan M. Karakkattil , Malankara Social Service Society (MSSS),

Thiruvananthapuram *36. Indu Ramesh , Independen t- Radio Consultant, Bangalore *37. Lokendra Thakkar , Government of Madhya Pradesh Climate Change Cell,

Environmental Planning and Coordination Organization (EPCO) *

*Offline Contribution

Further contributions are w elcome!

Summ ary of Responses Comparative Experiences Related Resources Responses in Full

Summ ary of Responses Amongst the communication technologies available for the masses, radio is pre-eminent. Itsportability, inexpensiveness, accessibility, extensive reach (even in remote areas) and longevitymake it the perfect medium. It is especially effective in rural and remote areas where televisionand print media have not been able to make a breakthrough.

However, the opportunities and importance of Community Radio can be demonstrated by thecase study of Radio Bundelkhand , a community radio managed by the local community andDevelopment Alternatives in the Bundelkhand region. It gives the community an opportunity toshape the debate, explore issues that are relevant to them, review strategies and collaboratewith practitioners on the ground.

Climate change has a number of themes that can be addressed via radio and these again need tobe tweaked depending upon the target audience. The areas covered need to include awareness,mitigation, impacts, adaptation, disaster risk reduction, possible collaborations etc. Attitudinal

change is crucial for conservation of resources, biodiversity and efficient utilization of water,energy conservation and security, watershed management, use of plastics etc., need to beaddressed using the radio. For example, programmes on farming could look at a variety of issuesfrom changes in weather, adapting to climate changes, use of water for irrigation, eco-friendlycropping, organic farming, soil management, tree plantations, eco-building, governmententitlements and promotion of alternative livelihoods. Effective waste management also needs tobe addressed using the radio as a medium.


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While radio programmes could address the above issues, this need to be done in a format thatinduces people to think, act and remember. The type of programs that need to be designed couldbe interviews with experts with phone-ins, folk songs, radio spots, short skits, use of localexamples that affect the community, the stories of individuals whose lives have changes becauseof climate change and the depiction of worst case scenarios through drama. These may be moreinteresting when covered in the voices of the articulate locals who can explain the issues in

simple terms to their community. Pondicherry Science Forum made a 13 episode series onClimate change in Tamil in the form of skits, discussions with experts, and to make the seriesinteresting, catchy titles were given.

Programmes should mix critical issues like awareness and mitigation; disaster risk reduction andadaptation as reporting the problem without citing a solution would be ineffective. Options andactions should be addressed at a number of levels, from community to household to theindividual level. Case studies of products, practices and activities to reduce carbon footprint suchas biogas, renewable energy, eco-san toilets, improved cooking stoves and solar cookers need tobe presented. Programmes for youth need to be delivered in a different format in order to appealto them.

While addressing these themes it is important to acknowledge the role of traditional knowledgeand sustainable practices of local communities and it will be important to bring out the localknowledge and capacity to provide solutions for tackling the challenges of climate change. Forexample, the Deccan Development Society which hosts Sangham Radio has already developeda Community Charter on Climate Crisis through participatory exercises in varied ecosystemsacross India.

Coordination between print, electronic media and radio could support the debate on CommunityRadio by sharing resources including interviews with experts, leaders and trend makers andprinting stories that relate climate change. Presentations and documentaries featuring the issuesrelevant for climate change and the development of slogans and catch phrases for greeneractivities need to be developed through print and electronic media and introduced to CommunityRadio as well. Print and electronic media can also highlight the responsibility of corporates andgovernment in supporting the communities and facilitate lobbying with policy makers on regionaland national issues. Print and electronic media can also be used to promote Community Radio,where case studies of the effectiveness of Community Radio can be disseminated.

While Community Radio is a great concept and we should recognize its potential, we should alsorecognize its limitations. Until Community Radio reaches out to a larger scale it would bebeneficial to sensitize people through Commercial FM Radio, which is rapidly expanding in India.Snapshots and slogans delivered by print and electronic media can be put on FM stations tosensitize people on climate change. These are especially effective when it comes to informingpeople on penalties of littering etc.

It may be possible to expand community radio with audience clubs for popular programmes or tocombine them with expanding E-chaupal and mobile networks. Also Communities that may want

to undertake such a project need to know the fund requirements develop a business plan andfind agencies that could take care of the expenses.

A Handbook on Community Radio: Voices for the Voiceless of Rural People has been developedby Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) which meets the basicneeds of radio initiators and operators. Similarly a Community Radio Academy has beendeveloped by BNNRC to build the capacity of community Radio operators. In order to retainlisteners, it is important for Community Radio to be professional, inventive and creative. In order


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to achieve the above objective, services of Ideosync Media Combine (Training in maintainingRadio Stations) and Confederation of Community Based Organizations could be utilized.

It is important to remember not to limit Community Radio to the rural areas alone as it is alsoeffective in other communities such as with shared concerns such as University campus radiostations where again it provides the community an opportunity to address young peoples

concerns and sensitize them towards critical issues like climate change. Further, members wereof the view that the reach of community radio in particular is very limited in India with only about20 such stations running efficiently. Therefore, mobile phones should be used as a medium fordissemination of information amongst the masses as the number of mobile phone users in Indiahave crossed over 700 million.

The discussion highlighted that for dissemination of information to the community radio is anexcellent medium of communication. However for discussing themes and explaining concepts theprint and electronic media have an important role to play and could provide more effectivecommunication which could be assimilated by the masses.

Comparative ExperiencesMadhya Pradesh

Community Radio as an Interactive Platform for Dialogue, Orchha, Tikamgarh (from Aparna Krishna , Development Alternatives, New Delhi and Indira Mansingh, Development Alternatives, New Delhi) Radio Bundelkhand acts as a sustainable and interactive platform for dialogue for the localcommunitties in Bundelkhand region by helping them explore and discuss issues that are relevantto the community of the area and to find their own solutions. The medium acts as a vehicle forthe underprivileged to be heard, be informed, shape knowledgeable opinion, learn the give-and-take of informed dialogue and become decisive agents in their own development. Read more

Pondicherry

Radio Series on Climate change (from Raghu Menon , Pondicherry Science Forum,Pondicherry) Pondicherry Science Forum made a 13 episode series on Climate change in Tamil and wasbroadcast in the All India Radio, Puducherry; later aired by other AIR stations also. The seriesereceived encouraging response and feedback on the series showed considerable audience forradio. The series was in the form of skits, discussions with experts, and to make the seriesinteresting, catchy titles were given.

Various States

Using Community Radio for Consultation Process (from P .V. Satheesh , Deccan

Development Society, Hyderabad) In order to creat a Community Charter on Climate Crisis, Sangham Radio was used for a series of participatory exercises to consult local communities across India. The consultation revealed livingand dynamic capacities of the Indian indigenous and local communities to combat the climatecrisis through their traditional farming, fishing, pastoral and other such life affirming practicesand their resounding confidence in their ability to find solutions to the climate crisis. Read more...

Related Resources


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Recommended Documentation

Radio Bundalkhand: Giving Voice to Voiceless Communities (from Aparna Krishna ,Development Alternatives, New Delhi and I ndira Mansingh , Development Alternatives, New Delhi)

Article; by Development Alternatives. Available at http://www.devalt.org/radio.pdf (PDF; Size: 1.37 MB)

Launched by Development Alternatives in Madhya Pradesh in October 2008 to enable and empower communities to use this communication medium.

