Date:23/10/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/10/23/stories/2006102317320400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

It is music to their ears

B.S. Ramesh

All prisons to have a dedicated radio music channel

BANGALORE: Thousands of prisoners will soon be humming the notes of music from latest albums and films, thanks to a new initiative by the Department of Prisons. All prisons will soon have a dedicated radio music channel beaming music 24X7.

The department has taken a decision to install WorldSpace music system in all prisons in the State — be it Central prisons, district or taluk prisons. A WorldSpace music system has already been installed in the sprawling open-air jail in Parappana Agrahara, and other prisons are following suit in installing the system. Additional Director-General of Police (Prisons) S.T. Ramesh told The Hindu on Friday that the department had decided to install WorldSpace system as it was the only 24-hour music channel currently available in India.

He said that all buildings on the prison premises were equipped with a personal address (PA) system which reached out to all parts of the prison.

Non-stop broadcast

The WorldSpace music system would be connected to the PA system and it would broadcast non-stop at least from morning till night, varieties of music from the channel.

He hoped that the prison officials would use their discretion in beaming music programmes. He said in the mornings, the authorities could air religious/spiritual songs and later switch on to Hindi/Kannada/other languages and if need be even English songs.

Only option

He said that as of now, the prisons were relying on music broadcasts from All India Radio (AIR) and FM channels. Unfortunately, none of them was 24X7 channels and the department had taken a decision to go in for WorldSpace as it was now the only available option.

He said the investment in WorldSpace radio would only be one time and that the department had funds to renew the license fees at regular intervals.

He hoped that music acts as a balm to the prisoners and help them "escape from reality at least for some moments."

He said that apart from WorldSpace, the prisoners would continue enjoying watching television programmes. He also hoped that music would help the prisoners in "unleashing" their talent in culture and pointed out to drama and cultural events that the prisoners had been staging over the last few months and which had won wide acclaim.