India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is now accepting applicants for its community radio licenses. This has been the result of India's policy in mid-November last year that opened its non-commercial community radio broadcasting. Find out more information on how to apply.

India's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is currently inviting applications for community radio licenses in the country. The Ministry announced that 4,000 licenses could be given for setting up community radio stations.

This is a big leap considering that India has just opened up its non-commercial community radio broadcasting policy in mid-November 2006 (previously covered by we!, December 2006 issue), which paved the way for community and civil society groups to own and operate low power radio stations.

Suman Basnet, Asia-Pacific regional coordinator of the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC), expressed that India's new policy for community radio holds out hope in Asia. He said, “We are hopeful that India will emerge as a good training ground for community radio not just in South Asia, but in the Asia-Pacific.” 

“We're particularly interested in promoting the role of women in community radio and see a very big potential of that in India. By the very number of radio stations you're going to have in this country, it offers a vast playing field,” he added.

To help interested organisations, Community Radio Forum in India has organised a task force in helping them apply for license. In, addition, Community Radio Forum will also provide support and possible collaboration in areas such as training and capacity building, technology options, reforms in policy, community radio advocacy, among others. The Forum coordinator, Sajan Venniyoor, can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Visit <http://mib.nic.in/CRS/Publicnotice.htm> to learn more about the eligibility criteria, <http://mib.nic.in/CRS/ApplCRSFM.pdf> to download an application form, and <http://mib.nic.in/informationb/CODES/CRBGUIDELINES041206.doc> to read the community radio policy guidelines.

For more information, visit <http://mib.nic.in/>.

Definition

“Community radio—also called rural radio, cooperative radio, participatory radio, free radio, alternative, popular or educational radio—operates out of rural or urban areas, broadcasts to small areas and offers alternate, non-commercial, non-state voices to a diverse set of people via the radio.”

Source:
“India a 'promising' destination for community radio - By Frederick Noronha”from Community Radio Network, February 10, 2007, <http://www.communityradionetwork.org/news_item.2007-02-13.1222972932>.

Sources:
“Applications invited for grant of license to set up Community Radio” from Community Radio Network, <http://www.communityradionetwork.org/news_item.2007-02-13.4464979513>.
“India a 'promising' destination for community radio - By Frederick Noronha” from Community Radio Network, February 10, 2007, <http://www.communityradionetwork.org/news_item.2007-02-13.1222972932>.