This document summarizes the work of the Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (CEMCA) in supporting community radio license applications from July 2011 to August 2013 with funding from the Ford Foundation. CEMCA established a facilitation center to provide online and in-person support to applicants. The key areas of support included infrastructure like a facilitation desk, toolkits, and a website; capacity building through internships and working with nodal institutions; and advocacy on spectrum issues. CEMCA helped many applicants navigate the license application process and stages after receiving a license-in-principle. It also supported the Central Radio Regulatory Cell and helped community radio stations with issues like renewals.
Enabling Media Access for Community Self-Expression
1. ENABLING MEDIA ACCESS FOR
COMMUNITY’S SELF EXPRESSION
JULY 2011-AUGUST 2013
Supported by Ford Foundation
Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia
2. GENESIS
A suggestion from MIB to step-up the CR licence
application support that CEMCA was already
engaged in to meet the ever increasing queries
and requests for support
Centre set-up with Grant from FF in July 2011
A dedicated facilitation team
Enhanced on-line application support
Other value additions
Toll-free number
An outreach centre at Shastri Bhawan premises in
February 2012
3. THREE KEY INTERVENTION AREAS
Infrastructure support
CCFC- Facilitation Desk (CEMCA /SB)
Toolkits ( EPG and SAT)
Web-based Support ( http://www.ccfcindia.net ;
http://www.cronlineindia.net )
A toll-free number 1800-11-6422
Capacity Building
Internships
Support nodal institutions
Advocacy
Spectrum issues – Two international consultations held
4. ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
Support to C R S Cell , MIB
Follow-up with applicants with pendency (e.g. LOI
Squatting; GOPA signed -not operationalized;
submission of reports for C R Compendium, etc).
Answering queries in response to release of
advertisements in newspapers
Digitise applications submitted off-line
DAVP Empanelment
5. AREAS WHERE APPLICANTS NEED SUPPORT
New applications to MIB is still complicated for
some applicants(on-line and attachments). Nearly
eighty per cent go back for corrections)
Once LOI is issued, support required through
subsequent stages
Bottle-necks- FA, SACFA, WOL
Two major hurdles: lack of adequate information
and status updates from WPC
Renewals of licences (lot of confusion since
November 2011 regarding fee revision)
DAVP Empanelment
6. CCFC HAS CREATED
Systematic ways of approaching various stages of
licence procedures (e.g. formats for application of
FA )
Good documentation procedures for follow-up with
applicants
A team of experienced facilitators
A support team through internships and a facilitator
network – in North east-an underserved area and
Maharashtra-which has a good network of
operational CRS (8)
A trusted brand
7. WALKING THE TALK
Encouraging New Applicants
Walking though the application process
DAVP Empanelment
Total 36 - through CCFC 29
In process-12 – through CCFC 11
Newly empanelled 17 ( on 30.07.2013)
Internships
Individual 21
Institutions: CRF; DEF; IGNOU; NGO (8); CRS-(7)
Institutional internships – GU/CRA ; FTII
8. NEW AREAS FOR EXPLORATION
Periodic follow-up workshops for applicants through
different stages in coordination with CRS Cell, MIB (every
quarter)
Setting up a procedure for better coordination between
MIB and WPC through regular updates (e.g. Monthly)
Synergising Open Houses at WPC with CR Cell and
Facilitation Centre representatives
Building capacities of community women in CRS
management
Fellowships for study visits for Facilitation team and CRS
representatives