Matters India reporter
New Delhi, August 29, 2019: At the Community Radio Awards ceremony organized by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in collaboration with One World Foundation India, 3 Church run community radio stations bagged 5 out of 30 awards given under five categories for the years 2018 and 2019.
The awards were given in five categories, including Best Thematic category in programs, Best Community Engagement Initiative, Best Program for Promoting Local Culture, Best Innovative and Creative Program and Best Sustainable Model for Community Radio.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar on August 28 gave away 30 excellence awards to different community radio stations for their valuable contribution in sensitizing local people about their social, cultural and developmental requirements around the community.
Church run community radio stations snatched five out of 30 awards given for past two years.
Among them, Jesuit run Radio Sarang from Mangalore got first prize in the Most Creative / Innovative Category for its programme Antarabelaku for year 2019 on visually challenged listeners.
Radio Mattoli of Mananthavady Diocesan Wayanad Social Service Society got first prize for 2018 in the sustainability category for its commendable efforts in achieving technical and financial sustainability.
No third prize was awarded for both years in sustainability category.
Radio Media Village of St Joseph College Changanacherry bagged 3 prizes including 3rd prize (2019) for Promoting Local Culture; and 2 second prizes for Most Creative /Innovative category (2018) and Sustainability category (2019).
Besides Certificates and Trophy, each category carried cash awards.
The 7th Community Radio Sammelan was held at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar International Centre, 15 Janpath, New Delhi from August 27-29. The theme of this year’s sammelan was ‘Community Radio for SDGs’ (Sustainable Developmental Goals).
The Ministry of I&B Secretary Amit Khare asserted each district in country should have at least one community radio, especially in the aspiring (backward) districts.
Some 200 plus operational Community Radio Stations across the country participated at the event held from 27 to 29 August.
The Sammelan held after a gap of almost 3 years discussed experiences and possibilities of programming for raising awareness on sustainable development goals under various flagship schemes of government such as Jal Shakti Abhiyaan and efforts for disaster risk reduction. Discussions on research, production, broadcasting, dissemination of social welfare messages through social media and content management for community radio stations was also discussed.
The meeting discussed various schemes of the central government, like the Jal Shakti Abhiyaan and efforts for disaster risk reduction. “Research, production, broadcasting, dissemination of social welfare messages through social media and content management for community radio stations will also be discussed.”
Javadekar speaking at the award ceremony on 28 August highlighted the achievements of community radio saying, “community radio is an important tool of communication in recent times and playing a lead role in the democracy.”
Javadekar also said, “no other medium is as powerful as Radio and it has very high credibility in terms of disseminating information.”
The program also deliberated on various flagship schemes of the government like the Jal Shakti Abhiyaan and efforts for Disaster Risk Reduction.