COMMUNITY RADIO STATION

Good morning listeners!!

           You are listening to Ilanthalir community radio 107.20 MHz!

Wait a second.........

            Did you just say "Community Radio"? What is this Community radio?

It sounds interesting!

          Community radio means FM radio broadcasting with the objective of serving the cause of the community by involving the members of the community in the broadcast of programs. Community radio is one that broadcast to suit the needs of a particular community with the aim of fostering development through its programming. It is cost effective, easy to operate, reaches all members of the community in their own languages and, as a local, grass-root media, it maximizes the potential for development to be drawn from sharing information, knowledge and skills within the community.

Community Radio Station works under the model "for the community, to the community and by the community".

Can anyone tell me more what 'Ilanthalir' Community Radio is all about?

Ilanthalir Community Radio -'For the adolescents, by the adolescents'.

Ilanthalir means 'tender leaf'. Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD) has established its Community Radio Station inside its campus with a frequency of 107.20 MHz. The target group includes: Adolescents of school going and out of school between the age group 10 to 19 years, youth between 15 to 35 years and community involving Self Help Groups (SHG), Gram Panchayats in and around Sriperumbudur, in some parts of Thiruvallur district.

Community Radio Station carries out programmes on career, health, life skills, environmental issues, social issues etc. Ilanthalir also focuses on development of communication skills of students with programmes on spoken English.

Our main objective is to…
Widen its bond with the community; bring out talents of the adolescents in rural areas by strengthening its programming.

May I know why you are targeting only adolescents?

We are targeting 10 to 19 years because Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and mental human development that occurs between childhood and adulthood which involves biological, social, and psychological changes, though the biological or physiological ones are the easiest to measure objectively.

Moreover this is the period where the adolescents set out in search of their identity, skills, redefine their relationships with parents, society, peer groups, have interest in opposite sex and curiosity experimentation with drug, alcohol and sex.

Now… where is this Ilanthalir community radio broadcasted from?
The programmes are produced, presented and broadcasted in Tamil with public interest. Programmes are produced in such a way that it has a wide reach to the listeners.

Ilanthalir community radio is aired from completely digital, tape less studio at 107.20 MHz to rural areas in and around Sriperumbudur and some parts of Thiruvallur district at the range of 18 - 20 kms from the campus. Programmes are broadcasted daily from 3.30 pm to 4.30 pm and repeat broadcast from 4.30 pm to 5.30 pm

As adolescents, what are the benefits we get from the Community radio?
Ilanthalir community radio gives you a chance to participate in radio programmes by exhibiting your talents and giving an opportunity to express your views on topics such as Environmental issues, Life skills, Social issues and Personality development. The programmes are presented in a creative way through

All the adolescents participate in radio programmes with the help of teachers in your school. By identifying good talents, you get to present (Radio Jockey) your school programme as well.

Oh that sounds great! What are the other programmes in Community radio?

Ilanthalir community radio also concentrates on doing programmes with teens club as well.

The Teens club also includes adolescents in the age group between 10 years to 19 years. Teens club simply means a group of teens come together for a common cause like empowering people, creating awareness and so on. Community teens club acts as nurseries for youth clubs and mahila mandals. A minimum of 20 members and maximum of 50 members from the same school or village join together to form the teens club. It focuses on empowerment of its members and villages/schools by facilitating leadership skills. Each Teens club are named differently and have their own need based objectives (creating social awareness, providing media literacy to the community), have membership, office bearers, meetings, programmes and activities.

I heard Community radio must comprise of 50% community programmes. What are the community programmes that you organize…?

Since Community radio encompass of 50% community programmes, RGNIYD has planned to have programmes with Youth clubs, Gram Panchayats and Programmes which are community based like interviews with Panchayat presidents, SHG (self help groups) coordinators, social welfare officers and members. Meetings with SHG coordinators are conducted with the help of concerned Panchayat president of the village. SHG members are then assembled to form teen club with their children. By identifying their talents, they are made to produce and present radio programmes in a creative manner.

Youth clubs

Youth club is formed to achieve common goal. It is owned and controlled by the youth themselves. Programmes on Life skills, Health, Career and other Social awareness concerns would be focused. The youth club members will produce the programmes for which orientation will be given to them by RGNIYD.

Gram Panchayats

Every single individual gets to participate in radio programme!!! Programmes are done with Self Help Groups which include public activities such as agricultural events, news for farmers, programmes for women focusing on Health, Environment issues, Money savings, Cultural and personality development and other socially relevant issues and Awareness programmes on HIV/AIDS etc.

Other programmes include interviews with school community, road side shopkeepers, vendors has been planned to carry out as Vox pop (Voice of the People) by which they get to voice out their views and also communicate with others at an ample range through radio medium and news reel on panchayat programmes, school events. Moreover Current events in and around villages are also included.

On the whole, it gives an awesome feeling for an individual to be on air and voicing out the views and experiences with their close ones and community at large!