Dear friends at FSUG-Bangalore:

This is a freedom/free speech issue...

We need your help! An online signature from you will go a long way...

The current "Community Radio Policy" of India is discriminatory towards communities as it bars community members, community-based organizations, non-government organizations and other civil society groups from applying for licenses to operate low power community radio stations. The policy holds that only "well established educational institutions/organizations" can apply for a community radio license. So, what we have in the name of Community Radio is in reality Campus Radio.

Several organizations, academicians and individuals have been actively campaigning for communities' right to access the airwaves for the last seven years. They have made innumerable representations to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and to the Broadcast Regulator (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India-TRAI). They have also written and submitted several drafts to reform the existing Community Radio Policy so as to include community rights in it. In spite of these efforts the government continues to be non-committal and discriminatory.

We urge you join hands with us to mount adequate pressure on the government to end this discrimination against the largely rural and poor communities. Please express your solidarity by signing the Urging The Inclusion Of The Right Of The Communities Within The Community Radio Policy petition at http://www.PetitionOnline.com/comradio/petition.html

Sincerely,

Stalin K. DRISHTI MEDIA COLLECTIVE, Ahmedabad Preeti Soni KUTCH MAHILA VIKAS SANGATHAN, Kutch Ashish Sen VOICES, Bangalore Arun Mehta RADIOPHONY, New Delhi Vinod Pavarala UNIVERSITY OF HYDERABAD Vickram Crishna RADIOPHONY, Mumbai B P Sanjay UNIVERSITY OF HYDERABAD Frederick Noronha INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST, Goa Basheerhamad Shadrach ONE WORLD SOUTH ASIA, New Delhi

------------------------------------------------------------- 1995-2005: Ten years of waiting for community radio in India! To know more: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/cr-india