Radio Bulbul @ 91.2 FM

Contact Person: Mr. Shaikh Mohammed Niyaz

Broadcast Language: Odia, Hindi, and Urdu and English

Genesis: Radio Bulbul is the first community radio station in North Odisha. It was established on 09th February, 2017 in Bhadrak by the Development Institute for Scientific Research, Health & Agriculture (DISHA). Radio Bulbul aims to be a source of credible information to the target community, especially the youth, women, senior citizens, farmers, social workers, etc. The CRS works to address and resolve the day-to-day issues of the community, and thereby build a healthy and peaceful society. 

Thematic Focus: The primary focus areas of Radio Bulbul include health, education, gender issues and girl child protection, agriculture and allied sectors, livelihood and skill development, local art and culture, and  ICT. The CRS also works to dispel rumours and fake news in the target community. 

Sustainable Development Goals: The SDGs that the CRS focuses on and aspires to achieve are:

SDG 3: Good Health & Well Being

SDG 4: Quality Education

SDG 5:  Gender Equality

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

Primetime Programmes: The primetime programmes that are broadcast by Radio Bulbul are Good Morning Bhadrak, Mahila Mahal, Jai Kissan, Full-On Nikkie, Kathare Kathare, Love You Zindagi, Pathsala, and Juba Unmesha. These programmes are designed in various formats and are related to the core focus areas of the CRS. 

Innovations in format or any other way: Radio Bulbul effectively uses the technique of narrowcasting along with conventional broadcasting. This helps the CRS to interact with the community members and understand their concerns. These issues are addressed and resilient resolutions are sought through the programmes of the CRS. 

Radio Bulbul is active on popular social media and content sharing platforms including Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. 

Core Team: Radio Bulbul has a strong team of thirteen members who each handle different responsibilities to ensure the smooth operation of the CRS. Routine feedback is collected from the community members to ensure that the programmes meet the requirements of the community.

In addition to the core team, the CRS has eighteen CRMC members from different backgrounds such as education, literature, arts, agriculture, media, government services etc. 

Major Projects Undertaken: Since its inception, Radio Bulbul has been a part of many projects at the regional and national level. Some of the major projects in which Radio Bulbul actively participated are Swasthya Sankalp, Poshan Abhiyan, Routine Immunisation, Youth4Water, International Day of Yoga campaigns, Bamboo project, and Harghar Tiranga campaign.

Sustainable Strategies: Radio Bulbul is financially and technically supported by its parent organisation  Development Institute for Scientific Research, Health & Agriculture (DISHA). The CRS is also able to generate revenue through the means of paid collaborations with DAVP, I&PR (Government of Odisha), and other leading organisations. 

Number of listeners and Potential Outreach: Radio Bulbul programmes are broadcast in at least 12 blocks of three districts in Odisha. The CRS has fifty youth listener groups, forty Self-Help Groups (SHGs), thirty ANM groups, twenty ASHA worker groups, and fifteen farmer groups.

Major concerns in the Community: The community members are largely unaware of the entitlements under MNREGA. There is a dire need to spread awareness on the various government schemes such those pertaining to health and education. The community is also plagued by violence against women and child marriages. Owing to lack of education and awareness, a spread of fake information has also been observed within the community.