Children's learning Programs and Community Radio: A case study of collaboration

Abstract

Sesame Workshop aims to make education a more relevant and enjoyable experience to the millions of children around the world. As part of its initiative in India, Galli Galli Sim Sim began its television broadcasts in 2006. The show with its four muppets : Chamki, Boombah, Googly and Anchoo entertained the children while simultaneously imparting significant educational messages and learning skills. Considering that television penetration in India is still in a growth phase, there are many pockets, which do not have access to television especially, cable television. // The SCHWAB Radiophone Project therefore enabled the broadcast of the Galli Galli Sim Sim show for a year, over ten community radio stations across North India, to reach children in rural areas of the country. With mobile telephony becoming popular, the Sesame initiative has integrated access to the GGSS radio show via mobile phones thus enhancing access to the show. // Community Radio stations are a new phenomenon in India the oldest Radio station being less than ten years old. The CR stations function at a local level with minimal resources and basic equipment to create participatory programming. The Radiophone initiative provided a unique opportunity for stations to access centrally produced program with extremely high production values from Sesame Workshop and create a local adjunct to the program through local participation and engagement. // Ideosync, India conducted an impact evaluation for the Radiophone initiative. The evaluation research used ethnographic methodologies (among others) to study the change at each station and its listening communities as a result of the Radiophone initiative. The findings reveal interesting outcomes that were not necessarily part of the initial objectives of the initiative. Participatory and ethnographic research approaches have helped document CR stations' internal process strengthening and capacity building that resulted as a bi product of the collaborative initiative. // The research presents an analysis of the data emerging from Diaries written by community researchers working at the CR stations to discuss how the combination of a centrally produced Development Radio program and Community Media play out in the Community Radio space. The paper further proposes a new discourse for opportunities that could contribute to strengthening of small local media institutions. // Paper ID: 462