The prisons department in Karnataka is going to start an internal radio station for prisoners as part of its rehabilitation programme to provide them entertainment and unearth their hidden talents.
The department to launch the FM radio facility – Jail Radio or Jail Vani – at the Hindalga Central Jail in Belagavi.
Bengaluru firm Mindtree, a technology consulting company will provide electronic equipments to install radio facilities in the jail as part of its corporate social responsibility efforts.
“It is like any other radio station but the programmes cannot be transmitted through normal FM radios. It is dedicated and confined to a particular prison. In a way, it is like community radio,” Hindalga Jail’s superintendent KrishnaKumar said.
“Since most of the time, the prisoners are engaged in some work or the other, it is not possible to broadcast the programmes all through the day. We are planning to dedicate certain hours for the radio programmes” the official said.
The station is equipped with an audio console, microphone, recorder, amplifiers, studio monitor speakers, computer panel with play-out software etc just like any other. The prisoners can listen to their favourite songs, music, anecdotes and various other programmes like a talk show. And prisoners will be Radio Jockeys (RJ’s)
Training: Selecting inmates who are capable of speaking, singing and communication skills are planned to be trained at Bangalore’s Parappana Agrahara Prison. The training is intended by experienced RJs working in radio stations.
The Police Department has been requested from the prisons to provide security and escort arrangements to take the prisoners to Bangalore for training. Sources told Prajawani that the training program is expected to begin after the corona situation improves.
Source : Prajawani