Appendix 5: Useful web-based resources
From Community Radio - User Guide [http://web4all.in web4all]
APPENDIX 5
USEFUL WEB BASED RESOURCES
One of the most useful resources available to any CR station or CR practitioner is the internet, that worldwide network of computers and databases that offers us the largest collection of information ever created. The list below highlights a few of the most useful websites that will add and expand on the information contained in this manual.
1. http://www.communityradiotoolkit.net
A website for CR practitioners and information seekers, run by Radio Regen (Wales), and supported by the UK Dept. for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). The website is a mine of information on CR - including the CRT Handbook - and offers access to several online discussion fora for registered users, to discuss various aspects of their experiences with CR. It is also a source of information and news on CR related events in Europe and the UK area.
2. CR India (http://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/cr-india)
A mailing list/discussion forum on community radio in India, with a rapidly growing membership. A very useful platform for the exchange of queries and information on CR regulations, technology and setup, the list includes most of the organizations and individuals active in the CR movement in India.
The website of the Govt. of India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. It carries all the background to the current CR (FM) policy, including the application documents and guidelines described in Section A, as well as a very detailed FAQ on the application and licensing process, and the technical parameters that have to be followed. The site also gives details on the current commercial FM rollout.
4. http://www.unesco.org + http://www.undp.org
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) websites. Both organizations are involved with development of community radio worldwide, and have supported the establishment of CRS across the globe. Both have also worked on the extensive documentation of CR best practices and experiences. The websites need to be explored a bit to find information relevant to Indian practitioners of CR – it is wise to narrow the search in both cases to the sub-sites for India and South Asia – but there are a huge number of links to documents and information on CR around the world in the main sites.
The website of the Free Radio Berkeley movement, dedicated to international radio action training. The FRB movement works on the ‘airwaves are free’ principle, and encourages the sharing of DIY radio information that removes restrictions on access to technology and broadcasting controls. Focused primarily on democratizing radio access in the United States – and consequently, opposition to FCC control – the website contains information on training courses run by the organization, as well as resources like circuit diagrams and online ordering processes for radio related circuitry and DIY kits. Also contains a numbetr of useful ‘how to’ pages.
Radiphony is an Indian company dedicated to the free airwaves principle, that works to provide easy to use audio and radio technology solutions for Indian users. The site allows access to resources like the eLocutor, a software that allows severely physically challenged individuals to work on a computer. The site also contains detailed FAQs on low power radio and the CR process and setup in India. Also includes – like Free Radio Berkeley – access to information on a DIY simple radio transmitter circuit which can be constructed by most amateur enthusiasts.
The Prometheus Radio Project is a US based initiative to democratise media access by promoting low power FM. While its events calendar is primarily US-centric, the tech resources are exhaustive, with a number of pages devoted to concepts around low power broadcasting, and galleries of photos illustrating simple solutions and field radio techniques. The International section includes their experiences is supporting and developing low power FM stations in Tanzania. The project can also be contacted for radio station setup consultancies.
8. http://allindiaradio.gov.in/
The website of All India Radio, which offers technical consultancies to set up CRS. The website details the consultancy work they undertake, and is an especially useful reference to understand the steps involved in designing, setting up and testing a new FM station.
9. http://www.developingradiopartners.org
The website of Developing Radio Partners, a US based not-for-profit that works towards empowering communities worldwide with access to low cost radio technology. While there are no tech resources on the site, their detailed case studies based on their experiences in Sierra Leone, Mongolia and Southern Africa are interesting for the perspective they offer new CR practitioners.
The website of Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Ltd. (BECIL). BECIL has been one of the primary consultant agencies for broadcast setups in India, especially where commercial radio and television have been concerned. A Govt. of India enterprise, the website is a source for all kinds of technical and broadcast event related news and information, and contains links to CR application, licensing and guideline related information. The CR link on the site explains BECIL’s consultancy work and the services it provides.
11. http://www.voicesindia.org
A website developed by VOICES (Bangalore, India) with UNDP support as part of the same project under which the Community Radio Step by Step manual was developed (See Bibliography). The website offers members a discussion forum on various aspects of CR in India, as well as information regarding setup, sustainability, technical know-how and equipment setups.
12. http://southasia.oneworld.net The website of OneWorld South Asia (OWSA), the South Asian arm of the international development organization OneWorld. The website offers networking opportunities to grassroot agencies, and includes an extensive events listing that covers grassroot communication initiatives like CR, one of OWSA’s focus areas. OWSA produces and disseminates radio programming, and conducts capacity building programmes on radio and readio technology for field level organizations.
13. http://www.itrainonline.org/itrainonline/english/community_radio.shtml
iTrainonline provides online training resources on a number of media related subjects, ranging from audio and video to community radio. The community radio page has links to an extensive list of documents and websites that give information on CR, content development for CR, standard stylesheets from professional media organizations, story ideas, and journalism tips. The resources are catalogued under the heads Basics, General, Technical, and Content Development.
14. http://www.transom.org/tools/index.php
Transom.org is an online resource site developed by Atlantic Public Media to allow sharing and discussion on public media access. The site includes several informative articles on recording and editing, selecting equipment, and setting up a studio; as well as useful links to a variety of resources.
15. http://www.bbctraining.com
Though not directly a CR resource, the BBC Online training website is an enormous resource for learning the technology of radio per se, and the content production techniques that have made the BBC one of the most well known and respected broadcasting organizations in the world. The website also includes online training courses on a variety of recording and production techniques for radio.
The website for the Association for Progressive Communication, an international association that works on internet and ICTs for social justice and development. The website offers a number of resources – shared with the iTrainonline website mentioned above – on community radio, as well as resources on networking civil society organizations.
17. http://www.apnic.net/services/
The Asia Pacific Network Information Center is a resource sharing online organization that facilitates discussion on a variety of ICT and media related subjects amng civil society organizations in the Asia-Pacific. It has a large resources section that, while not directly referring to community radio practitioners, has a lot of ICT related guidelines, resources and information.
18. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Radio_technology
The online contributory resource Wikipedia has a very interesting section on radio terminology and history. This resource provides simple definitions and a number of links to other resources, and changes very rapidly to reflect new media inputs.
Website of Circuit Design, Inc., a manufacturer of low cost radio solutions. Includes an RF design guide with a discussion of circuit diagrams, and an online resource for calculations, and online articles on low power FM applications.
20. http://www.radioactive.org.uk/
Website of Radioactive, a UK based organization that works to help communities set up low cost CRS. Radioactive’s website offers a number of turnkey CRS packages and setup diagrams that offer CR practitioners and NGOs a point of reference for deciding their equipment combinations and setups. Many of the packages offered have attached costings that allow an assessment of the overall costs involved.
21. http://en.flossmanuals.net/Campcaster/
Online manual for the free Campcaster radio automation software. The flossmanuals.net site provides online tools to enable community contributions to the text, and translations of the manual into local languages.
