Community Radio Siddhartha 90.8 FM Tumakuru.

Objectives of the Practice

1. To promote Community Radio as a tool for the empowerment, national integration, community health education, peace and harmony, agriculture, development and inclusive growth by disseminating information amongst youth, women, physically challenged and weaker section of the society.
2. To provide better communities through health education with the use of latest technologies, innovations and research methodologies.
3. To develop a pool of experts and provide advisory services in the field of education, health etc, for the benefit of different sections of the society.
4. To campaign and create awareness regarding National Health Programmes like, Pulse Polio Programme, National Oral Health Programme, National Programme for Control of Blindness & Visual Impairment, Prevention, Control of Communicable and Noncommunicable diseases.
5. To provide education in various fields, including value and spiritual education, yoga, meditation etc
6. To educate people and to work for the eradication of moral and social evils of all kinds.
7. To create awareness relating to the preservation of the Environment/Ecology and Sustainability Development.

The Context  To develop a pool of experts and provide advisory services in the field of education,

• health etc, for the benefit of different sections of the society. To Campaign and Create awareness regarding National Health programs, Create
• awareness relating to the preservation of the Environment/ Ecology and Sustainability Development, To promote and motivate rural education.
• Practice Radio Siddhartha FM 90.8 MHz is also known as the Voice of Tumkur.

It is the first Community Radio station in Tumkur district situated in Karnataka state. Tumkur district consists of 10 Talukas and Tumkur Taluk is one among them and it consists of 374 villages. Radio Siddhartha covers 150 villages. Radio Siddhartha was established in 2009 and is the part of the Community Radio of the constituent college (Sri Siddhartha Institute of Technology) which has been a very effective in reaching out the larger section of the society through broadcasting innovative people oriented programmes on education, health and sanitation, social life, economic opportunities, small business, women empowerment, agriculture etc. Faculty and students of Sri Siddhartha Academy of Higher Education, actively participate in programmes broadcasted by Radio Siddhartha. The programmes conducted are awareness about Covid-19 pandemic among the rural population, prevention, control and educating the public about the mental illnesses. Medical college faculty conducted programmes on blood donation, Tuberculosis prevention and awareness programmes, creating awareness about maternal and child health care among public.

Community Radio is broadcasting total 9 hour programme scheduled according to the needs of the community mainly

6 A.M. to 9 A.M.,

12 noon to 3 P.M.

and

6 P.M. to 9 P.M. daily, Broadcasted in both Kannada and English.

Evidence of Success Radio is a very important tool for the promotional and educational components of national programmes, rural education. In India, radio reaches a large audience, and those shows which are well-targeted, researched, pre-tested, and adequately placed in the broadcast schedule become attractive, competitive and cost-effective ways to communicate new and time-tested advice. The list of programmes broadcasted like on Covid 19 pandemic, Tuberculosis, HIV and AIDS, quit tobacco usage, alcohol de-addiction, blood donation, Nammaarogya, H1N1,Mother & Child Nutrition, School Health Programme, Prevention and Control of Communicable and Non-communicable diseases, Safe Water drinking etc. The Radio has been getting overwhelming appreciative responses from its honourable listeners through letters and phone calls and mobile messages. Motivated by the talks, people volunteered and participated in the blood donation camps. During Covid-19 pandemic stress related mental health issues were addressed and counseled. According to the staff of Radio Siddhartha, listeners are so much inspired by the programmes that they have been coming out with requests for more programmes related to issues like promotion of health education, agricultural, rural education, environmental issues etc.

Problems Encountered and Resources Required The biggest challenge today for community radio in India is mobilization of material and human resources for effectively installing, running and maintaining the studio, station and for delivering valuable, useful and necessary programmes. The Government has come forward to allow limited commercial advertisements which probably may help to some extent. The status of press media should be accorded to community radios for effective participation in welfare activities.

Any other information this kind of research explains radio listening culture is still alive and how the Community Radio is needed for the integrated development of society. Central and State governments have to give more advertisement and sponsored programmes and thereby financial support in order to strengthen the Community Radio stations.