Project title
Establishment of “Community Radio (Radio Sagor Giri FM99.2)” for the people, by the people and of the people. The goal of the project
To set up a community radio, a radio station that practice radio broadcasting as a community service and see communication as a universal right. Specific Objectives
To run a community radio station within the project location by the community participa
tion. To provide training and the opportunity to broadcast to groups traditionally marginalized by mainstream media. To establish community radio as an important part of community development and of the community and voluntary sector. To enhance the capacities of local people to work together to tackle a range of social problems, including poverty and exclusion through radio. Building awareness on early warning system and climate resilience for the coastal population using the community radio tool. To nurture the creative talents of the community and to provide a forum for a diversity of opinions and information. Target People
A community radio is a radio for all the members of the community. Everybody is invited to participate, give his opinion, share interests and tastes and listen to the radio. However, the principal groups in difficulties like the indigenous and ethnic minorities, fisher folk community, women, farmers, person with disabilities and young people will be the main target for the community radio initiated by YPSA in Sitakund area. Progress of RADIO SAGOR GIRI station establishment
To establish a community radio station and smooth operation of station following progress made so far;
Construction of Studio
As a primary requirement of community radio there should be a studio as per policy of community radio formulated by Ministry of Information of Bangladesh Govt. YPSA, as a initiator of community radio (RADIO SAGOR GIRI), already constructed studio in the 3rd floor of YPSA-HRDC located at Sitakund (opposite of Sitakund Upazila Hospital) comprises with 3 rooms. Decoration of studio
All three rooms are decorated as per requirement of a community radio station. During the decoration sound proved matter is considered as a precondition of a studio. All necessary furniture, fixtures are installed and internal cabling is completed ensuring eco-absorbing. Installation of Tower
The tower is the very important part of a community radio station, without it broadcasting program is impossible. As a priority work YPSA already installed 80 feet tower with antenna from the ground considering the hilly and sea area, which is adjacent to the studio. Installation of Equipments including Transmitter
After completing the decoration and establishing tower YPSA, as a initiator of RADIO SAGOR GIRI, completed the installation of all necessary equipments like Station grounding equipment, Acoustic treatment, Studio equipment (missing console, voice microphones, DAW editing computer, monitor speakers & headphones), Field equipment (digital recorder with card, microphone, headphones) etc. Transmitter, as very important equipment for broadcasting the program, is already been set up and ready for on air the program
Formation of Radio Sagor Giri Management committee and advisory committee
As per the Community Radio Policy YPSA has formed Advisory Community with the representative of Govt. local social elite, Educationist for providing time to time advice to the station and has also formed the Management Committee for smooth operation of station. During formation of management committee followed the policy of community radio. Consultation workshop with concerned stakeholders at Sitakund
From the initial stages of the project YPSA has been maintaining good communication from the Ministry of information to local level administration including the local govt. As this process YPSA organized consultation workshop with the local administration, local Govt. The theme of the workshop was “Role of Community Radio-perspective Sitakund development”. Abul Lashem Master, Member of parliament of Sitakund Constituency, Upazilla Chairmen, UNO, Office in Charge of Sitakund Thana, Journalist, local elite, community people participated in the workshop. Initial Survey on potential Community Radio listeners
During designing of activity it was planned to conduct survey on potential listeners of RADIO SAGOR GIRI to know the people’s priority before developing program. YPSA already conducted a survey among the potential listeners, which covered different profession including service holder, farmers, teachers, doctors, businessman including indigenous people, fisher folk community. Total 1000 people participated with this survey. On behalf of RADIO SAGOR GIRI, YPSA will conduct such survey to honor the community people choice. Divisional Dialogue at Chittagong on Community Radio
YPSA and BNNRC jointly organized a dialogue on “Community Radio: Chittagong Divisional Dialogue” at Hotel Saint Martin on 27 April supported by USAID-PROGATI. The main objective of the dialogue is to popularize the community radio and ensuring community participation towards development through establishing community radio. The dialogue started at 9.00 A.M and end at 3.00 P.M. Shahidullah Lipon, Associate professor, Journalism department, Chittagon University moderated the dialogue. Mohammad Nurul Islam, Additional Divisional Commissioner, Chittagong attended The Dialogue as chief guest, Mr. Rafiqul Alam, Chairman, Board of Trust, BNNRC and Executive Director, DUS, Mr. Faiz Ahmed, Deputy Commissioner, Chittagong. Nazrul Islam, Director, Agriculture Information Service (AIS) Ministry of Agriculture were present in the Meeting as guest of honor. Consultation meeting with community at Sitakund
