While the big satellite channels are given full bombardment rights, community radio is a medium that the officialdom fears. Sad.
India claims to be the world's largest democracy, but it fears of opening up the airwaves to the commonman. Its democratic traditions may be far stronger, yet countries like Nepal and Sri Lanka are edging past it in making radio relevant to their citizens. India's reluctant march towards democratising radio indeed makes the intentions of its rulers suspect.
Broadcasting in India is speedily shifting its profile. Indian radio is currently changing from being a government monopoly to highly-commercialised broadcasting. But this needs to be democratised too. Privatisation and total deregulation will not mean much to the average citizen if radio fails to get a chance to make a difference to his or her life. India has so far clearly given step-motherly treatment to public service, community, educational and development broadcast networks.
Over five years back, the Indian Supreme Court made an interesting ruling. This judgement strongly critiqued the long-held government monopoly over broadcasting. In early 1995, the court declared the airwaves as public property, to be utilised for promoting public good and ventilating plurality of views, opinions and ideas. The judgment held that the "freedom of speech and expression" guaranteed by Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution includes the right to acquire and disseminate information; the right to disseminate includes the right to communicate through any media, print, electronic or audio-visual. "The fundamental rights," said the judgement, "can be limited only by reasonable restrictions under a law made for the purpose… The burden is on the authority to justify the restrictions. Public order is not the same thing as public safety and hence no restrictions can be placed on the right to freedom of speech and expression on the ground that public safety is endangered."