NEW DELHI: Entries have been invited from operators of community radio stations for the fifth Community Radio awards to be presented early next year. The Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B Ministry) said the entries must come in by 31 December 2015.

Ministry sources told Radioandmusic.com that the aim was to give an opportunity to operators in all parts of the country to send entries for the Awards. The awards were instituted in 2012, and entries have to be sent in either through CD or MP3 format.

The event is set to take place during the 5th National Community Radio Sammellan in Delhi in February or March next year. There will be three awards in each category- Rs 50,000, Rs 30,000 and Rs 20,000, selected by a jury to be constituted by the Ministry.

The awards will be for thematic, community engagement, promoting local culture, most creative/innovative programme content, sustainability model.

The thematic category will deal with questions like the choosing of the theme, execution, format, and local participation.

The community engagement will deal with the planning, content, production, and broadcast of the programme.

The promoting local culture award will consider promotion and preservation of local traditions, and incorporate local talent and tradition.

The award for most creative/innovative programme content will be given to encourage community radio stations to experiment/devise and use programme, production and adaption of local communication.

The purpose of the Sustainability award is to encourage CRS to adopt innovative models to generate revenue for self-sustenance. The station should have sustainability on four different counts: content, human resources; technical and financial.