Community people are the key stakeholders of this radio station. All the plans and activity of this center are for the community with the community and by the community. As process YPSA discussed this matter with the community people during the court yard meeting under the ongoing project activities. The main purpose of this meeting is to raise awareness among the people in this area along with ensuring the involvement of community people to effective run the station. This is a continuous activity of this project, hope in coming months more meeting will be organized on this matter. Training received by YPSA Staff and deployed for Radio Sagor Giri
To develop the program for RADIO SAGOR GIRI (Community Radio) 10 staff of YPSA participated in different training organized by BNNRC and other organization. The training covers fundamental course on journalism, content development, Community radio operation & its sustainability, program producing, editing and broadcasting etc. YPSA has already deployed staff for operation the center lead by a Focal Person. Need based Program development on YPSA ongoing project
As per priority of community people, which come through survey on potential listeners of RADIO SAGOR GIRI, YPSA already started to develop program on current project like Livelihood, Disaster & climate changes issue, HIV & AIDS, rights of PWD, MCH&RH including other development issues. So far around 100 content have been collected from YPSA-IRCD on many development issues including different laws of Bangladesh Government. This program will be broadcasted as per schedule after on air of station. Formation of Volunteer group
As per the structure of RADIO SAGOR GIRI (Community Radio) there will be very effective involvement of volunteer from the content development to program broadcasting. They will be soul of this radio station and will be come from the community. Keeping this view in mind YPSA already formed volunteer group comprising 25 young people. Most of them are college student. They have been oriented on community radio and its mode of operation. All volunteer have been divided into different team so that they can work under team approach. Formation of Community Radio (Radio Sagor Giri) Child club
One of the target groups of community radio (Radio Sagor Giri) is Children. Children are the leader of future so they have been considered as effective participants of community radio. YPSA plans to form 10 Community Radio Child Club (age group 7-18 years) within the broadcasting area and already formed 8 Child Club among the community; each group consisted of 20 members. The main objective to form this club is to ensure participation to the community radio, enrich the voice of children in the radio and to develop their leadership capacity giving due importance on different aspect of children. Recording of Interview and Remarks of different stakeholders
Radio Sagor Giri has been continuing recording the program including interview and remarks of different stakeholders for broadcasting. At the same time technical person of this station also getting hands on experience to run the center in smooth way. By the November’11 Radio Sagor Giri is going to trail transmission. Developed Station ID and Promo
Radio Sagor Giri already developed station ID. For finalizing station ID, technical person of station initially developed different ID to present before the selection body. Finally selection body chooses one Radio Sagor Giri station ID for promoting during broadcasting. Besides, Promo also developed for the station, which will be broadcasted frequently during running the program. Publicity on Radio Sagor Giri
It is obvious that without involvement of community people this type of community radio station cannot be established. To increase the effective involvement of community people, YPSA already started advertisement of RADIO SAGOR GIRI (Community Radio) in different manner like information fair, rally, health fair and article in the newspaper etc. Community people participated with the banner of RADIO SAGOR GIRI in the rally of 27th year celebration of YPSA observed in Sitakund. In addition to that as initiator of Radio Sagor Giri, YPSA going to print the stickers for the promotion of station, these will be posted in different places of community like educational institution, union parisad, local vehicle, community center etc. Conclusion
With the endeavour of digital Bangladesh, YPSA wants to be pioneer through establishing the RADIO SAGOR GIRI (Community Radio) station with the community by the community and for the community, as mentioned by the Prime Minister’s Office in the Digital Bangladesh concept note that ‘Community radio can emerge as another channel of communication for the poor and the marginalized. If people’s participation in programming and management can be ensured, community radio can be a sustainable platform for people‐to‐people communication and problem solving’. To success this concept YPSA, as an initiator of Community Radio (Radio Sagor Giri), has been successful to create platform for the community people through establishing Radio Sagor Giri in Sitakund. This station is about the trail transmission.
