We can best visualise community participatory programme using the state infrastructure by using the airwaves.

It was like a festival for the villagers of Lesigunj and Panki Blocks of Palamou distict of newly created Jharkhand state in India. People were in different mood and happy because this is for the first time they would listen their own voices and issues on ‘Chala Ho Gaon Mein’, a radio programme made by, about and for them was going to be aired from All India Radio (AIR).

Radio for empowerment
Palamou that was in news for drought, backwardness and recently for the naxalite activities witnessed a unique and innovative use of radio as an important tool for empowerment. People from different corners of the village gathered at the predestined locations decided by them. The first programme was relayed through AIR Daltongunj at 7.15p.m. on Sundays. Community made arrangement for special listening sessions in 45 villages in and around Lesligunj and Panki blocks. Adequate publicity was made to inform the people to assemble at village choupals, schools, and community halls for group listening. This was an entirely a new concept and probably for the first time in eastern belt. A radio deck with heavy sound box was fixed and 100-150 people of all ages sat around lantern of gaslight to listen to the programme. Community representatives of the community radio project organised the group listening session.

I, along with Suresh Kumar, Coordinator community radio, was present at Piprakurd, a Mahato dominated village in Lesligunj Block. At Durga mandap chowk of Piprakurd village, there were 150 people listening to the programme in pin drop silence. We noticed that there was a whisper in the crowd when narrator was announcing the names of the participants and their villages, community felt representation of their village was not included. At 7.45 pm, we invited feed back from the audiences and voice raised by Basant- “It is totally disgusting, no participation of our village—our village school building has collapsed, teachers are using desks/benches for their personal use- our children are suffering”. Lalan Mahato felt the programme would improve the quality of their life. According to Laxman, a young social worker, it would benefit both literate and illiterate community. Devendra Singh felt that this could be used as a tool for combating corruption. Nandlal informed about the poor quality of the production and assured of better performance by their village people, if given opportunity. Others like Giriwar Kumar, Mira Kumari and Rinku kumari appreciated the efforts and came forward to participate in the programme.

I witnessed the power of this unique cost effective media, reaching to remote areas, capable of involving communities at each level like starting from identification of issues, content planning, creative participation and finally programme production.

Visualising community participation
According to Bertolt Brect (1930), “Radio could be wonderful public communication system, imagine a gigantic system of channels – could be, that is, if it were capable not only of transmitting, but also of receiving, enabling the listener not just to hear but also to speak, not isolating but connecting them.” Community radio is a medium of communication utilised by a group of people, living within close geographical proximity, sharing socio-culture heritage, speaking one language. It distinguishes from the mainstream media by strengthening local culture and communities’ participation in all aspects of broadcasting.