Fostering Global and Local Community Radio Partnerships for Community Network Development: A Case-Study from India
| Autor | Ritu Srivastava |
| Páginas | 149-164 |
149
Fostering Global and Local Community Radio Partnerships for Community Network Development:
A Case-Study from India
11 Fostering Global and Local Community
Radio Partnerships for Community Network
Development: A Case-Study from India
Ritu Srivastava100
11.1 Abstract
Getting online is still challenging for the 3.5 billion people in the
world. Despite the success and revolution of mobile connectivity
in India, providing affordable access to communication to the
economically disadvantaged segments of the population is still
a challenge. The COVID-19 pandemic is not only a public health
crisis but also a humanitarian crisis specifically for people who are
living in underserved areas. In this crisis, having reliable internet
connectivity is a boon for people living in underserved areas. During
this time, community-led entities – Community Radio station and
Community Networks – in India have played a vital role in providing
the last mile access to information services. Nonetheless, they are
working in isolation despite the fact that both are working in rural and
remote regions. This paper identifies synergies between community
network operators and community radio stations and how they
can leverage each other’s resources. The paper also brings a case
study from Bhadrak district of Orissa, India where global partner
ISOC has partnered with CR stations and local organizations to
foster community networks in rural communities. Lastly, the paper
attempts to give financial sustainability solutions for CNs and CRs
while leveraging each other’s resources.
11.2 Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded the world of the importance
of the internet in accessing information, health services, and day-to-
day work. The internet has been a lifeline, enabling millions of people
to continue working and studying during staying-at-home orders
and maintaining social distance. The internet has proved that it is
necessary to facilitate basic services. Nearly 50 percent of the world’s
100 Director, Jadeite Solutions and Chair, IEEE WG- IGSA.
150 Community Networks: Towards Sustainable Funding Models
population doesn’t have access to the internet. For many that do
have access, slow speeds and high prices characterize their internet
service, preventing them from taking part in daily life. The digital
divide risks depriving a generation of the opportunity to develop
their potential and their ability to uplift their entire communities.
Community networks (ISOC, n. d.) are a sustainable, effective and
efficient approach to connectivity that directly involves the people
who face a connectivity gap. Across the globe, CNs are acting as a
complementary connectivity solution in regions where traditional ISPs
find it difficult to reach. Similarly, Community Radio stations supported
the government for disseminating information related to public
health and citizen-centric services and also helped communities to
be connected. Both these models are owned and primarily managed
by local people serving rural communities. On the positive note,
both models inherently follow the multi-stakeholder governance
framework – open-ended unleashed innovation, decentralized
institutions and open and inclusive processes as defined by the
ISOC (ISOC, 2016). Nonetheless, these models are independent from
each other and are confined to their own workings.
The paper aims to identify the coaction between CRs and CNs
in a multi-stakeholder approach to foster equitable and uniform
access to information services in served locations. The first section
explores the multi-stakeholder approach adopted by community
networks. In the second section, the paper delves into analysing
the commonalities and differences between them. The third section
shares the case study from India where community radio stations
have come together for setting up the network in rural Orissa of
India. The paper concludes by sharing financial viability approaches
that can be adopted by CRs and CNs.
11.3 Community networks’ multi-stakeholder
approach to foster equitable and uniform internet
accessibility
Connectivity is a critical infrastructure for growth and equity in the
21st century. Basic access to broadband must now be understood as
an essential utility like electricity. The COVID pandemic has exposed
the existing inequalities in internet access and affordability across the
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