Climate Change and Communication Rights: Challenges to Community Radio (from Micky Dhamanda, UNESCO, New Delhi) Paper; by Ms. Miriam Menkiti; Women Information Network (WINET); Nigeria; April 2009.

Available at http://amarcwiki.amarc.org/upload/documents/Winet_Nigeria.doc (Word; Size: 35KB)

Argues that as a means of information and communication, community radio in Africa has a great role to play in information dissemination on climate change.

Sangham Radio (from P .V. Satheesh , Deccan Development Society, Hyderabad) Article; by EK duniya EK awaaz; One World South Asia; Available at http://edaa.in/content-bank/cr-station-spotlight/sangham-radio

India's first community radio station; intends to give voice to marganalised groups; focuses on food sovereignty, health, marketisation of climate crisis etc.

Recomm ended Organizations and Program mes

Ideosync, Delhi NCR (from V enu Arora , Ideosync Media Combine, Faridabad, Haryana) 177, Ashoka Enclave III, Sector 35, Faridabad- 121003, Haryana; Tel: +91-129-4131883/6510156; Fax: +91-129-2254395 [email protected] ; http://www.ideosyncmedia.org/ ;

Works towards integrating communication methodologies into development initiatives to provides key inputs and support both at the policy and field implementation levels.

Rural Reconstruction & Development Society, Nellore, Andhra Pradesh (from V. Gangi Reddy , Rural Reconstruction & Development Society, Andhra Pradesh) Maruthi Nagar, Nellatur Post, Gudur Mandal, Nellore-524102, Andhra Pradesh; Tel: +91-8624-222589; [email protected] ; http://www.rrds.org/ ;

A voluntary organization working with local communities on community sensitization,capacity buildingin; has also started a community radio program.

Confederation of Community Based Organizations of India, Delhi (from Umesh Chandra Gaur , Confederation of Community Based Organizations of India, Delhi) 7, Vijay Block, Gali No. 3, Laxmi Nagar, New Delhi-110092; Contact Mr. Umesh Chandra Gaur;Chairman; Tel: +91-11-22514200; [email protected]

A conglomeration of CBOs to help attain national development goals and the MDGs;

working with Common Wealth Media Centre to open 3 Radio Stations.

Community Radio Academy, Dhaka (from Bazlur Rahman , Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC), Dhaka, Bangladesh) House- 13/1 Road- 2, Shamoli, Dhaka 1207;http://www.bnnrc.net/publication/Radio%20Academy_Pamphlet.pdf ; Contact [email protected]

Set up by Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio & Communication (BNNRC) as one of its social enterprise to promote Community Radio installation, broadcasting and operation.
http://www.devalt.org/radio.pdfhttp://amarcwiki.amarc.org/upload/documents/Winet_Nigeria.dochttp://edaa.in/content-bank/cr-station-spotlight/sangham-radiomailto:[email protected]://www.ideosyncmedia.org/mailto:[email protected]://www.rrds.org/mailto:[email protected]://www.bnnrc.net/publication/Radio%20Academy_Pamphlet.pdfmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.bnnrc.net/publication/Radio%20Academy_Pamphlet.pdfmailto:[email protected]://www.rrds.org/mailto:[email protected]://www.ideosyncmedia.org/mailto:[email protected]://edaa.in/content-bank/cr-station-spotlight/sangham-radiohttp://amarcwiki.amarc.org/upload/documents/Winet_Nigeria.dochttp://www.devalt.org/radio.pdf


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Recommended Communities and Networks

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC), Dhaka,Bangladesh (from B azlur Rahman , Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC), Dhaka, Bangladesh ) http://www.bnnrc.net/ ; Contact Mr. Bazlur Rahman; CEO; Tel: +88-02-9130750; [email protected]

A networking body on alternative mass media working for free flow of information,access to Information, Communication Technology (ICT) for development etc.

Recomm ended Portals and Information Bases

From K irtiman Awasthi , Solution Exchange, New Delhi

EK duniya anEK awaaz, One World South A sia http://edaa.in/ ;

A South Asian archive of development, and MDG related audio clips that community radio stations with limited resources can leverage, for timely and regular broadcast.

United Nations Radio http://www.unmultimedia.org/radio/english/

Provides news feed from all over the world; has special section on climate change.

Climate Change M edia Partnership http://www.climatemediapartnership.org/

Aims at improving media coverage and public debate on climate change in the developing world through capacity building of journalists for better reporting.

Responses in Full Aparna Krishna , Developmen t Alternatives, New D elhiOf all the communications technologies that are accessible to the vast majority in the country,radio is pre-eminent. It is portable and relatively inexpensive to access. In sharp contrast tovisual media, such as television, which has a limited utility on account of the lack of ruralelectrification and the print medium, which is handicapped because of poor literacy in rural areas,Radio has truly matured as a medium of communication and is growing in every way possible.Improvements in technology, competition and an increased reach of the radio are all factorsresponsible for the growth of the Radio Industry.

Role of Community RadioCall it by any name - community radio, rural radio, cooperative radio, or development radio -radio holds the key to unite India's linguistic and ethnic diversity and improve the economicdisparity and the huge rural-urban divide. It is particularly effective as it is customized for a

target audience.

This underlines the importance of medium of propagation through radio broadcasting, both interms of reach, which is approximately 99 per cent of the local population, as well as the costinvolved. Community radio stations could play a significant role in creating mass awareness ,especially in rural and interior areas. Disseminating information on diverse subjects, includingagriculture, health and sanitation, etc. through community radio stations can be critical togenerating public awareness.
http://www.bnnrc.net/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://edaa.in/http://www.unmultimedia.org/radio/english/http://www.climatemediapartnership.org/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.climatemediapartnership.org/http://www.unmultimedia.org/radio/english/http://edaa.in/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.bnnrc.net/


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Radio Bundelkhand , a community radio jointly managed by the rural community andDevelopment Alternatives (DA), is a unique example of the role radio can play in creatingawareness and bringing about behavioural change among the rural masses.

Set up in 2008, Radio Bundelkhand acts as a sustainable and interactive platform fordialogue for the poor and the illiterate in Bundelkh and . It enables the local population to

access the power of electronic communication, helping them explore and discuss issues that arerelevant to the community of the area and to find their own solutions.

Based at TARAgram Orchha, DAs Technology Centre in Orchha, district Tikamgarh, the mediumacts as a vehicle for the underprivileged to be heard, be informed, shape know ledgeableopinion, learn the give-and-take of informed dialogue and become decisive agents intheir own development. It enables and facilitates the rural poor to develop their own localprogrammes and organise discussions on matters affecting their community. The medium reflectsthe identity, history, dialect and idiom and art and culture of the region.

The radio station has a unique participatory model of programming and broadcasting and is jointly managed by the community and DA. The reporters are selected from within thecommunity, including young girls and boys from the deprived classes. These reporters are trainedin broadcast operations and audio editing techniques. They are the anchors and they report, editand produce their own programmes. Each reporter has been issued a digital recorder forreporting and they have been trained on smart phones to produce field programmes.

The scope of community radio as an effective medium does not only restrict to the rural masses,but has been extended to cities. Educational bodies such as Delhi University, Jamia Milia IslamiaUniversity, Jawaharlal Nehru University and several engineering colleges across India have theirown community radio stations. The aim of such radio stations in campus is to connect withstudents, understand their concerns, and address their problems through an effective channel.These stations can also play a key role in sensitising the students towards climate changeconcerns.

