Community Radio Madanpokhara (CRM) Community Radio Madanpokhara (CRM) PalpaPalpa

BackgroundBackground“Information is “Information is

power”power”

Madi Audio Tower (MAT) established in 1997 run by the Madi Audio Tower (MAT) established in 1997 run by the women. Focus – 7 VDCwomen. Focus – 7 VDC Community Radio Madanpokhara (CRM) is an offshoot of Community Radio Madanpokhara (CRM) is an offshoot of MATMAT It is the first rural based Community Radio Station in It is the first rural based Community Radio Station in South Asia which was established on January 3, 1999South Asia which was established on January 3, 1999 Madanpokhara, a model Village Development Madanpokhara, a model Village Development Committee (VDC), which is the legal license holder of the Committee (VDC), which is the legal license holder of the CRM. As to its bylaws, it has a broad based and inclusive CRM. As to its bylaws, it has a broad based and inclusive management committee.management committee. Support in initial phase – UNESCOSupport in initial phase – UNESCO

Areas served by CRMAreas served by CRM Focus/Target AreaFocus/Target Area

35 VDC and 1 Municipality35 VDC and 1 Municipality Command AreaCommand Area

65 VDC and 1 municipality 65 VDC and 1 municipality (including Focus Area)(including Focus Area)

Coverage AreaCoverage Area 6 Districts (Palpa, Gulmi, 6 Districts (Palpa, Gulmi,

Arghakhanchi, Tanahu, Syangja, Arghakhanchi, Tanahu, Syangja, Parbat etc)Parbat etc)

Estimated Listeners: about Estimated Listeners: about 1,200,000.00 1,200,000.00 people.people.

Communities served by CRMCommunities served by CRM Farmers and LabourersFarmers and Labourers Community User GroupsCommunity User Groups Women’s Groups : Mothers’ GroupsWomen’s Groups : Mothers’ Groups Students, Teachers and IntellectualsStudents, Teachers and Intellectuals Marginalized groupsMarginalized groups Radio friends : Listeners’ ClubsRadio friends : Listeners’ Clubs Small/local businessmen and Small/local businessmen and

entrepreneursentrepreneurs Income generation groupsIncome generation groups WomenWomen

OrganizationOrganization Radio assembly :Radio assembly :

Life-long members (400), radio friends, Life-long members (400), radio friends, women’s groups, VDC federation, radio women’s groups, VDC federation, radio representatives, Dalit, ethnic and representatives, Dalit, ethnic and marginalized groups etc.marginalized groups etc.

Broad based Management Broad based Management Committee (15)Committee (15) Elected by the Radio AssemblyElected by the Radio Assembly Experts and visionaries about Experts and visionaries about

community communicationcommunity communication

Participation in RadioParticipation in Radio Teachers for educational programme productionTeachers for educational programme production Health Workers and Doctor’s for Health ProgrammeHealth Workers and Doctor’s for Health Programme Farmers for agriculture programme productionFarmers for agriculture programme production NGO’s, INGO’s and Government agencies for NGO’s, INGO’s and Government agencies for

providing their information to the societyproviding their information to the society Children and students Children and students Community programme producersCommunity programme producers Network of the friends group and women groupNetwork of the friends group and women group Rural youth groups for Cultural Programme Rural youth groups for Cultural Programme Radio representatives Radio representatives Women, Disabled, Dalit, Marginalized, ethnic group Women, Disabled, Dalit, Marginalized, ethnic group Political leaders and social workersPolitical leaders and social workers

ProgrammeProgramme content contentHourHour

PercentPercent News and Informative 38.50News and Informative 38.50

33.08%33.08% EducationalEducational 37.15 37.15

31.92%31.92% Entertaining Entertaining 40.3540.35 35%35%

Community Support to CRM Community Support to CRM (sustainability)(sustainability)

Every family of listeners from focus area spare a Every family of listeners from focus area spare a handful of rice (Musthidan) or equivalent dailyhandful of rice (Musthidan) or equivalent daily

Community Forest Users Groups contribute a Community Forest Users Groups contribute a portion of their income (Dauradan)portion of their income (Dauradan)

Fees from life-long members and general Fees from life-long members and general membersmembers

Fees from station visitorsFees from station visitors Co-production of the radio programmeCo-production of the radio programme Sale of fruits from garden of radioSale of fruits from garden of radio Local PSA (welfare ads)Local PSA (welfare ads) Contribution from local NGO’s, GO’s, DDC and Contribution from local NGO’s, GO’s, DDC and

