Darjeeling – A college in Darjeeling held 3-day Radio Production Workshop to train seminarians to participate in the community radio venture to be launched soon.

Director of the Salesian College Community Radio organized a 3-day Radio Workshop for 40 students including 19 seminarians who volunteered for the training held for the first time in Salesian College Sonada, 29-31 July.

Established in 1938 Salesian College Sonada with a second campus also in Siliguri is NAAC accredited “A” Grade College certified by UGC as a College with Potential for Excellence under North Bengal University.

“We want to train students to come up with program concepts and produce them,” said Station director Fr C.M. Paul, while explaining the content of the workshop which consisted of in-put sessions coupled with hands-on production.

“We are the first college in Paschimbongo to launch a community radio,” said principal of the college Dr George Thadathil reminding participants about the other community radio in the state is run by Jadavpur University in Kolkata.

Lecturer in the Mass Communication department at Salesian College Siliguri Mr Mahammad Johaed was the resource person and facilitator for all 3 days.

A former student of Aligarh Muslim University Mass Communication department Mr Johaed is former Radio Jockey with BIG FM and RED FM.

After the inaugural session in which both SCS Rector Dr James Chacko and Principal Dr George Thadathil encouraged the participants to make full use of the training facility, Mr Johaed explained to students the power of the Radio as a medium.

After choosing the theme “On-line earning for housewives” for a one hour radio show, Mr Johaed had a brief auditioning to choose six anchors for the program.

Radio Production WorkshopOther production partners of the radio show were given specific assignments like making jingle, getting sound bites, scripting links, creating promos and spots, and lining up popular songs in Nepali, English and Hindi.

The workshop ended on Sunday afternoon with the airing of one hour of radio program reduced to 26 minutes.

At the valedictory function the principal Dr Thadathil congratulated everyone and encouraged students to form production teams.

The Salesian College Siliguri campus will have a similar program for the entire Mass Communication Department as well as a few students from the hills belonging to other departments, 9-11 August 2016.