MUMBAI: The existence and growth of local and community radio stations in Odisha have resulted on the growing need for the public-broadcaster All India Radio (AIR) to compete with them and provide local-centric content called narrowcasting.
Speaking with Radioandmusic.com, All India Radio Odisha assistant director Dipak Samantarai says, “We need more radio stations to catch up with the local centric broadcasting that is created by local and community radio stations called narrow casting. In late 80’s and 90’s, we had tried but now we need to bring that back so that these stations can cater to local needs of the people. Keeping that in mind, regional stations should re-adjust their programs as well.”
He highlighted that programmes are done at regional and local levels but the station mainly functions on the instructions carried from the centre (New Delhi). “As it is public service broadcasting, we take inputs from state level to create awareness regarding various projects, plans of the government and highlight the culture and music of the particular region. These are routine affairs but the main focus is to spread awareness among the listeners on the schemes and plans of the government as it will directly affect them in one sector or the other,” he states.
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There are 13 radio stations in Odisha that includes Vividh Bharati and Rainbow FM. Besides AIR, South Asia FM (S FM), Radio Choklate and Big FM are the three players in the private sector operating in Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and Rourkela.
Samantarai clearly defined the objectives of AIR and noted that the station is in no mood to compete with private FM stations in the city.
“Private channels cater to urban youth exclusively and they thrive on revenue so their primary motto is profit-orientation. Profit –orientation is the only orientation that they have. Meanwhile, AIR is more concerned and focused on the plans implemented at the ground level in Odisha to educate common and unprivileged people about the schemes that are available for their development,” he avers.
“Private stations cover only three major cities but in Phase III auction some other cities are likely to come up. In terms of threat from FM channels, that is completely non-existent in Odisha,” adds Samantarai.
In Odisha, Radio remains an important link between the people and government. “Primary challenge for Odisha radio is to get the right information from the government and developmental agencies and to put those views and thoughts across the people,” he informs.
AIR Odisha is planning to expand across the state in the next five years. “Information and Broadcasting (I&B) ministry are planning on changes and development for AIR all over India but there is still an amount of confusion on their respective roles,” he adds.