In bigger cities, the commercial radio stations, though faced with stiff competition from othermediums of communication and entertainment, have held out on their own. The onset of numerous private radio stations with perky and likeable Radio Jockeys (RJs) add to the wholelistening experience and strike a chord with the radio listener- youngsters, working professionals,house wives etc. These jockeys have the ability to say things in a manner that is acceptable tothe youth and makes it easier to get social and environmental messages across to a largespectrum of the young generation.

The reach of these radio stations has increased manifold. Car music systems are making it easyto listen to the radio even while on the go. What's more, while travelling in a blue line bus inDelhi, you are exposed to the radio. Unlike other medium of communications that restrict themovement of the targeted audience, radios offer you the freedom of carrying on with your dailychores, while listening to the radio. And it is this advantage of accessibility that can make this

medium of communication an ideal launching pad for propagating and advocating climate relatedissues.

In the broader context of climate change, the radio programmes for both community radios aswell as commercial radio stations should be based on the following:

Mitigation: Programmes creating awareness of the risks of climate change. For instance,the ill effects of air conditioning and the advantages of car pooling that can reduce pollutionand contribute towards reducing the ill effects of climate change.


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Adaptation: Programmes encouraging listeners to adapt to technologies that are moreenvironment-friendly.

Behaviour Change: Programmes lead to a gradual behaviour change among the generalpublic on sustainable lifestyles.

Radio is thus a powerful medium of communication and can play a key role in bringing about

positive sustainable social change in every ones life. The medium can be utilised in not onlyadvocating climate change issues but other relevant problems confronting the nation.

P.V. Satheesh , Deccan Development Society, HyderabadI work for the Deccan Development Society (DDS) which hosts the SANGHAM RADIO, India'sfirst community radio station. As a group which looks critically at the media's role is what is calledspreading awareness as well as the new marketisation of climate crisis, we would like us tocritically evaluate both.

Last year, after getting tired of the domination of experts and the exaggerated role of formalscientific institutions in solving climate crisis we embarked on a venture of creating a

Community Charter on Climate Crisis through a series of participatory exercises to consultlocal communities across India.

The communities included the Dongria Kondhs from Raigadha, Orissa, Chakhesasang Nagas fromNagaland, Paravas and Muthyars from Gulf of Mannar, Jele fishers, Chashi farmers and Moule forest dwellers from Sundarbans, Baigas from Chhattisgarh, Santhals from Jharkhand, Maldhari pastoralists from Gujarat, Kaunta , Khatia , Lolia and Pandras from Chilka Lake, Dalits from Deccanand Western Ghats. The Community Charter covered the forest, pastoralist, coastal, semi-arid,hills and mountain ecosystems making it the most representative consultation held in India.

The most wonderful outcome of this consultation was the living and dynamic capacities of theIndian indigenous and local communities to combat the climate crisis through their traditionalfarming, fishing, pastoral and other such life affirming practices and their resounding confidence

in their ability to find solutions to the climate crisis, in whatever fashion it comes.

My intention in writing these details is that with such a rich understanding present in ourcommunities, the need to build awareness about climate crisis must draw heavily from thesesources and not just the scientific institutions . Community Radio Networks must make thiseffort to bring out the local knowledge, local capacity to challenge climate crisis.

If this awareness does not follow this route and depends upon those very scientists and scientificinstitutions which through their agricultural and energy policies brought about the climate crisis inthe first place, it would be a travesty of justice and an incompetent use of the media.

You can get more information about the Community Charter on Climate Crisis in the DDSwebsite- www.ddsindia.com

Hemantha Kumar Pamarthy , Hand in Hand Micro Finance Limit ed, ChennaiWell, being old fashioned that I am, I continue to listen to Vividh Bharathi Station on my CarRadio every day while driving to work and to home. I noticed that the Chennai, Tamil part of theVividh Bharathi has been intermittently broadcasting awareness bulletins on avoiding plastic andon climate change in addition to the age old storm warnings. I have been listening to the samefor the past one year or so.
mailto:[email protected]://www.ddsindia.com/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.ddsindia.com/mailto:[email protected]


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Though I would not be in a position to write about the impact of such bulletins, I am glad that abeginning has already been made in earnestness. Now to answer specifically on the queries

What role the radio, both commercial radio stations and community radio couldplay in spreading awareness on key themes related to climate change?

The Choice of the station matters. If we are looking forward to reach out to the youngergeneration, it should be drilling and should be on the FM radios. And the themes should betrendy and in a language that is like by the target audience.

What are the specific themes that could have a greater impact for creatingawareness when radio is used as a medium for comm unication?

The themes should be in line with the times and trends and certainly should be super attractiveto the target audience which should make them get induced to think, act and remember. Theexecution should be absolutely professional. The specific themes should be on global warming,the causes and the effects, water conservation, electricity conservation, avoiding usage of plastics, organic farming etc.

What are the issues that need to be taken up by the print and electronic mediathat could make an impact on the m asses?

The same as above. However, in the electronic media, frequent interviews with experts should beconsidered. In addition debates among prominent people, leaders and trend makers beorganized.

In addition to the above, in Schools and Colleges additional credits could be given to students forcampaigning on Climatic change issues. These are only some of the ideas and not exhaustive.The other members may kindly share more thoughts and give inputs.

Stella Paul , Video Volunteers, Baga, GoaThank you for the mail with such great interesting questions. My answers address the questions

regarding community radio:

1. Seen in the light of current media coverage, climate change appears to be a spot problem-problem that occurs only at certain sites- a forest in the Western Ghat losing it's greenerydue to excessive felling or a cluster of villages are having erratic monsoon because of acertain dam. From my experience as a mainstream media person and later as Greenpeaceactivist, I feel there is a huge gap between the problem as it exists and problem s it isperceived and reported.

The other trend is, reporting the problem without citing a solution. And, as always, we reporta problem and expect the government to do something. Community radio can change thisscenario a lot. It can reach the community that doesn't read or watch TV, and yet is a victimof climate change like everyone else. Above all, it can actually provide the community anopportunity to act locally.

2. The themes need to be entirely local for communities to understand and act upon. I will citean example here. In a school in Gairsain, Uttarakhand students couldnt grasp climatechange. They couldn't understand the whole idea of smoking chimneys of thermal powerplants or flights (they had seen none). What if we had told these students how agriculturecontributes to carbon emission? Surely they would have had a better grasp? This is wherecommunity radio comes in. It can make people understand a problem by using localexamples that exist within the community.
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3 . Your third question- which issues we need to take up- that's a tough one. I think every issue

is important. The question is how do we reflect our seriousness? Or, are we really seriousabout climate change? My personal answer would be, no.

My suggestion is, we need to add more depth to our reports. We need to bring in personal

stories of loss (our media is so great when it comes to describe crime stories, stories of individuals victimized by violence, crime, betrayal. Why don't we ever see that in environmental journalism? why do we just scratch the surface and go?). We need to tell the stories of individuals whose lives have irreversibly changed because of climate change. We need to say- "if we had done that, this shouldn't have happened". We need to engage communities in checkingclimate change.

At the end, I would like to inform that my organization has had years of experience in communityradio. We can help set up a community radio station for you, if you ever decide to have one.

