COMMUNITY RADIO BROADCASTING: REGAINING THE LOST FAITH AND AUTHENTICITY OF RADIO BROADCASTING IN INDIA

The debacle of conventional broadcast media, in spanning and drawing the local communities has stimulated the mandate of Community Broadcasting. Through the times, communal media has risen as a feasible alternative option to the conventional and recognized media. A highly sought-after kind of civic broadcasting is the ‘Community Radio', and it is fervently utilized and functioned in a community, intended for the community and by members of the community. As the public service broadcaster in India, All India Radio offers the best radio programming. Nowadays, private FM radio stations are considered to be second-tier. The third tier, community radio, promises to be the most accessible. The reach of community radio in India has significantly increased over the past 20 years. In the country today, there are more than 350 active community radio stations, the majority of which serve rural areas. In community radio, the creators of information and communications are from resident communities and delineate local worries and unease through constant involvement which makes it trustworthy and authentic. The public services broadcasting has been questioned over the issues of authenticity as it is recognised as the mouthpiece of government whereas commercial and entertainment-related concerns dominate the private FM Radio. Community radio uses its own distinctive idioms and terminology to inform, educate and engage the community using a low cost, low return model of operation. This paper investigates how the community radio has emerged as an authentic and trustworthy medium of communication in the contemporary broadcasting services. The foremost and widely recognised community radio station in the Indian state of Rajasthan, Apno Radio Banasthali 90.4 FM has been chosen for conducting the case study. The conclusions of this research divulge that the community radio has regained the lost faith and authenticity of radio broadcasting particularly in terms of information dissemination.