'DNA' special: ' Jaago' Mumbai may lose voice over charge hike

A sudden increase in spectrum charges for local community radios is now threatening to wipe them out.

In late March this year, the ministry of information and broadcasting suddenly hiked the spectrum usage charge from Rs19,700 per annum to Rs91,000. The result: local community radio stations such as Jaago Mumbai, run by the Union Park Residents’ Association of Khar or Gurgaon Ki Awaaz in Delhi’s suburb is now staring at immediate closure.

Unlike commercial radio stations that have the money and the programming muscle to survive, 150 community radio stations spread across the country started operations mainly to cater to marginalised communities or residents who need a platform to discuss local issues.

“People like us are already struggling to survive,” Arti Jaiman, who runs the Gurgaon community radio, said. “What will happen to marginalised groups like the radio station run by Dalit women in Andhra Pradesh or Uttarakhand villagers who have slung an antenna on a pole to reach out to their local communities?”

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had recommended in 2004 that community radio stations should not be charged for using spectrum. “But the ministry chose to ignore this and have instead hiked the fees without any explanation,” she told DNA.

In Mumbai, Bharati Kakkar, who is part of the team that started Jaago Mumbai in Khar, is equally worried and understandably upset. “We incur huge costs in rentals,” Kakkar said. “If the central government charges us Rs91,000 yearly, then this will be the end for community radion stations.”
In Mumbai, the Jago Mumbai radio station runs innovative programmes such as ‘Home Minister’ for housewives and ‘Chocolate ka Bungalow’ for children. “For two years we have been doing programmes relevant to the residents,” Kakkar said.
In Gurgaon, Jaiman receives donations from malls to air programmes for the marginalised and the migrants and educate them on health, hygiene, and education.

Unlike commercial radio stations that focus on entertainment, community radios are meant to empower and educate local people. In Andhra Pradesh, Dalit women shun all advertisements and instead collect Rs5 from every house to keep their stations alive.

The university campuses of Mumbai and Pune have vibrant community radio stations. But all this will end because of the whopping hike in charges. “No one tells us why the charges were raised. It could be because of the Supreme Court ruling in the 2G case that all spectrum must be auctioned. But how can it be applied to local initiatives like community radio stations,” Sajan Venniyoor of the Community Radio Forum said.

The forum, an advocacy group, has protested against the hike and members now plan to boycott a consultation meeting with information and broadcasting ministry officials on Wednesday.