90 Indian community radio stations present their background, programming focuses, lessons learned and contact details.
"The Government of India has recognized community radio through its guidelines in 2002 and amended guidelines in 2006. Yet, in the domain of community media, a large gap remains between policy and practice. Communities from the media dark regions of India continue to struggle to get their voices hea
...
rd and to receive critical and locally relevant information. Their voices remain absent in an environment dominated by the mainstream media, disseminating only entertainment and national level or state level information. This publication brings some of these voices to the foreground. It includes pieces by some of the community radio practitioners who have been engaging with their communities for many years at the grassroots level, and address issues critical to community radio, such as capacity building, sustainability, technology and other aspects of their experience. It also includes write-ups by specialists from various other fields who have contributed to equally critical aspects of community radio, such as copyright issues, policy perspectives, knowledge sharing and capacity building." (Foreword)
more
"This book, through five case studies in India, explores communication rights movements here. It encompasses pivotal areas of movements, such as, Right to Information, Free and Open Source Software, Women and Media, and Community Radio and Citizen Journalism. The complexity of specific agendas in In
...
dia, such as, rights of women, citizen activism and role of media is analyzed while placing the subject in a broader theoretical context. The author makes a strong case of the right of people to be able to access information. He also explores processes through which ordinary citizens are able to develop spaces for self-expression; a concept synonymous with media democratization in this century. The author highlights the need to ‘localize’ communication rights struggles in those places facing real communication deficits daily." (Publisher description)
more
"By assessing edutainment as a space of cultural translation, Drama for Development advances an often neglected perspective in this topics' research. It focuses on what happens when various goals, worldviews and needs from donors, producers and the audiences come together in the production and meani
...
ng construction of soap operas. The perspective is illustrated by examples from the largely South Asian experiences of the BBC World Service Trust, itself seen as a cross-cultural contact zone. Tensions between western scientific paradigm and local researcher in the audience research process (chapter 3), the cosmopolitan competencies of the production team in harmonizing the urge for authenticity, cultural sensitivity and development objectives (chapter 6) and the construction of social realism as an interplay of the observed realities of the audiences and the neo-liberal themes of donors (e.g., opium in ch.6 and forced marriage in chapter 11) exemplify some of the processes taking place in that zone. The epistemological position of the book is complementary to the more technical perspective of the existing body of literature, which sometimes fails to capture the complex processes of meaning construction and link it to the wider social context." (commbox)
more
"This publication is the first independent, large-scale study of music, film and software piracy in the developing world, with a focus on Brazil, India, Russia, South Africa, Mexico and Bolivia. Based on three years of work by some thirty-five researchers, the study tells two overarching stories: on
...
e tracing the explosive growth of piracy as digital technologies became cheap and ubiquitous around the world, and another following the growth of industry lobbies that have reshaped laws and law enforcement around copyright protection. The report argues that enforcement efforts have largely failed, and that the problem of piracy is better addressed as a failure of affordable access to media in legal markets." (Back cover)
more
"Radio Veritas Asia (RVA) is hailed as 'the Voice of Asian Christianity' and the Hindi Service has defined its vision and mission to proclaim human development based on Gospel values. Spiritual, social, economical, human and environmental messages are important for overall development of a person an
...
d these messages are being proclaimed by 'Satyaswar'. In its morning 27 minutes and evening 30 minutes daily broadcast 'Satyaswar' has given adequate time and duration for Devcomm messages. The respondents are working in communication organizations and therefore, they are well educated, trained and exposed to multimedia world. They have been broadcasting development messages and therefore, they have knowledge about Devcomm and Devcomm programming. Though, they may not be able to define the concepts and principles of devcom, they are already practicing Devcomm. 'Satyaswar' is a charity broadcast and most of respondents have joined the organization for the purpose of service. Therefore, they have genuine interest in development of people. This is reflected in their attitude towards Devcomm; Devcomm programming and 'Satyaswar' programming. Three communication centers collaborate in the production and broadcast of 'Satyaswar' programs and most the respondents have positive attitude towards Devcomm management." (Conclusion, page 73-74)
more
"This textbook is a wide-ranging introduction to the theology of communication, written by the executive secretary of the Social Communications Commission of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI). The primary aim is to help develop the capacity to understand social communication from the p
...
erspective of pastoral leadership. Communication is viewed from various theological and sociological disciplines, ranging from 'Jesus Christ the communicator' or 'liturgy as communication' to 'God, media and popular culture' and 'narrative theology'. The book emphasises pastoral communication and includes sessions on preaching, evolving effective strategies and plans, networking and integrating communications into one’s ministry. It forms part of the 'Communications for Pastoral Leadership' formation programme of CBCI." (CAMECO Update 1-2011)
more
"The study found evidence that mobiles are being used in ways which contribute to productivity enhancement. However, to leverage the full potential of information dissemination enabled by mobile telephony will require significant improvements in supporting infrastructure and capacity building amongs
...
t farmers to enable them to use the information they access effectively. As mobile penetration continues to increase among farming communities and information services continue to adapt and proliferate, the scope exists for a much greater rural productivity impact in the future." (Abstract)
more
"This book looks at religion in a transnational and global context and presents a systematic account of the methods undertaken by modern day missionaries to convert people. The author seeks to understand the outworking of the American phenomenon of televangelism in India, in a new historical, cultur
...
al, religious, political and economic setting. He likens global televangelism to 'McDonaldisation', because of its standardised, 'one size fits all' approach. 'Glocal' televangelism - the fusion of the American and Indian evangelism - is referred to as 'Masala McGospel' because of the overwhelming presence of the global, American grammar and logic in the presentation and style of these programmes in India. The author then goes on to show how a disjunction is being created in Hindu televangelism because of such blending of American techniques with the holiness of ancient scriptures, making them subservient to the modern day aspirations of globalisation and consumerism." (Publisher description)
more
"This is the first book on environmental journalism in South Asia. It provides an important benchmark for journalism in the region as well as an excellent source of material for the future evolution of environmental journalism. This is a collection of essays by prominent Indian and South Asian envir
...
onmental journalists. Apart from essays from India, there are contributions from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and the Maldives. The essays examine this specialization of journalism both historically and in the present." (Publisher description)
more