The Dogri Regional News Unit of Radio Station, Jammu has come of age and celebrated this week its 47th Foundation Day. The Dogri News section was set up on December 6, 1971 during the troubled time of Indo-Pak war. This RNU has gained immense popularity among the people, not only in the sensitive Jammu and Kashmir State but even across the borders in Pak occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan. It is one of 47 RNUs of All India Radio network in various regional languages across the country.
It may be mentioned that presently three news bulletins in Dogri and two in Gojri are put out at optimal timings in the morning, afternoon and evening every day with maximum listenership.
The staff celebrated the Foundation Day of RNU and highlighted the proud modernization and success story of Dogri and Gojri news bulletins from News Room of J&K State's first Radio Station at Jammu and recalled its importance and public service as well as contribution.
To start with, in 1971, the news bulletins, twice-a-day in Dogri language, were aimed to inform and educate the general masses about the true facts and clear the environment of rumours, infuse confidence and also counter poisonous propaganda from across our borders. The first bulletin in Dogri went on air on December 9, 1971 while the Gojri bulletin was introduced in 1980 and steadily growing in popularity among largest segment of our population with the passing time.
An eminent writer, Thakur Poonchi was the founding editor of Dogri News Unit, who worked single-handedly and put in his best efforts.It may be recalled that noted editors of Regional News Unit of Radio Station, Jammu include among others: D R Kiran, Kashmiri , Ajit Singh, A K Handoo, Mohd. Yussuf Ganai, M.K. Wangoo, Balwant Singh, Vijay Saqi, Sanjit Khajuria, Neha Jalali and R. K Raina . The News-caster connected with RNU, Jammu are : Lajya Manhas, Narendra Bhasin, Joginderpal Chhatarpal, , Dr. Veena Gupta, Vijay Sharma, Chanchal Narendra Bhasin, Bhanu, Sudershan Prashar, Parveen Kesar, Kuldeep Singh Jandriya, Nirmal Vinod, Jagmohan Sharma, Vijay Bajaj and others. Over the years, these bulletins created wide-spread awareness and are always appreciated by general public. The basic objective of these news-casts has been to give out all factual picture and win public trust. Then the work in the Dogri news section was manual with very limited staff members and few infrastructural facilities like computers and digital equipment. Now modern equipments are used for speed on spot reporting.
But it is noteworthy that the Dogri bulletins are listened with due attention and also discussed and debated.
It is worthwhile to mention that the news broadcasts by the RNU of Radio Station, Jammu has gained popularity and credibility among the common masses. The modernization of reporting has taken place with introduction of professionals and adoption of modern technology and equipments. There are on-the-spot reporting, interviews, sound-bites in the news bulletins, and instant reporting of events and functions. The case in point is the recent Panchayat elections reporting by the Radio Station, Jammu's News Room (RNU).
It was Maharaja Hari Singh who inaugurated on December 1, 1947 the Radio Station, Jammu to enlist active public participation in development process and also to effectively counter the Pakistan's virulent anti-India propaganda .It (RKJ) then operated from three classrooms of the Government Ranbir High School, Jammu with address at 6.30 pm by the then Maharaja Hari Singh.
A well-known Urdu writer Rajinder Singh Bedi was its officer-in charge from January 3, 1948.
This Radio Station has played a crucial role in the dissemination of news and views as also promotion and preservation of Dogri and other local languages as also our distinct cultural heritage.
In the recent years, there has been a great leap forward in the RNU with modernization and up-gradation of news gathering, editing in the News Room, high speed, transmission, with latest presentation and broadcasting techniques for effective impact. It is a fact that radio broadcasting is very effective and efficient medium of communication. It is noteworthy that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has rightly choosen the Radio medium for his choicest Mann Ke Baat programme which is nearing now 50th broadcast with widespread telling impact all over.
RNU of Radio Station, Jammu is playing a pivotal role in the presentation of objective, true, accurate and authentic news and views to the general public as a part of Prasar Bharati, a national public broadcasting service and upholding the standards of journalism. It is expected that the Regional Dogri News Unit of Jammu will grow steadily in status and strength winning the full confidence of the people in Jammu and Kashmir as also across the entire country.
O P SharmaForwarded by :- Shri. Jhavendra Kumar Dhruw.
jhavendra.dhruw@gmail.com