Patna: The Patna station of All India Radio observed International Children’s Day of Broadcasting on Sunday by putting on air what they thought were ‘Children’s Programmes’: the saving grace was that some of it was actually scripted and prepared by children. AIR Programme executive Snehalata Paruthi trekked around town in trepidation trying to get material that was ‘suitable’. One of the sources was a children’s workshop where street children, school children, children in non-formal school, and rescued child labourers on their way back home took part.

What could have been a wonderful innovative day of celebration, thanks to Prasar Bharati and its bureaucratic Babus, emerged as schizophrenic hash. Children’s programmes on AIR are usually written by nervous adults conforming to strict ‘guidelines’, every word double-checked for possible criticism of their politician overlords. So much for the ‘autonomy’ of Prasar Bharati.

First, a directive arrived in mid-November at the local AIR station announcing a special prize to be one for the most innovative ICDB programme. This throws everyone in a flap, especially those dealing with children’s programmes because who doesn’t want to be the best? ICDB, the largest broadcasting campaign for children in the world, is all about children telling their own story as reporters, producers, writers, hosts, and directors for radio programmes. Paruthi does her best, she brainstorms and comes up with an innovative concept note that would ‘develop AIR’s brand identity as a child and family friendly network, strengthen AIR’s relationship with educators, parents and leaders, and build a new generation of viewers and listeners.’

Next, ideas are shot down from ‘top’ AIR bosses. No, you are prohibited from using the word ‘prime minister’ for a vox pop on ‘If I were Prime Minister of India’. After all, this might be taken as a criticism of the Centre and then heads might roll. No you cannot have jingles on discrimination produced by children AIR has to use jingles produced by its own coterie of approved producers, and whoever heard of children reporting form ‘discrimination hot spots?’ and so on.

To Paruthi’s credit, she went around armed with her tape recorder, barged into the workshop and as a result got sound bites and songs composed by the children themselves. She interviewed the nine children returning to Araria from the Bhadohi carpet factories and was visibly moved and agitated. ‘I will use this in my programme,’ she declared.

For Prasar Bharati mandarins, even on Children’s Broadcasting Day, the vast majority of Bihar’s Children have no business actually being heard. From around Patna we could have heard Musahar children who made films on themselves; street children who produced Bal Samachar, Children in Remand homes, Bihari kids who won national prizes for their rights projects. We could have been informed about Childline and the emergency services from the mouths of the children who have used the service. We could have heard what children report on a visit to the Chief Minister, what they think of the implementation of child related schemes like education, how much they know about HIV/AIDS and other diseases. Those things were in the concept note.

Compared to that, what made it to the airwaves at best could be described as lip-service.