J.P. Tripathi , Aga Khan Rural Support Porgramm e (India), Gujarat

Good experiences have been discussed by Aparna Krishna of Development Alternatives.We are also involved in community radio in South Gujarat for tribal community. We can use thisconcept. We plan to take up this community radio program in our new program in Bihar. Weneed help or contacts of organization already doing community radio program in Bihar. If anyone knows about them kindly let us know.

Awanish Somkuw ar , Madhy a Pradesh Rural Livelihoods Project, BhopalRadio fails if it does not entertain. Mostly the challenging part of spreading message using Radiois to design such a program that would catch attention of listeners. All of us know this but hardlypractice. My experience in working with different ethnic groups in Madhya Pradesh is thatmessage oriented program designing to suit the style of diction in local dialect is crucial.

The visible impact of climate change is on the farming sector which suffers either excessive ordeficient rainfall, low yield, loss of micro nutrients from soil, loss of sweetness of crops likewheat, loss of fragrance from flowers etc. These are the harmful changes rural peopleunderstand so well.

I talked to a number of tribal people in remote areas in Madhya Pradesh to know theirunderstanding about climate change. The response was not technical, it was simple. They said-weather has become so deceptive, it was so disciplined at least two decades back. I recorded aradio play and distributed audio CDs amongst select rural audience. I picked up some articulaterural people and recorded the play in their voice.

The play explained why wheat has lost its sweetness and why flowers have lost their fragrance.My perception is that the wisdom of the rural masses can not be challenged. They are not athreat to the environment. Let us further enhance their understanding.

Radio is a good and effective means but demands innovative and highly communicative andentertaining programs. Mobiles, TVs have already touched the rural life. Another problem is thehabit of radio listening. Radio sets are available, good programs are there but they will go wastefor want of radio listening habits. We can not force one to listen to the radio if other means of communication are easily available.


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N.P. Mohapa tra , MumbaiWe are using Radio services for financial literacy programmes; for awareness of FinancialInclusion in Chatishgarh, Maharastra and considering community radio services in hill districts.This can be a very good medium to reach the remote areas of the country.

Meitei Rajesh N , North East Inform atic Solution, ShillongPlease send me the details of community radio set up and the finance required as it is veryhelpful for NE India where still no such community radio exists.

Rajiv Williams , JSL Stainless Ltd, New D elhi As part of our CSR initiatives, we are interested in setting up a community radio station at Orissa(Jajpur). It will be good in case necessary facilitation can be provided to start up the process,depending on the talent and the costs associated with the project.

Sharad Pant , Hum an & Environment Care Association (HECA), AmravatiCertainly climate change is major issue facing India and there is major role of community andcommunication media such as television, community radio, newspapers etc. Thesecommunication media are spreading their voices to general community and also communitytaking up their voice. If we will go more specific then I can suggest that the community radiowhich work for some periphery should prepare their programs based on climate change. Theyshould take one hamlet and should place example how in that area Carbon is generated, also atthe same time they should place a success storey, in one patch of area where generating thismuch amount of Carbon but now by adopting Bio Gas, Improved Chula, Pressure cooker thecarbon emissions can come down.

To enlighten general people it can be said that earlier there was suffocation in the atmospherebut now the suffocation has come down. These are simple way to make the people know aboutclimate change. The meaning of stating all this is that in communication, the message should besimple, clear and acceptable.

The program should involve the local community and not commercial artist from outside, thenpeople are able to relate to the program. The program should reflect the problem of the people,why they need to contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation; what things people arecapable of doing to save the environment that should be highlighted, it will create greaterimpact.

To get a support of the masses persons working in the area of Climate Change should berecognized by all and should be honored by the authorities. If this type of news will be on thefront page of the newspaper then automatically the movement will take its own speed to movefurther.

R.K. Patil , Kamalnayan Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation, WardhaWe are also addressing climate change issue through execution of our programs and awarenessgeneration. We are giving below some issues to be addressed for climate change and effectivetools for creating mass awareness.
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Issues Tools Efficient utilization of water for irrigation as

well as domestic purposes Eco-friendly cropping patterns Conservation of soil and water Organic farming Utilization of renewable energy & rational

utilization of energy Promotion of non-farm & farm based

livelihood options Plastic rational utilization Domestic & industrial waste management Human habits & climate change Following right approach in execution of

developmental programs

Radio: Radio talk Dayara Specific issue based programs

TV & Print Media: Presentation/documentary on climate

change in school/college (1/2 an hour) Slogans Distribution of leaflets through

CBOs/SHGs Video show during gram sabha

K. Rajasekharan , Kerala Institute of Local Admin istration (KI LA), Thrissur, KeralaKeeping the Kerala situation in view, let me point out that the Commercial and Community Radiowill have great potential in spreading awareness on environmental issues, if the progammes aredesigned and broadcast in an appealing style and manner during the prime time from 6 AM to8.30 AM when the radio channel of ones choice is on in many houses, as of now.

The best entry point to environmental issues is to focus on water management- a subject whichis so close to the needs of the people for drinking /irrigation / industrial purposes. And then touchupon the soil management, and plant/animal resource management with an organic framework of watershed management concept in mind. Climate Changes can be intertwined in amongthose topics in an appropriate manner.

The creativity in design, quality of sound in delivery and such factors can create people orientedcontent and develop them into good programs that will be accepted by the masses. For example

All India Radio News is heard by many people because the content and delivery still retains itsquality whereas people reject the colorful news items from 24X7 news channels even justbecause of its mumbo-jumbo nature. In print media too, if the write-ups are written with lucidityas well as style and they carry an element of sincerity, it will have considerable impact.

Ravi Verma , Up Front Foundation, New D elhiCommunity radio is really a brilliant idea and I can see the farsightedness in this idea. Focusingclimate change globally will lead to disagreements and confusion but focusing climate changelocally can bring huge difference. A community radio focusing on local problems by citing localnext door examples will definitely bring about change.

I will be grateful, if you can tell me how to get one for my locality and what will be the cost. Apart from this, I would also like to ask, what if a poor village wants a community radio, who willbear the expenses?

But apart from all these, I appreciate the farsightedness of Stella Paul .

Venu Arora , Ideosync Media Com bine, Faridabad, Haryana
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Ideosync ( http://www.ideosyncmedia.org/ ) has been working on Community Media andCommunity Radio (CR) for many years now, in partnership with local organizations. We assist inbuilding local capacity for understanding the use of media as a tool for raising local issues andfinding local solutions. It is about understanding how media- both radio and video- can be usedto engage the audience in a participatory, inventive and creative manner.

While CR can be a way for disseminating information in local dialects, we feel it is a far moreeffective methodology for enabling alternate and marginalized voices to be heard and for thosevoices to enter the public debate- of local solutions to be discussed and debated especiallyaround important issues like climate change.

Once community groups have learnt to use media as a tool, it is possible for them in explore alarge variety of issues- climate change included and come up with their own local ways of expressing and sharing their knowledge and understanding of it.

Ideosync has been partnering with several organizations to help them establish communitydriven processes for establishing Community Radio stations, including providing technical trainingon developing radio content and using production equipment. We have also conducted trainingsin exploring issues around health, gender, education and local governance using CommunityRadio.

There are currently several Community Radio stations that are broadcasting in the country andone cost effective and economical way to create discussions around climate change would be toengage these CR stations in understanding the issues. This would inspire the creation of localcontent and generate local dialogue, conversations and debates around it.

Nilanjan Sen , New DelhiI am a particle in the knowledge ocean of your community I am expressing my views on thiscurrent topic of radio as a source to mitigate climate change problems.

