A Community Radio Towards a Knowledge Society for Bridging the Knowledge Divide
MACFAST (Mar Athanasios College for Advanced Studies, Tiruvalla – a post graduate and research institution, started in 2001, offering specially designed courses in Business Management, Information Technology and Biosciences) is proud to launch the 46th Community Radio in the country on the 1st of November 2009 to the discerning listeners of Central Travancore. This FM radio — RADIO MACFAST 90.4 is going to be a trendsetter in Community Radio segment through its wide range of diverse and interesting programs, to be aired 16 hours a day, from the very first day of its launch.
WHAT IS RADIO MACFAST 90.4?
RADIO MACFAST 90.4 is primarily a Community Development initiative which uses radio as its medium. Community Development involves the empowerng of local people through the provision of information and skills as well the development of a community identity. Community radio is a unique toll in this respect. Through access to the airwaves and participation of the society, RADIO MACFAST 90.4 facilitates the following:
- The exchange of information, networking of group, and provision of skills and training which are all key elements of developing a community
- The promotion of awareness of the many community groups and facilities in the area.
- The empowering of these groups to use radio to promote themselves and speak directly to the community.
Having a community radio station as a focal point for local development encourages this, in that many of these groups have traditionally been isolated and marginalised by mainstream media which by its nature fails to address the concerns of individuals communities. RADIO MACFAST 90.4 believes that the emergence of a Knowledge Society is possible through focused work at the grass-root level. It realizes that transfer of Knowledge happens in both directions — from the urban society to the rural one and vice versa. Community Radio as a model is a democratic medium assisting the work of both public and voluntary organisations as part of an emerging, non-profit community development sector. It proposes a diversity of actions to achieve this. True to its punch line — “Naattukaarkku Koottayi” – RADIO MACFAST 90.4, strives to achieve exactly the same: “a partner friend in all the endeavours of the local populace”.
