Bhubaneswar: Several categories of alternative radio stations in the state are now trying their best to fill the void in the flow of information from the government to the rural masses in the wake of the outbreak of coronavirus.
A number of community radio stations which broadcast local news in a hyper local setup are now creating awareness on hygiene, social distancing and other precautionary measures to check the spread the deadly virus.
“Many migrant workers of Odisha have returned home amid the COVID-19 scare. There is the need of strict enforcement of the 21-day lockdown in rural areas. Even today many rural people do not watch TV to get information on various issues. Hence, radio is a good medium to reach out to the rural masses,” said NA Shah Ansari, station head, Radio Namaskar.
Radio Namaskar is a community radio that operates from Konark in Puri district and has its listeners in the nearby areas. It has now roped in some local leaders to create awareness on various issues.
“We have contacted some sarpanchs and aired their interviews. We are now trying to guide people to fight COVID-19. We are informing them about the symptoms of coronavirus and creating awareness on hygiene and social distancing,” he added.
Like Radio Namaskar, several other community radio stations in state are now reaching out to the rural masses in their local dialects. Many of these rural areas do not have large number of TV viewers or newspaper readers, sources said.
Unlike commercial channels, community radios are envisioned to work for the people by airing various informative programmes as per the guidelines laid down by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Moreover, a new form of radio has also come up in the state. The new entrant is known as ‘online radio’ or ‘e-radio’. This new form of radio can be accessed through smartphones.
“These are low cost radio stations which can be accessed through mobile applications or internet through smartphones. We broadcast special programmes to entertain people and to disseminate information to them. Many Odias settled abroad use our services to remain in touch with their native place,” said Subrat Kumar Pati, owner of Radio Bhubaneswar.
Pati further claimed that e-radios could be a boon during disasters and situations like the ongoing countrywide lockdown. “Many students and teachers are now staying at home as schools and colleges have been closed down to check the spread of coronavirus. These educational institutes can use the service of online radio or can open their own e-radio to arrange lectures for students. This new form of radio has immense potential,” he said.
Besides these alternative radio stations, many commercial FM channels and the public broadcaster, All India Radio (AIR), is also working hard to disseminate information to people.
Manish Kumar, OP