Correct me if I am wrong, Sajan, but the terms of reference for community radio
includes storage of all broadcast material for six months for submission to a
yet-to-be-formulated committee in Delhi.

We need an online clearinghouse for all audio material in any case. I don't
think channels such as blogtalkradio were created for this purpose, although the
tools displayed are more or less the same. This is an urgent need.

With this in place, I propose a multi-lingual broadbased online 'committee' that
will be given access on a selective basis to the archives, based partly on
ability to understand the content, partly on volunteering to vet it for
'inclusion' ie, meeting the norms. Of course this is post facto, but with
feedback, any broadcaster will improve and avoid objectionable content*.

Please see www.galaxyzoo.org. This is a global effort to break down a gigantic
task into bite-sized bits, totally voluntary (enlisting schoolkids too, through
classroom exercises). We need something along these lines, not falling into the
trap of setting up a hierarchical organisation that will be prey to the usual
politics etc, and most importantly ending up being enormously expensive and
counterproductive.

I have copied this post to the cyberlaw india list, with a request for legal
experts to advise on the possibility of such a voluntary arrangement being
legally responsible and accountable. Please excuse the inevtiable double posts
some members will get.


*Mind you, the term objectionable is also capable of much interpretation.

Vickram
http://communicall.wordpress.com
http://vvcrishna.wordpress.com



----- Original Message ----
From: sajan venniyoor <venniyoor@...>
To: CR India <cr-india@...>
Sent: Saturday, 11 October, 2008 9:54:15
Subject: [cr-india] News on FM radio soon -- but not on CR?


According to the story below, AIR news may be permitted right away on private FM
channels, followed by regular news in the next phase of FM licensing. This is
apparently conditional on a self-regulatory mechanism being put in place by AROI
(the association of commercial FM operators). In the absence of a
self-regulatory mechanism for CR, it seems unlikely that news will be permitted
on community radio any time soon.

Under the terms of the proposed Content Code, the Central Government has
nominated the Community Radio Forum as the industry-level representative body to
set up a 'Consumer Complaints Committee' on the lines of the CCC of ASCI, "to
develop their own respective mechanisms for preview of content, if required, as
well as adjudicate on public complaints within the prescribed time."

Association of Radio Operators of India (AROI) follows the News Broadcasters'
Association (NBA) in setting up a complaints council. Community Radio Forum
remains the only representative body that hasn't set up a self-regulatory
mechanism, and we are in danger of being the only medium in India on which news
is banned. It would be difficult to lobby for news on CR until we put our own
house in order.

Sajan

Soon, tune into FM channels for news fix
Chetan Chauhan, Hindustan Times
New Delhi, 10 Oct 2998

Before the year ends, you will be able to get your daily dose of news, along
with entertainment, on your favourie FM channel.
The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has given a go-ahead for 261 private
FM channels to air news and current affairs programmes produced by All India
Radio (AIR).
The proposal awaits the signature of the concerned minister — Priya Ranjan
Dasmunsi — following which, it will require a Cabinet clearance.
Ministry insiders say AIR news on private FM channels could be heard in a
month's time.
In the next phase, the FM channels would be allowed either to outsource news and
current affairs programmes or produce themselves. But that will only be possible
once the self-regulatory mechanism of the Association of Radio Operators in
India is in place.
"We are allowing AIR news on FM channels to test how people react to news on FM
channels. If it works well other sources can be allowed," a ministry official
said.
Uday Chawla, of the radio operator's association, added: "We've agreed to the
ministry's suggestion. The self-regulatory mechanism would be in place in two
weeks." He said the mechanism would first put in place guidelines to ensure
"fair news without impinging upon journalistic ethics".
The private radio operators have been demanding news on their channels to
enhance their content packages.
In February, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) had recommended to
the I&B ministry to permit FM broadcasters to air news content from AIR,
Doordarshan, authorised news channels and agencies. Trai's clearance came three
years after an entertainment and communication panel— constituted by the Prime
Minister — recommended that news be allowed on FM channels.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?sectionName=&id=adff7a20-\
7baa-4aaf-a947-006b26052238&MatchID1=4813&TeamID1=6&TeamID2=1&MatchType1=1&Serie\
sID1=1212&PrimaryID=4813&Headline=Soon,+tune+in+to+FM+channels+for+news+fix+





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