In bigger cities, the commercial radio stations, though faced with stiff competition from othermediums of communication and entertainment, have held out on their own. The onset of numerous private radio stations with perky and likeable Radio Jockeys (RJs) add to the wholelistening experience and strike a chord with the radio listener- youngsters, working professionals,house wives etc. These jockeys have the ability to say things in a manner that is acceptable tothe youth and makes it easier to get social and environmental messages across to a largespectrum of the younger generation.

Radio is thus a powerful medium of communication and can play a key role inbringing about positive sustainable social change in every ones life. The medium canbe utilized in not only advocating climate change issues but other relevant problems confrontingthe nation.

Anindya Kum ar Banerjee , Independen t Consultant, KolkataThis topic is like a kite hovering over you telling you that this is the best way to reach ruralmasses and urban youth too as the craze is growing for (FM).

Coming to the query:
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What role the radio, both commercial radio stations and commun ity radio could playin spreading awaren ess on key themes related to climate change?First and foremost public at large have felt the climate change in the last two years with delayedor no monsoon, less cold in winter and others, this media as discussed by almost all members isno doubt the cheapest and best.

Role is to be adopted by the broadcasters if they are in a community like us (Solution Exchange),a policy should be made to announce: How to go green again What measures to take to conserve nature What does it mean for each one out there to do his/her part The rewards one gets if he/she conserves nature Do announce about calamities that could destroy like the one's we have seen in recent times

worldwide

What are the specific themes that could have a greater impact for creating awarenesswhen radio is used as a medium for communication?I remember vividly that I used to listen to Radio station on Saturday for a drama (new) oneabout castism, brutal behaviour in society which were to be thrown out, they chose differentexamples from true life.

I feel the themes should be around: Going green Conserving natural wealth like water, forest etc Saving the wild life Specific tasks like exciting/sensitizing youth (recent survey on Ayodhya revealed that the

thoughts of the youth are different when compared to others) Using the best examples to announce best practices

What are the issues that need to be taken up by the print and electronic media thatcould make an impact on the m asses?

It is reasonable to accept radio as a leading pointer but there is a need for a definite coordinationbetween the three (print, electronic and Radio) and responsibility of corporates, government andpublic at large should be highlighted on a daily basis till it become a habit.

I am sure Solution Exchange can be a forum to be used extensively to ensure that the impact creates a change and Solution Exchange acts as a reagent.

Sonia Sarkar , UNICEF, New DelhiThe All India Radio series on farmers and best practices has a massive existing base of listeners.Since climate change is an issue directly impacting farmers livelihoods, these agriculturalprogrammes should be an excellent way to introduce climate change awareness.

Speaking of FM Radios, as it has been correctly pointed out, the message should be entertainingand targeted at the young. In a recent workshop with FM radio and the Association of RadioOperators of India (AROI) it was heartening to find that the programming heads of most majorFM Radio stations are keen to take up developmental issues as part of their regularprogramming.

Rupsha Banerjee , University of Bologna, Italy


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The concept of community radios is of relevance given the current situation. If the communitycan be mobilized to use the radio with some external intervention, it can act a good strategy forclimate change mitigation processes at the micro level.

Manju Sharma , Jimma University, Ethiopia

Since long, Radio has been playing an important role in generating awareness and has access inremote areas too. If we use this as a strong medium to make people aware of various burningenvironmental issues it would be of great help. We can refer to previous success stories of FamilyPlanning and income tax returns filing using radio as a medium of communication.

V. Gangi R eddy , Rural Reconstru ction & Development Society, Andhra PradeshRRDS is a registered voluntary organization working in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh. We arehaving 19 years experience to organize gross root level communities belongs to tribals, dalits,small and marginal farmers and fisher folk. We need support for community radio programs. Weare able to start community radio program in our area. Kindly communicate who are extendingsupport and partnership for this community radio program.

What role the radio, both commercial radio stations and community radio could play inspreading awareness on key themes related to climate change?

Climate Change mitigation and adaptation is a challenging issue right now. At global to grossroot level communities have experienced climate change. The communication is a weapon tocreate awareness and capacity building of the communities. The community radio is one of the weapons to create awareness in the rural communities belonging to adivasis, tribals,small and marginal farmers and fisher folk. They are living in remote and rural areas and nothaving access to print media and electronic media. Only community radios is still used inrural areas, so through community radio awareness of the communities on climate changerelated issues could be created.

What are the specific themes that could have a greater impact for creating awareness whenradio is used as a medium for communication?

To save the natural resources like forest water and land To educate the communities about organic farming, biogas and solar energy. To create awareness in the communities about climate change and how it impacts

communities at gross root level to global level. The role and responsibility of the communities and capacity building relating to

various sectors.

What are the issues that need to be taken up by the print and electronic media that couldmake an impact on the masses?Climate Change, how it impacts the gross root level and how to address to understand

adivasis, dalits, small and marginal farmers, fisher folk and also promoting andstrengthening of CBOs at gross root level. Print and electronic media need to publish storiesrelating to droughts, cyclones, heat waves and cold waves so that it is understood by thecommunities. The media plays a key role for facilitation, lobbying and policy level regional,national and international issues.

CK Raju , Indian I nstitute of Technology, Kharagpur


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Climate always keeps changing. A neutral term like climate change doesn't necessarily imply thatit is heading towards an undesired direction. Climate change has gone so awfully off track, that areverse direction has been rendered impossible. The arduous task of retrieving a human-habitable-friendly situation should not be put entirely on the shoulders of common people. Sincewe are all aware of the existence of powerful agents that bring about such undesired changes,why not insist on "polluter pays" - be it part of state or markets.

So far the single largest reason attributed for this change is the burning of fossil fuel. If onetakes into account the fuel consumption by various countries, then those countries should bedirectly responsible for polluting the environment proportionate to its consumption. Similarlythere are industries who produce or agencies that maintain vehicles, aircrafts or ships - whichagain contribute significantly to the destruction of human-habitable environment.

Marine plant-life which is responsible for restoring ratio of gases to human-habitable proportionsis threatened by a large number of issues like insecticide, waste residue etc. In these examples,the polluters and their extent of pollution varies. How can a radio channel redress this issue ?

Radio channels and Semitic religions have a unique distinction - both show a great affinitytowards hierarchical divinity and maintain the structure. Is this approach the most viable one insolving a human-life violation where we need to look for options from the common people?

Umesh Chandra Gaur , Confederation of Community Based Organizations of India,DelhiFor information dissemination, mass media plays a critical role in spreading awareness in India of the importance and benefits of the information revolution. Radio provides an easy, accessible andcheap means of carrying information to the end user. Communities in India do not have to waitfor the Internet to receive much of the information it carries. The mass media can access manyof the existing sources of information and provide broad channels of communications to the poorand to remote areas.

Radio specializes in these issues and gives greater coverage to promoting and stimulatingdebate in society.

For spreading awareness Radio plays an important role. In present time we all have radio with usin the form of Mobile. Most of us would like to listen to FM radio in our free time. So it can helpto give knowledge about Climate Changes.

In my opinion the Community Radio Stations should be opened in villages. Our organization Community Based Organizations of India is trying to open 3 Radio Stations. We are jointlyworking with Common Wealth Media Center.

Hemantha Kumar Pamarthy , Hand in Hand Micro Finance Limit ed, ChennaiI agree with K. Rajasekharan .

