Using technology for education
facefeatures report: Niranjan Das
AFRC INDIA has collaborated with Kerala`s first community radio station to produce educational programs for the students and public of Wayanad district. The award winning station has already captured wide media and public attention with its innovative and socially committed programs, has already produced and relayed 100 minutes programs. The programs are:
- Leadership Village: an educational revolution from Wayanad
- Communicative English training series: Part 1
- We are the world: USA for Africa, a tribute to musical volunteerism.
Radio Mattoli (90.4 FM) is a Community Radio Service (CRS) licensed by the Union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, New Delhi; in Wayanad District of Kerala State. Community Radio Service focuses on different communities living within its transmission zone. CRS reaches out to every section of the society with special attention to the communities that are marginalized, to ensure that they also find expression through the radio. It provides farmers, tribes, dalits, women and children an opportunity to speak out, and be heard
Radio Mattoli signal reaches all the 49 revenue villages in Wayanad
For the past two and a half years most of the people of backward Wayanad in Kerala wake to the echo of their lone Community Radio- Radio Mattolli . If you are in Wayanad you can tune in to Radio Mattolli at 90.4 MHz frequency from 6 am to 10 pm. Located at Dwaraka, Mananthavady in Wayanad District, this Community Radio is administered by Wayanad Social Service Society , an NGO with 36 years of experience in development interventions in Wayanad District.
Radio Mattolli which was launched in 2009 has a saga of success and need not say Fr. Thomas JosephTherakam , Director of the Radio has reasons to be happy. Latest survey show that number of daily listeners come to 24.05% of the population. In demographic figures of the district (as per 2011 census) it comes to 2,00,056 people. But if weekly and occasional listeners of the Radio Mattoli are included, the figures will be 74.05% (6,10,539). Another interesting factor is 56% depends on Radio Set for listening to community radio program, whereas 40% use their mobile phones to tune into Mattoli.
Radio Mattoli is the first Community Radio service in Kerala and the only electronic media in the State to broadcastprogramme in tribal dialects daily. The programme which is all comprising of education, information health etc. is daily aired at 2.30 PM and at 8.05 PM. Radio Mattoli has also launched “Namma Sasthra” – A Special Science Popularization Program supported by Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment. Apart from this there are the regular features like reflections on Gandhian thoughts, Interaction between officials and public,programmes for women prepared by women, introducing various books and local libraries, health programmes, programmes on job oriented training , new courses etc. Well the Radio is living up to its mission of providing an avenue for the free flow of beneficial information aimed at bringing socio economic changes in the society. As the programmes aired are mostly presented by local people, listeners have an immediate emotional attachment with the presenter and the message is effectively received. The target groups consist of marginal farmers, indigenous people, dalits, agricultural labourers women and children. Hence such an emotional bonding is much required as these people need to have the sense of belonging in order to trust .
Radio Mattoli has even formed Mattoli clubs in schools. Out of the 288 schools in the district 91 schools have Mattoliclubs. Members of these clubs get a chance to broadcast their programmes over Mattoli. This inculcates leadership quality, creativity, presentation capability and awareness in children. They get a wonderful exposure to the world of electronic media.
Logo map courtesy: Radio Mattoly, Photo, news courtesy indiacurrentaffairs
No comments:
Post a Comment