VDC’sVDC’s

Community Support to CRM Community Support to CRM (Sustainability)(Sustainability)

Secretarial service feeSecretarial service fee Cultural & religious programmesCultural & religious programmes Exchange the radio programmeExchange the radio programme Network mechanism in the focus areaNetwork mechanism in the focus area Sale of the radio programmesSale of the radio programmes Partner organizationPartner organization Mobilization of local volunteersMobilization of local volunteers

ProgrammesProgrammesRadio programme is produced and broadcast as Radio programme is produced and broadcast as

identifying the needs of community identifying the needs of community Educational programme based on curriculum of Educational programme based on curriculum of

Nepal GovernmentNepal Government Youth Programme - (for teenager)Youth Programme - (for teenager) Agriculture (for rural and traditional farmer)Agriculture (for rural and traditional farmer) Economic and Social Development Programme (for Economic and Social Development Programme (for

poor people)poor people) Caste issue (for backward tribe, scheduled caste, Caste issue (for backward tribe, scheduled caste,

ethnic group) ethnic group) Gender (for rural women)Gender (for rural women) Disabled (for blind, Lame and psychiatric)Disabled (for blind, Lame and psychiatric) Programme on good governance (One hour Officer)Programme on good governance (One hour Officer)

StrengthsStrengths Clarity on vision, mission, objectives and Clarity on vision, mission, objectives and

goalgoal Participation and ownership of communityParticipation and ownership of community Practical knowledge, unbiased information Practical knowledge, unbiased information

and sound entertainmentand sound entertainment Two way communicationTwo way communication Radio friends groups and their networkRadio friends groups and their network Increasing relation with community and Increasing relation with community and

NGOs, INGOs, CBOs, GOsNGOs, INGOs, CBOs, GOs online- radio-broadcasting online- radio-broadcasting

StrengthsStrengths Independent roleIndependent role Radio as a best friends (helping hand) Radio as a best friends (helping hand)

for the communityfor the community Local networkLocal network VolunteerismVolunteerism Local and contextual content for local Local and contextual content for local

awarenessawareness Trained manpowerTrained manpower

WeaknessWeakness Lack of marketing strategy and Lack of marketing strategy and

financial sustainabilityfinancial sustainability Unable to use modern technology in Unable to use modern technology in

a innovative and permanent waya innovative and permanent way Lack of skilled technical manpower Lack of skilled technical manpower

and maintenance facility and maintenance facility Lack of updating and upgrading of Lack of updating and upgrading of

existing website existing website Lack of sufficient telephone linesLack of sufficient telephone lines

OpportunityOpportunity Community is as a resource and users of informationCommunity is as a resource and users of information Ownership and participation of the community in the Ownership and participation of the community in the

radioradio Special identification and Special identification and Cordial relation with Cordial relation with

national and international organisations/agencies national and international organisations/agencies (UNESCO, Action Aid Nepal,BBC, National network, (UNESCO, Action Aid Nepal,BBC, National network, etc)etc)

First rural and model radio station in South AsiaFirst rural and model radio station in South Asia Traditional communityTraditional community Social harmony between radio and communitySocial harmony between radio and community Way for financial sustainabilityWay for financial sustainability Community as a learning school Community as a learning school Mobilization of the local resourcesMobilization of the local resources

Threats (Challenges)Threats (Challenges) Adverse government policy Adverse government policy No demarcation between community and No demarcation between community and

commercial radio stationcommercial radio station Mushrooming of radio stations and Mushrooming of radio stations and

unhealthy competitionunhealthy competition Limited local marketLimited local market No regular and alternative resource of No regular and alternative resource of

incomeincome Lack of national adds policyLack of national adds policy Two way tax SystemTwo way tax System

Why community radio in under Why community radio in under developed countrydeveloped country

Increase rate of literacy Increase rate of literacy Poverty ReductionPoverty Reduction Broadcast contextual information and radio content on Broadcast contextual information and radio content on

rural needsrural needs Provide accurate,balanced,and credible informationProvide accurate,balanced,and credible information Preserve the traditional, indigenous knowledge and skillPreserve the traditional, indigenous knowledge and skill Preserve culture, language, art etc from the external Preserve culture, language, art etc from the external

attackattack Educate the community people on human rights, Educate the community people on human rights,

democracy, good governance (transparency, equity, democracy, good governance (transparency, equity, inclusion, accountability), agriculture, education, inclusion, accountability), agriculture, education, health, women empowerment, ethnic and unprivileged health, women empowerment, ethnic and unprivileged groupsgroups

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