Today many people still listen to the radio in the mornings, at least in many parts of SouthernIndia; especially the Middle class and the Working class who could make a big difference forcombating the adverse impacts of Climatic Change. However it is essential that programs are tobe designed to be out of the box and attention seeking.


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Ashish Gupta , Organic Farming Associa tion of India, DelhiThe questions being how can the medium of radio help. In todays age where Satellite TV hasinfiltrated the very realm of rural existence to the extreme of even corrupting minds, it is notclear how many villages still have active listeners of radio apart from Akashvaani.

Having traveled in rural Himachal for quite a while there are far fewer listeners of radio as amedium as there are ardent followers of regular "Saas- Bahu" soaps. That television as a mediumhas positively influenced the society in general is still debatable!

I would agree with CK Raju, that now the time is to actually thrust individual self and createpolicies for implementing change on the ground. Just to rejoin on CK Raju's point, why notinclude the general urban population into the ambit of "polluter" after all we are the one whodecide how much fuel to use in our cars to drive as opposed to using the bicycle or walking!!

Sejuti Basu , Pragya, GurgaonIf possible, I would like to have some more details about funds requirement and functionalityrelated details on community radio. Its an important communication tool at this hour. But its

reach is limited in the remote mountain areas on the north of our country, an area that I work for. I know there are areas in Uttarakhand where community radio is successfully running, but ithas not been scaled up to reach all remote settlements from Ladakh to Arunachal. So, Illappreciate help regarding that. Regarding the present topic of discussion, following are mysuggestions:

What role the radio, both commercial radio stations and commun ity radio could play in spreading awaren ess on key themes related to climate change?

Commercial radio station should spread general awareness and broadcast programmes thatmake the citizens sensitive and make them think, act and react. Community radio shouldconcentrate on gearing up the vulnerable communities against possible impacts, impedingdangers. It should communicate survival tactics, adaptation techniques, importance of cooperative efforts through simple, or often, participatory programmes, consultation with expertsin community based adaptation and disaster preparedness.

What are the specific themes that could have a greater impact for creating awareness when radio is used as a medium for communication?

Should be something that the communities can identify with and are useful to them:- Their natural heritage forests, lakes, flora, and fauna issues and what can bedone- Organic farming (along with branding, marketing, demand), improved irrigationtechniques and tools- Renewable energy based interventions (for home lighting, irrigation, etc); subsidiesavailable, benefits- Role that local youth, local self-governance structures can play- Programmes on: how climate change can affect them depiction of worst scenariothrough drama; recollection of how they have coped traditionally communitys bestpractices

What are the issues that need to be taken up by the print and electronic media that could make an impact on the m asses?
mailto:[email protected]://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=bsp&ver=ohhl4rw8mbn4#12ba049439b8a3e9_CKrajumailto:%[email protected]:%[email protected]://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=bsp&ver=ohhl4rw8mbn4#12ba049439b8a3e9_CKrajumailto:[email protected]


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- The precious little being done, and much of what remains to be done for vulnerablecommunities - review of current strategies and achievements- Could be snapshots of identified vulnerable communities and impeding disasters- Stories of survivors of natural calamities and the heroes who risked their lives toextend their helping hands

Pradeep Sharma , Eye & Shadow Media, Kopaerkhairane, NaviMumbai, MaharashtraWe are running a Bi-cycle India movement for spreading global warming and climate change.Having a radio on the move can help in broadcasting the impact of climate change and ideas toprevent the negative impact of climate change. In this way we can cover more people anddirectly talk to them, if they want an explanation.

Your comments are always welcome.

Anima Sharma , Independen t Consultant, DelhiI totally agree with the meaningful role of Radio in rural settings as is suggested by othermembers. I would like to add a small suggestion to it. Wouldn't that campaign be more effective

if we combine it with e- chaupal, seeing the increasing impact of the latter in the rural andagricultural communities?

Sajan Venniyoor , RedAct Media, New DelhiFirst, the bad news: Radio is not very good at reporting processes, though its exceptional atreporting events. A flood is an event; climate change is a process. Moreover, radio is terrible atchanging human behavior. And that's particularly true of the kind of behavior that leads toclimate change, since the causal link between, say, rice fields, fancy cars and melting glaciers israther tenuous. All the well-intentioned sermonizing in the world, unless backed up withincentives and penalties, won't make the slightest change to the fact that, as an Americanhumorist says, "there are 1.2 billion people in India, and they all want a Buick.

The good news is that radio is superlative at informing people about things like the weather andnatural disasters. In fact, radio is brilliant at informing people about anything. Unlike newspapers,telephones, TV and the internet, radio also tends to keep on working before, during, and evenafter natural calamities.

1. Radio has tremendous reach. Commercial FM covers about 30% of India, and should coveranother 40% after the next phase of FM licensing, when 805 new channels will be launched. AllIndia Radio covers pretty much all of India anyway. Community Radio (CR) is great at dealingwith what Stella Paul calls 'spot problems', but at present, CR just doesn't cover enough spots.With only 85 low-power stations, CR covers less than 0.8 of India's land area (probably less, asthere is some overlap). But give it time.

2. Commercial FM stations have both reach and popularity, and for creating general awareness(and for disaster warning), they probably have no equal. The trick is to keep the messages shortand simple -- and that's not just because air-time is scandalously expensive! -- and trust to luck and good sense that people will act on it. Telling people that plastic bags are bad for theenvironment has had little impact. Everybody knows it; very few act on it. Banning the bags, andthen informing the public that there's a penalty of Rs.1 lakh and/or 5 years in jail for using plasticbags works a lot better.


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3. Use the strength of the medium. As a general principle, anything that works best on radiooften works only on radio. Radio is very good at giving local information, in local languages, inreal time. The Orissa State Disaster Management Authority, UNDP and a local FM channel gottogether to broadcast cyclone warnings and related information in coastal Orissa. It worked like acharm. The only problem was getting the three agencies to work together.

4. Give people information they can act upon. I'd hesitate to suggest any climate change themesthat can be discussed usefully on radio. As I said, radio is very, very good for sharinginformation; it just isn't the best medium for discussing complex themes like climate change. Iam sure there are creative ways of linking global warming to methane emissions (say, from cattleor paddy fields), but my advice would be, dont try it on radio. Even if you convince a farmer thathe contributes to global warming & climate change, there's very little he can do about it. In anycase, I'd rather inform the farmer about his entitlements during a drought, which radio can dovery well, than tell him that his two cows and half-acre rice field is responsible for rainless skies.

AIR has had some very interesting experiences in fixing the responsibility for their poverty on thepoor.

By the way, I would never, ever presume to tell people that the wheat has lost its sweetness andflowers their fragrance because of climate change. The first rule of radio is authenticity, and well-meant but alarmist and unscientific agitprop will only damage your credibility.

To sum up, if you wish to educate people, send them to school. Radio is for informing people(and entertaining them). Don't waste your money on professional, in-depth and trendy climate-change programmes; give your listeners information they can act upon. And give the informationin small doses radio is a linear medium and you dont want the listener to say, Eh? What wasthat again?

Finally, keep your goals modest. Radio is a wonderful medium, but dont expect it to single-handedly change the world.

R. Padmini , Child Rights Trust, BangaloreIn the 1970's, the Radio Doctor Programme based on an Assamese situation was excellent andmany even heard it in other places. After the programme each week, discussion fora wereorganized through farmer sabhas, mahila mandals etc. and these were also very instructive aswell as interesting. Even today some such programmes are popular both on TV and radio.

