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.

Indian aviation sector is on full throttle

As the domestic airline companies are mushrooming in all major cities, foreign players are also starting operation from Mumbai and other metro cities. Eva Air, a Taipei-based airline has started flights from Mumbai – Taipei from December 2006. In an interview to Nehul Jagdish Kumar, Eric Chiang, General Manager, Eva Air, discuss air routes in India and other areas.




Sir, tell us about Eva Air and its operation?
Eva Air is the sister concern of Evergreen Group, under the leadership of Dr Y F Chang, Chairman and Founder. It was incorporated in 1989 and started its maiden flight in 1991, we have more than 50 passenger and cargo aircrafts with operation network stretching to Europe, the US, Asia and Oceania, linking more than 40 cities, including Mumbai and New Delhi.

What are the services Eva Air provides?
Eva Air's economy class seating ensures passengers a restful slumber even during the longest flights. Every economy-class passengers abroad has a personal colour VGA screen with audio-visual. We have tie up 800 hotels for free room all over the world for frequent Eva Air flyers. The staff is professionally by the state-of-the-art technology traning centre.

When it was launched and its first operation?
We are operating in India, since 1999, we started with cargo operations and then launched passenger service direct flight to Mumbai-Taipei from December 11, 2006 .

Tell us about the Mumbai-Taipei route, response to this service?
Launched in December 11, 2006, we got good response, we are also in the process of starting services from other metro cities. "Departure in the morning and you can have your lunch in LA."
Any other metro cities will be connected in the coming days or months?
Kolkata, Chennai are on our extension map.

Sir, your views on Indian aviation industry?
The Indian gross domestic product (GDP) will grow in the double digit and the people of India will become rich in the coming years, they will travel, spend lots of money in travelling, shopping. More than 1,400 foreign companies are coming in India for business, this will increase people's purchasing power. The aviation boom has compeled many foreign airline company to start their operation from Mumbai. Some Taiwan banks will also open branches in Mumbai and Delhi. We are happy to do business in Mumbai and Delhi, our service will provide passengers to save time and money.

Which plane model do you use in Mumbai-Taipei route?
Currently, we are using Boeing 747/400 combi on this route, In coming months Boeing 777 will be used.

Any code sharing agreement with other airlines in India ?
We have code sharing agreement with Air India on Mumbai-Taipei route and we are in talks for code sharing on other routes also.

Is your company aiming for full-fledged operations in India ?
Yes, first we will start cargo operation and then passenger service.

Sir tell us about the safest airline award by Aero international?
Eva Air come under top 10 safest airline in the world by the Aero International, frequent flyers' magazine. In our operation history not a single accident occurred.