Do Sex Workers Listen to Radio? Deconstructing the Radio Listening Habits of the Sex Workers of Sonagachi

ABSTRACT

Ever since the inception of radio in India, it has played a significant role as a medium of mass communication and entertainment. It must be noted that the technology used by radio has been in existence for almost over a century. Listening to morning news over radio has been reported as a habit widely practiced across the globe. Radio as a tool of communication has been preferred by not only activists and people’s movements but also by marginalized and stereotyped communities. This paper attempts to deconstruct the radio listening habits of the sex workers of Sonagachi (often referred to as the largest red-light district of Asia that harbors around 15,000 sex workers) in order to assess the role communication plays within the boundaries of the community. To arrive at conclusion, the researcher incorporated the usage of semi-structured in-depth interviews of five female sex workers, chosen with the application of snowball sampling technique. The findings of this study can be used to initiate the creation of a community radio station (a sustainable, sensible alternative for infotainment) or any other form of community public sphere for sex workers in Kolkata’s red-light districts. Further, it can be used to offer recommendations to government and policymakers who are responsible for establishing such stations for marginalized communities, essentially giving a voice to the voiceless.

KEYWORDS:

• Radio
• Listenership
• Sex Workers
• In-Depth Interview
• Snowball Sampling

Disclosure Statement

I declare of not having any conflict of interest with the publishers adhering to the submission and future publication of this original work.

Additional information

Funding

I declare that I have not received any funding from any agency, body or educational institution for carrying this work of research.

Notes on contributors

Biswadeep Bhattacharyya

Biswadeep Bhattacharyya, is a Doctoral Scholar in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Aliah University and is also associated as a faculty member, Department of Mass Communication, St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata. His doctoral work is based on community radio and sex workers and his research interests include development communication, community radio, women’s studies, gender studies, colonialism and community public sphere. He has a wide a range of publications in renowned International and National journals. He can be reached at [email protected].