I agree with the other respondents who stress that it must be interesting, even catchy. Perhapscentre it around a set of characters and then one can certainly start with water, but also biogas,ecosan toilets, solar cookers, solar lighting, solar fences to ward off wild animals, etc.,

To attract children, a separate programme needs to be developed with either cartoon charactersor with children as the main actors.

Alladi Mah adevan , Open Source Models, ChennaiI have been going through the mails over the past few days. It is good to see such great ideascome up from different members/organizations here.

Helping this discussion move forward is something that requires practical experience.Organizations in this space can take a look at


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http://www.shuttleworthfoundation.org/funding/fellowship-programme/ . Shuttle WorthFoundation provide funding for ideas that can revolutionize the world.

Keep going with these ideas it is quite enriching.

Rupsha Banerjee , University of Bologna, ItalyThe need of the hour is to inform the farmer and make him aware of various adaptationstrategies and entitlements that he can have access to and alternative farming options looking atthe increase in droughts and variability in rainfall. As mentioned, community radios can do agood job in this. Through my experiences, I know that in villages, the second generation farmersare very proactive about the use of technology and looking out for methods by which they cancome together and work towards mitigating climate change. So why not make use of suchenthusiasm and promote community radios for purposes such as these?

Basavaraj K.H. , Praw arda, Sastapur, KarnatakaSince last six-seven years everybody (Literates and email users) are talking about climate

change, but very little work on the ground has been done so far. The best concept is thatpolluters who have polluted has to pay and the amount collected is strictly to be used forenvironment friendly development activities.

Indira Mansingh , Developmen t Alternatives, New D elhiWhile the lure of saas-bahu serials is compulsive and most will not confess to the addiction, therole of community radio remains unique in India. This is because, for the first time in modernIndia, the rural community can have ownership of a dialogue and communication platform andfashion it in their own dialect and idiom to reflect and represent how they see and want theirday-to-day and fundamental needs resolved.

Denied of participation in mass media and losing the moorings of their traditional folk culture, acommunity can be enabled and facilitated to take charge of community radio as theircommunication vehicle. Such a platform is both liberating and empowering as it capitalises on thebest of technology and tradition.

What role the radio, both commercial radio stations and commun ity radio could playin spreading awaren ess on key themes related to climate change?

There are many examples in India today where this is happening. But I would like to confinemyself to Radio Bundelkhand , jointly managed by the rural community of Bundelkhand andDevelopment Alternatives. This community radio station has been playing an extraordinary role inspreading awareness on key themes related to climate change as part of the Shubh Kal campaign in Bundelkhand. This development and climate change campaign works on theprinciple that the local and global effects of climate change, can in some measure, be dealt withif rural communities adopt the means to derive enhanced economic benefits with lower carbonemissions and work to regenerate the environment.

Radio Bundelkhand supported by other mobilisation initiatives on the ground by Development Alternatives like, exposure visits, training, capacity building , focus group discussions, folk theatreand experts interaction is covering basically two key aspects of the campaign addressed to threecarbon clusters namely farmers, womens energy cluster and masons:
http://www.shuttleworthfoundation.org/funding/fellowship-programme/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.shuttleworthfoundation.org/funding/fellowship-programme/


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Information for creating awareness on the risks of climate change impacting the lives of ruralcommunities and

What a farmer, rural women or a rural artisan can do for adaptation or mitigation whileenhancing their livelihood security.

What are the specific themes that could have a greater impact for creating awareness

when radio is used as a medium for communication?

I would say any theme which is of interest to that community. The advantage of a communityradio is that the local rural reporters have their finger on the pulse of their villages. They arebetter positioned to know what information is likely to be helpful and how to raise the awarenessof their community. If the community needs the information, it will enquire further, throughphone-ins and other forms of feedback. For example we have dealt with:

Water management and water conservation in irrigation practices Tree plantations under agro-forestry and agro-horti programmes Eco-building options and enterprises Promotion of the Karigar Mandal that works on eco-building technologies Energy security through bio-options and green enterprises Improved irrigation techniques and tools and organic farming Drought resistant seeds for rabi farming

and a host of other themes for mainstreaming success stories. The formats used have beendiscussions, interviews, folk songs and creation of radio spots. They are narrowcast where RadioBundelkhand does not reach. Both narrowcasting and phone-ins provide a platform forclarifications, sharing of experiences and reporting of case studies.

Created in the local dialect, Bundeli, by the local reporters and delivered in radio programmes like Khet Khaliyan, Chotu Kam Bada Munafa, Aas Paas and others, the impact of these programmesalong with other ground activities has been validated both in terms of awareness and ininfluencing behaviour change.

Raghu Menon , Pondicherry Science Forum, PondicherryPondicherry Science Forum had made a 13 episode series on Climate change in Tamil and thiswas first broadcast in the All India Radio, Puducherry. I believe this was later taken up by other

AIR stations also. The series was sponsored by Vigyan Prasar, Department of Science & Technology. From the series we found that there is still a considerable audience for radio and wehad received numerous feedback in the form of post cards, letters, emails etc. We had made thisseries at least 4 years ago before the topic of Climate change was not so hot, but the responsefrom the people was encouraging. The series was in the form of skits, discussions with experts,and to make the series interesting, we had made titles like Will Pondicherry, a coastal city besubmerged in sea water?

To increase the number of listeners of the programme we had distributed pamphlets in publicplaces as we thought there was a necessity to draw the people to the series taking into accountthe seriousness of the issue and that most people are glued to the TV sets rather than the radio.We also found that the TV channels did not have any serious programmes on climate change (atthe time the series was made: about 4 years ago). We were successful to get additional audiencewho said they tuned into the programme after they saw the pamphlets.

Tamilnadu Science Forum had conducted successful radio programmes on adolescence and onereason for its success was that there were audience clubs formed around the programme built
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around schools all over Tamilnadu. I am sure there should be more such good examples to followwhen thinking of spreading awareness on climate change.

Bazlur Rahman , Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC),Dhaka, Bangladesh

Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC), since its inception, has beenadvocating with the government and with other organizations for the promotion of CommunityRadio to address critical social issues at community level, such as poverty and social exclusion,empowerment of marginalized rural groups and catalyze democratic process in decision makingand ongoing development efforts.

Community Radio is going to make an important place in development field in Bangladesh.Ministry of Information has approved 14 Community Radio broadcasts in Bangladesh on 22 April,2010. Now total 14 Community Radio Stations are going to On Air first time in Bangladesh.

Therefore, Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) has taken initiativeof publishing a Handbook on Community Radio: Voices for the Voiceless of Rural People with the

support from Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) to meet the basic needs anddemands of the community radio initiators, regulators, managers, community leaders andcommunity broadcasters in respect of setting up and operating the community radio stationssuccessfully in Bangladesh.

In the meantime, Community Radio Academy has been established by Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) with the view to building up capacity on community radiooperation of the initiators. Under the initiatives of the academy, training workshops, round table,seminars etc are being organized incessantly.

This handbook will be a good compilation of all necessary chapters and key aspects of community radio operation mechanism. With the help of this Community Radio Handbook,stakeholders will have knowledge of technical and management skills, procedure, prospect,

sustainability, working environment, interest issues, culture, socio-economic status, challengesand difficulties of running Community Radio and have all concerned resources and facilitiesavailable for their progress and success.

