Swaranant Community Radio @ 90.4 FM

Contact Person: Mr. Sandip Rameshrao Deshmukh 

Broadcasting Language: Marathi

Genesis: Swaranant Community Radio Station was established through the ATMA fund by the Suvide Foundation at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra in the Washim district of Maharashtra. Established on October 17, 2010, the radio station started with the aim of ensuring betterment for the community of farmers, especially women in agriculture, and the rural youth. For more than a decade, the radio station has been steadily performing its duty of imparting financial literacy, health, and education to the masses it caters to.

Thematic Focus: The thematic focus of Swaranant CR is to preserve the cultural ethos of the community it serves while introducing them to new technology in agriculture and recent developments. The radio primarily relays information on government schemes, health awareness, and different modes of farming, such as organic farming and water conservation. The station also promotes dairy farming to encourage self-sufficiency and the exploration of other options for revenue generation.

Sustainable Development Goals: The development goals that Swaranant CR follows mainly are:

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

Primetime Programmes: Swaranant Radio has fashioned its programmes in a way that intersects different walks of life. Its signature programmes are Shet Shivar, Shasan Darbar, College Katta, Sahitya Darbar and Yashodhan. Other educational programmes, such as Hello Doctor, Krishi Sandesh, and Bal Manch, are also equally popular. The range of these programmes covers the concerns of the young and elderly populations alike.

Innovations in format or any other way: Apart from running programmes on air, the station also runs awareness programmes on the ground. Its collaborations with government agencies have led to the development of campaigns especially designed to cater to the needs of the local population.

Core Team: The core team of Radio Swaranant is 5 strong. This team is supported by a dedicated group of 6 members. The station is effectively run through the contributions of each of the members of the core team and its allies.

Major Projects Undertaken: Swaranant CR has often aligned itself with government bodies like the District Information Office, Health Department, College of Agriculture, Department of Agriculture (Govt. of Maharashtra), etc. The station has also collaborated with UNICEF, CRA, and Ideosync Media Combine to run awareness programmes for the social upliftment of women and children.

Sustainable Strategies: Swaranant CR receives most of its funding from the parent organisation. The station also gets support through constant collaborations with government agencies and running awareness programmes. Furthermore, its quality content helps in engaging the listeners, thus ensuring a long term presence within the community.

Number of listeners and Potential Outreach: Due to its popularity among the farming community and the rural youth, the radio enjoys a robust listener base of 2.50 lakh. The potential outreach of the radio station is 3 lakh.

Major concerns in the Community: The community that the radio station caters to often struggles with tough social and financial conditions. Since a majority of the population resides in rural areas and relies on farming, the availability of basic amenities is a constant challenge. Moreover, the use of outdated agricultural practises coupled with changing soil and weather conditions has complicated the situation further.