Community radio works as a unifier of the nation: Prof Dwivedi

 
New Delhi, 2 November:  Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) organized today a webinar on 'Community Radio-Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' as part of the celebrations of the 145th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Speaking on the occasion, the Director-General of the institute Prof Sanjay Dwivedi said, there are 290 community radio stations across the country that reach out to over 9 crore people in local languages and dialects and thus unifies the nation through Indian languages.

Paying sincere tribute to the vigorous efforts and the sublime vision of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to unite the Nation, Prof Dwivedi, who also convened the webinar, said that community radio interacts with the audience in their languages that helps in preserving and propagating them to the next generation.

Talking about the significance of Community Radio, he underlined that the radio plays a crucial role in informing people and solving their day-to-day problems, in community empowerment, also in bringing about transparency in society and system.

Prof Dwivedi also informed that at present the allowed time of advertisement is 7 minutes per hour; however, steps are being taken to make it 12 minutes per hour that will result in generating more revenues and strengthening them financially. The Government of India is also running a campaign to support Community Radio, he added.

Eminent voices of the field of Community Radio including Mr. Rajiv Tikoo, Managing Director of One World Foundation, Mrs. Pooja Oberoi Murada, Head of Radio Alfaz-e-Mewat, Community Media Consultant Dr. D. Rukmini Vemraju and Mr. Lokesh Sharma, Station Manager of Radio Banasthali Rajasthan participated in the webinar as speakers.

Additional Director General of the Institute Mr. K. Satish Nambudiripad delivered the welcome address while Program Head of Apna Radio,  Mr. Sanjay Aggarwal moderated the webinar.

At last, the vote of thanks was extended by the Course Director of the Indian Information Service department, Mrs. Navneet Kaur.