Hyderabad : Community radio can serve as an effective communication medium for educational institutions due to its cost efficiency, portability and flexible content formats, said Rajeev Kumar Jain, Director General of All India Radio (AIR), Prasar Bharati, at the inauguration of “Radio MANUU 90.0 FM” at Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) on Monday, March 23.
Inaugurating the community radio station, Jain noted that while such stations typically have a broadcast reach of around 16 km, their impact can be significantly extended through social media platforms. He also unveiled the station’s logo and identity, while a teaser and radio jingle were presented during the event.
Jain said that community radio stations often gain initial traction through their signature tunes before gradually building a dedicated audience through content. He added that there are currently around 560 community radio stations in the country, with nearly 38 per cent operated by educational institutions. According to him, these stations play a key role in empowering local communities by addressing their specific needs and supporting inclusive communication.
Expressing optimism about the initiative, Jain said the MANUU radio station could contribute to the university’s mandate of knowledge dissemination and nation-building. He also indicated that quality content produced by the station could find a place on Akashvani platforms.
MANUU Vice Chancellor Syed Ainul Hasan, who presided over the programme, said the radio platform would help the university extend its outreach beyond the campus and facilitate exchange of ideas with a wider audience. Registrar Ishtiaque Ahmed described Radio MANUU as a significant addition to the institution’s outreach efforts, enabling stronger community engagement.
Rizwan Ahmad, Director of the Instructional Media Centre (IMC), said the station would host a range of programmes covering language, literature, history, heritage, nutrition and environmental issues. He added that several eminent personalities had contributed content for the platform.
The programme was coordinated by Md. Imtiyaz Alam, while Omar Azmi delivered the vote of thanks. The event also saw the inauguration of the radio gallery and studio, followed by a live broadcast session featuring Jain and Hasan, hosted by RJ Md. Aamir Badr.
