Broadcasting Topics

• Forming an effective farmer's cooperative
• Microcredit Programs
• How to Prepare a Home First Aid Kit
• Children need vitamins – where to get and how much to give
• Green Leafy Vegetables are Healthy Foods
• HIV/AIDS awareness
• Young Peoples' risks on a farm
• Women, Property and Inheritance
• Land ownership rights: Why Women Need Equal Access to Land
• Understanding each other: The Importance of Listening to Youth and Children

Mann Deshi Tarang : FM Community Radio Station's objective is to improve the well being of the community in and around Mhaswad through useful and relevant programming which will enrich their civic and cultural life.

The station is operated under the guidance of the Mann Deshi Foundation, but is owned by the Mhaswad village community and surrounding coverage areas.

The most pressing objectives of the station are:

• To provide a trusted, sustainable and vital communication system of very high quality to Mhaswad’s community

• To promote economic, social and cultural development through targeted programming in a wide range of relevant topics, including health, agriculture, financial literacy, education, rural livelihoods, capacity building, the environment, self-help group support, and any other issues of local relevance to promote social development

• To impart training and capacity building, especially amongst the non- and semi-literate community who cannot use print media, and continue the oral tradition of communication which is a crucial element of rural life

• To provide a creative outlet for expressions of local culture such as folk and religious music

• To utilize skills and ingenuity within the community and use them productively to promote, sustain and document local heritage, indigenous art and culture for future generations

• To provide open opportunities for direct involvement in the operation and programming of the station by hiring local staff, fostering a large volunteer base, and running internship programs for students interested in radio programming

Programs

Although the broadcasting content mostly is given by the Mhaswad community, it is structured by a programming team.

The community radio’s program is divided into 3 equal parts:

• Education
• Information
• Entertainment Education

The educational part of the program will mainly be composed of

• Information: Agriculture, Health Issues, etc.
• Courses: English, Financial Literacy, etc.
• General Knowledge, etc.

We have felt the local need for wider information access and also realized that information presented in non-formats are more easily understood. Therefore in the format on programme planning, greater emphasis is given to:

• Success Stories
• Local event advertising
• Entertainment both local style as well as more widespread contents
• Drama and Story telling
• Games both coverage of sports popular locally and specially designed on air games with audience participation
• Informal Announcements (Birthdays, marriages, births, popular jokes, etc.)
• Cricket – the most popular national sports
• Local Music
• Partnership stories and opportunities