Role of Community Radio for Tribal Empowerment

The issues of the marginalized people are less discussed by the mainstream media. The community radio stations give importance to those people who find it difficult to raise their voices. The tribal people get opportunity to listen to radio in which the programmes are made in their own dialects. They themselves become programme producers and are able to make it useful for their community. Their traditional programmes are also transmitted without any interventions. Sometimes the anchors approach the people directly and get the responses of the audience. The women get opportunity to produce programmes of their interests. The farmers also get information about the agricultural products and the related demands. The expert advices are also made available to them. So Community Radio helps people to include themselves in the schedules of radio programmes and uplift their conditions. This study aims to analyze how Community Radio help to raise the voices of the oppressed by focusing on the problems of tribes, women, farmers etc. This study focuses on the impact of various programmes of Radio Mattoli in Manathavady belonging to Wayanad District of Kerala that helps in bringing out the voices of the marginalized communities. Random sampling method is used to make a Quantitative analysis.