DEF as a Community Radio Facilitator with CEMCA

Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) along with partners, including CEMCA envisaged the concept of facilitating establishing community radio, content development and technology facilitation.

DEF firstly rolled out its services for SEWA, Ahmedabad and Barefoot College Campus in Rajasthan. DEF supported by providing training, capacity building, content training, and development, monitoring and evaluation programmes.

Now DEF along with CEMCA has been transformed as a CR Facilitator Centre and help in applying for Community Radio License Process.

Ms. Ritu Srivastava & Mr. Amit K. Sanga from DEF had an Internship with CEMCA and facilitate as a facilitator. For the same, I would request you to apply for Community Radio License. We would be helping you for applying CR application and providing detailed information.

CR Policy Guidelines

The application will be processed through the below Ministries:

• Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB)
• Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP)
• Wireless Planning and Coordination (WPC)

The eligibility criteria for applying to set up of a CRS:

• You must be a registered body like a not-for-profit society (Societies Registration Act), Educational Institution, Agriculture College or Institution or Residents Welfare Association, or other such act relevant to the purpose)
• Your organization should have a very active community base
• You should have been in existence for at least three years
• Your governance structure like Board, Management, Advisory Board, etc. must be well defined
• No member of the Board/ Founding Members should be related to each other
• CR Station to be operated by it should be designed to serve a specific well-defined local community
• Ownership and management structure of the CRS should be reflective of the community that the CRS seeks to serve
• Programming should be relevant to the educational, social, developmental and cultural needs of the community it serves

Documents you need to submit along with your application:

• A valid email address
• GPS data for details of longitude and latitude of exact spot where the CR tower will be located
• Proof of recognition for educational institution or Society
• If Society, should have been in existence for three years (furnish proof)
• Registration Certificate
• Memorandum of Article of Association
• Balance Sheets of last three years
• Profile of organization
• Details of community/area to be served
• Objectives sought to be achieved through CRS
• If aided educational institution? Then describe (by whom)
• Scanned copies of all proofs must accompany your electronic application and hand submitted copy (or sent by post) should have copies attached with the main application
• Demand Draft of INR 2500 drawn in favour of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, GOI (submit scanned e-copy if filing electronically, and send the originals by post)

The estimate cost for setting up a CR station

• The cost of setting up a CR Station besides the Fees that you have to pay the MoIB and DOT, MOCIT, Government of India, the price will vary depending on various parameters.
• It has been evidenced that the costs can vary from Rs. 5 lakh to Rs. 15 lakhs
• This includes Capital Expenditure: Construction of Studio, Rooms and Other Civil Works; Construction, testing of Transmission Tower; Electronic Equipments like recorders, mikes, computer, mixers, etc., and some amount of furniture, etc
• The Operational Expenditure includes: Salaries, Honorarium to artistes/ community members participating, electricity, Internet costs, administrative expenditures, tapes/CDs

An Online Repository of 29 interview videos where Community Radio practitioners across India shared their experience & success stories with the team of Digital Knowledge Centre. Digital Knowledge Centre participated in CEMCA CR Sammelan 2012 as a CR facilitator where all the community radio stations from Indian different states participated. Click to see all videos

Ritu Srivastava at ritu@defindia.net
Amit Kumar at amit@defindia.net

Tel No: 011-26532786