Our Voices
Radio, as a medium, became immensely popular as soon as it was invented. People were enraptured by the audio medium and all the possibilities it had to offer. One of those was the use of radio for the benefit of the community. Thus, was born Namma Dhwani to fulfil this purpose.
The concept of community radio was introduced in India as the third tier of radio broadcasting. This space was meant to provide an alternative to both public service as well as commercial radio. The idea of the community radio was based on involving the people of the aforementioned group involved in the production process.
While the national broadcaster AIR does its best to address rural concerns, it is still unable to talk about the problems that plague local groups. There was a need for specific programming and for it to be done in local dialects. This noble cause gave birth to a lot of community radio stations all over the country. One of the most successful examples of the same is Namma Dhwani Radio Station based in Kolar, Karnataka.
The kickstart to what would later become Namma Dhwani happened in 1999. The origin of this radio station came on an experimental basis. The concept was still relatively new and the participation of community members could not be taken for granted. The initial attempt was to get some slots of airtime of 30 minutes each in the local AIR broadcast. Prasar Bharati granted a slot for broadcast once per month. Portable equipment was used to get some sort of locally sourced content. The operation proved to be a success.
In September 2001 various groups including UNESCO, MYRADA (an NGO) and VOICES (a development communication-based organisation) collaborated to lay the foundation of Namma Dhwani (Our Voices). A proper studio was constructed as an investment in the project. All sorts of demographic groups got a chance to participate in making shows that would be broadcast on the local AIR channel. A wide range of topics including agriculture, education, medicine, social issues and ways to empower women got a place in the content. Anything that affects the lives of the locals is openly talked about.
Namma Dhwani community radio station has also empowered a large number of women to take control of the way they are represented through the aural medium. They can give a platform to the issues that they want to talk about and become active producers of content. This was a welcome change in the lives of the women that had earlier been limited to the domestic sphere with no outlet for their concerns. Young children have also been inducted into the process, equipping them with useful skills for life.
The radio station is presently operated by self-help groups that encourage the members of the community to join the production efforts. The Namma Dhwani Management Committee looks after daily programming and other operational functions. What started with an air of uncertainty around it has now turned into a wonderful case study in the space of community radios all over the world.
Namma Dhwani's lucrative efforts are still impacting the lives of many villagers and providing them with a way to improve their lot. This could be through their well-designed programs or by directly providing people with employment opportunities. The story of Namma Dhwani is an example of the scale of change that local participation can bring about with a little bit of external support. It is also a testament to the power of radio technology.