an online magazine from eyeway.org

issue 11 july-august 2006
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sections in this issue: by george | focus | feature | perspectives | profile | headlines

Listener Speak

The radio shows featured here get tremendous feedback from the length and breadth of the country. Listeners communicate via letters, voicemail and telephone calls. Conventional radio shows are used to truckloads of postcards from listeners; however, for a blind person to write a postcard involves a lot more effort. Salima Raza, one of the anchors of Eyeway Yeh Hai Roshni ka Karwan, feels that 10 letters from visually impaired listeners is equivalent to a 100 from sighted ones.

Listeners call to convey their appreciation for the programmes and also voice certain queries, which are answered in the course of the show. These range from questions about education and schooling from anxious parents, to that of career options and rights to employment.

An employee of a national bank once called Roshni Ka Karwan wanting to know if his deteriorating eyesight could result in a termination of employment and was relieved to find out that his job was protected by the law.

In addition to the information it provides on the show, Eyeway also puts callers in touch with organisations that can best address their concerns.

Feedback comes not only from individuals with visual impairment, but also from sighted individuals who are generally amazed at how ‘enabled’ the so-called disabled actually are. Says Arshad Iqbal of Roshni ka Karwan, able-bodied listeners are amazed to see the extent of their contribution to the world. The overwhelming reaction seems to be, “Oh my God, we didn’t know!”

Related stories:
Tuning in to a revolution
What does it take to start your own Community Radio station?
How about radio broadcasting as a career?

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