 |
| Provide a platform to rural villagers to voice their concerns |
Jnan Taranga
90.4 FM, Guwahati
In 2010, then Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi launched the northeast's first community radio service Jnan Taranga, under the guidance of Krishna Kanta Handique State Open University (KKHSOU) at North Eastern Development Finance Corporation (NEDFi) House in Guwahati. Despite the popularity of Netflix, Amazon, Hotstar and YouTube, the first radio community station has created quite a stir in the region. "The KKHSOU aims to create a knowledge-base by bringing the deprived and marginalised to its fold. The community radio is meant to be another important mode of communication for people ignored by the mainstream media," says Sangeeta Kakoty deputy director, multimedia, at KKHSOU in Guwahati."In order to reach the unreached and provide a common platform to sidelined sections of society, the university took the initiative to launch the first community radio service of the region. This was a novel idea in the sense that the media somehow remains a one-way medium of communication," adds Kakokty.
According to Kakoty, the multi-media division of the university voluntarily took the initiative to launch the community radio station. Members of the multimedia production unit are actively involved in running this station successfully from the time of its inception.Jnan Taranga, like Gurgaon ki Awaaz, encourages participation of its listeners. Audiences can make calls to give suggestions and feedback in Manar Khabor. Various social issues are discussed in the show for an hour. The radio station has something for people of all ages. For the youth, it hosts programmes like Yuva Taranga. For the senior citizens and children, there are programmes such as Hengul Baran and Sishu Tirtha,respectively.
The fringe people get an outlet to vent their views and thoughts in programmes like Topal Topal and Rengoni. Janajiwan is a programme for tribals and ethnic groups. Live From Community is a programme through which radio reporters communicate with community people to talk about their struggles and experiences. Jnan Taranga also has something in store for environment enthusiasts, Amar Kobologia Ekashar, a live programme to spread love for and awareness about environment.
To revive the lost glory of Assam's folk culture Jnan Taranga broadcasts programmes like Parampara and Krishtir Patharat. Voices of various tribal communities and ethnic groups of the state are heard in Janajiwan. "We have earlier featured street singers on our show Lecheri Butoli. Sakhi Sanjeevani is a programme exclusively on women's health. Radio reporters interact with various community people and share their experiences and issues," says Kakoty. While Angana focuses on women-centric issues, Manor Khabor deals with the art of letter writing, which has become a thing of the past. Rohan is a documentary show and Sasthya Sorsa throws light on health issues. To Jnan Taranga's credit, UNICEF has been very supportive of it and has been collaborating with the community radio station for three years. The radio station has a good listener base.
"We completed one project on behalf of the Disaster Management Authority of Assam last year. This year they have nominated us to work with them," says Kakoty. Recently the radio station was selected for doing a project on election awareness just before the Lok Sabha polls. Jnan Taranga, too, faces funding constraints. Since it functions under a university, it doesn't always have the freedom to do the kind of work the organisers want.
Source and Credit :- https://ift.tt/2xB9AAJ
Forwarded by :- Shri. Alokesh Gupta
alokeshgupta@gmail.com