Besides, a reader will also get better understanding of the relevance of community radio in poorcommunities; the broad applicability of community radio to a range of sectoral activities such asMDGs, health, rights, education, livelihoods, and conflict prevention; the need to deepen thecapacity of community radio broadcasters at all levels to conduct effective monitoring andevaluation.

This handbook will be helpful for long-term preservation and sharing as a guide with theconcerned policy makers, donor agencies, regulatory, technical and monitoring committeemembers, local administration, parliamentarian, deputy commissioner (DC), Upazila Nirbahiofficers (UNO), officials of the local intelligence wings and law enforcing agencies, localgovernment and people working in this field for nation building process at different levels.

Rajen Varada , LabourNet, BangaloreThe power of radio to be able to deliver local content and involve communities has beenacknowledged again and again. However, for any initiative to work there has to a cohesivedissemination plan.


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Beyond the romatic notion of using radio, I see very little understanding of how it can be done,be it for climate change or HIV/AIDS. The truth is that India does not have enough Communityradio stations to make a difference. In my analysis there are hardly 20 stations which arefunctional. The KVKs and campus stations have, barring an innovative few, yet to get their acttogether. With the current situation, your impact is going to be negligible. By the time the critical

mass of stations are available, climate would have changed forever!

Your best bet would be the commercial stations as they have focused programs and good listenerbase.

The best ICT tool today is the mobile phone - with 700 million connections, it would make bettersense to use this medium. I will be happy to provide any technical help in this regard. Criticalmass is what you need to get your message across. Mobiles will provide you that access.

Rajan M. Karakkattil , Malan kara Social Service Society (MSSS ), Thiruvananthapu ram*It is very important in the present context to mobilize radio communication effectively for all the

development actions and especially in the field of climate change adaptation. More actionresearch and studies have to be developed for the development of radio as a good facilitator of the community in rural areas.

Indu Ramesh , Independen t- Radio Consult ant, Bangalore *It is true that community radio is not all that powerful in India. But the existing Radio, especiallythe various stations of All India Radio can easily be made use of. Since AIR already has specialshows for rural listeners, especially in the local language and idium, it would be appropriate toget AIR to do special informative shows or, do the shows with experts etc., and broadcast themon AIR.

I have been doing such experiments for women in panchayats, rural women being trained instate of the art machinery for weaving etc. Yes, one problem is that AIR has becomecommercially minded and we need to pay them for even the most important and relevant shows.

Lokendra Thakkar , Government of Madhya Pradesh Climate Change Cell,Environm ental Planning and Coordination Organizatio n (EPCO), Bhopal *The Climate Change Cell of Government of Madhya Pradesh established in Environmental Planningand Coordination Organization (EPCO) has sponsored a radio show on 13 stations of All India Radioexclusively on climate change issues. The experience of this ongoing radio show, Ye Kahan Aa Gaye Hum - A Radio Programme on Climate Change is as follows:

One of the biggest challenge and perhaps stumbling block in ensuring sustainable development islack of effective tools for environment education and awareness. Generally public awarenessrelated activities are treated on the sidelines and one tends to ignore them. The experience hasbeen that the general public always remains an indifferent on-looker.

Thanks to Global Warming and Climate Change though there is a greater awareness of environmental issues today, but unfortunately attention is largely drawn to global issues ratherthan local issues.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:Government%20of%20Madhya%20Pradeshmailto:Government%20of%20Madhya%20Pradeshmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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One of the reasons for not being able to create awareness is also poor and ineffective communication. Today all the developmental and social welfare related programs are using radio as an effective medium of communication.

Radio is one of the best ways of reaching out to general public. Radio had ruled the world of communication for over last five to six decades. In its new avatar (FM Stereo) Radio is back and

this time with more fanfare. Audience Research Surveys are indicating a rising trend in number of radio listeners. People are getting addicted on Radio. We may be at home or at our work place,driving car or simply listening on mobile, watching TV or tuning to FM on DTH, FM Radio isomnipresent.

Radio is a technology with low production costs, with low infrastructure cost and costs of distribution close to zero. Unlike other medium as an aural medium it doesn't exclude those whoare unable to read or write. It is ideally suited to conveying content in vernacular languages.

Radio has become an intimate and pervasive presence throughout the country and state and at thesame time, has penetrated into the remotest areas of poor districts. Some survey studies revealsthat levels of Radio ownership is significant and in certain context radio represent a criticalinformation lifeline for the poor.

Radio is still by far the most dominant mass communication medium with ownership of Radio setsbeing higher than any other electronic device, entire population of the country is within directcoverage of existing radio transmitters.

Use of radio for creation of environmental awareness assumes significance because of thefollowing advantages Broader dissemination of general eco-message Reaching out to multiple audiences Most effective means of communication for socially disadvantages section of the society.

Eco-friendly way off communication Low cost means of awareness

Very effective in sensitizing peopleRealizing the fact that radio is a medium which is popular amongst the masses , the ClimateChange Cell of Environmental Planning & Coordination Organization (EPCO), a Government of MPorganization, is sponsoring twice a week radio programme exclusively focusing on climate changeissues. The programme started in June, 2010 is being broadcasted from 13 stations including 3 FMstations of All India Radio (Prasar Bharti) located in MP covering about 70-80% population of thestate.

The programme structure has deliberately been kept simple. This half hour programme is anchoredby a professional radio jockey who initiates the subject and brings in experts comments and inputson issues like global warming, climate change, its impact on various sectors and how people canchange their lifestyles to reduce their carbon footprints.

The format of this edutainment show allows raising any subject, which has tangible relationshipwith climate change related issues using live phone-in or phone-out technique.

Communicating with Accuracy, Brevity and Clarity is the key for any popular radio show. Thoughthe presenters of this show are governed by broadcasting code, but they are encouraged to use allthe contemporary styles and gimmicks to make it a popular show in the present time. Whiledelivering messages on this Radio show it is essential that it is well researched and evaluated;,non technical , non didactic and non judgmental ; gender sensitive, Accurate and useable ;


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Culturally/Religiously appropriate ; Sensitive to local needs and Carefully worded to aid clarity andunderstanding.

Feedback of this Programme In Madhya Pradesh, this is perhaps the first ever weekly radio show on climate change beingbroadcast by 13 radio stations simultaneously. In the last four months, it has created a niche

among the audience and is now regularly listened by audience. The feedback which is beingreceived in the form of letters, sms and telephone calls on live phone-in programmes indicatesthat listeners have started tuning to this programme regularly. The kind of questions raised andinquisitiveness expressed by audience suggest that the general masses have fairly goodunderstanding of complex subject like climate change yet there is a need for uninterruptedcommunication link to maintain the momentum. The audience groups which are hooked to theshow want that the show must go on.

Many thanks to all w ho contributed to this query!

If you have further information to share on this topic, please send it to Solution Exchange for the Climate Change Community in India at s [email protected] or to ICT for Development Community at s [email protected] with the subject heading Re: [se-clmt][se-ictd] Query: Using Radio for Spreading Awareness on Climate Change- Experiences;

Advice. Additional Reply.

Disclaimer: In posting messages or incorporating these messages into synthesized responses,the UN accepts no responsibility for their veracity or authenticity. Members intending to use or transmit the information contained in these messages should be aware that they are relying on their own judgment.

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Solution Exchange is a UN initiative for development practitioners in India. For more information please visit www.solutionexchange-un.net.in
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Community Radio in Climate Change

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