MUMBAI: The Community Radio Forum is thinking of forming a consortium to approach ad agencies to collectively negotiate for ad rates for CRS operational in the country.

The third annual meet of the Community Radio Forum, a representative body for community radio broadcasters, was held at the offices of Radio Bundelkhand, an intiative of Development Alternatives at Orchha, Jhansi on 14 February.

At the meet, it was resolved to change the modus operandi of the working of the CRF, and it was decided that CRF be instituionalised rather being a loose network. From now, the CRF will be a pan India organisation, and the core team will include representaitves from as mnay states as possible, it was resolved.

The earlier meetings have been held in Delhi in 2007 and in Bangalore in 2008. The Orccha meet was attended by representatives of existing community radio initiatives in the country including the Kutch based KMVS, Radio Dhadkan, TRF and the radio initiative by the IGNOU.

The day long session was divided into open house discussions about financing procedures for CR and technology required to run it.

Currently, there are three operational NGO-led CR stations - the MVSS led station at Satara, Bundelkhand Radio and the DDF community radio station at Pastapur, and about 36 campus-stations in the country.

The meet also marked the successful completion of three and half months of being on air for Radio Bundelkhand.