[Reader-list] the community radio policy - at last

[Shivam Vij]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: sajan venniyoor <venniyoor at gmail.com>
Date: Dec 5, 2006 1:28 AM
Subject: the community radio policy - at last
To: venniyoor at gmail.com
Cc: communityradio at writeshop.org


India's new community radio policy is now official.

The 'detailed policy guidelines' are available on the website of the
Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, at this URL:
http://www.mib.nic.in/informationb/CODES/frames.htm. (Scroll down to
this link: "Policy Guidelines for Setting up Community Radio Stations
in India" (Updated 04/12/2006)).

No surprises, really. The policy allows civil society and voluntary
organisations to apply for a CR license; there is no license fee;
advertisements are permitted (5 minutes per hour).

And, yeah, "the Permission Holder shall not broadcast any programmes,
which relate to news and current affairs and are otherwise political
in nature." (Which begs the question: how about non-political news &
current affairs?)

It's time to walk the talk, comrades.

Sajan