Community radio is more of sharing views: Pankaj

To have involvement of students and people, community radio is the must, said the FM head of Mumbai University, Pankaj Athavle. Stressing on the role of community radio, Pankaj talked to Employment & NRI Times, about the benefits and how it can be used for the betterment of the people staying in the area covered in the 22 sq km of Mumbai University’s 107.8 Community Radio operations.

Excerpts:
What is your say regarding setting up Community Radio?
It’s a great opportunity for the students to showcase their talents on a non profit non commercial radio of their own. Today in the times of radio revolution a community radio will open up new avenues in terms of radio broadcasting.

Which are area your community radio is concentrating?
Basically, a community radio caters to a particular community. But in an urban place like Mumbai, certain improvisations will be required. The Mumbai university starting such a radio open up new avenues for all the students. We will be looking at infotainment to its core. Every minute will be full of information and entertainment from all faculties and all topics. We plan to rope in all the 400 affiliated colleges, all faculties and all the depts.of the university to get involved.

How the community Radio different from Commercial Radio?
A commercial radio concentrates on hardcore entertainment which is film based. Their revenues depend upon space selling and they differ in terms of which category of listeners they target. Its all about making profit out of entertainment. But a community radio is more of providing information or sharing views among the community. So a community radio abroad for Indians will get all the NRI’s together. So in Mumbai its amalgamating all the people, not just students into sharing of useful information from all walks of life.

How is response from the students about their campus having their own community radio?
Its has been a mix of excitement and anxiety. Few are very enthusiastic, few are trying to differentiate between commercial and community radio and few are all set to perform.

How many hours your radio will function daily?
Initially, we will go on air for 4hrs, 2hrs in the morning and 2hrs in the evening. But soon we are planning to be on air for about 8-10 hrs daily.

What would you like the students to do for their community radio?
Infotainment programs on all the topics available. Be it technical, music, environment, economics, statistics, computers, social causes, sports, careers, information about their college and almost everything that they can constructively think off.

How many months it will take to be on air?
A few clearances are still left, but maybe in a couple of months.

How many languages you are going to start operation?
We will be using all three languages, which includes, Hindi, English and Marathi. But the language departments will also be gelled into the community radio. Already the French, German, Russian, Sanskrit departments are working on shows.

How would you manage your resources?
This is a university supported venture. But soon the government may allow certain amount of space selling on community radio not for making profit but for self sustainance.

As you have said government has given five minutes advertisement in one hour transmission, which type of advertisements you are targeting?
Anything and everything that can be associated with students, academics, colleges, schools and social awareness.