Sustainable Community Media Research Program

Video Volunteers, in collaboration with Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad – the most prestigious business school in India, has undertaken a project to meet the biggest challenge for community video units (CVUs) – Financial Sustainability.

Under the project, IIM’s Center for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship or CIIE and Video Volunteers are working together to create business models, explore methods and design plans to help community media reach high levels of sustainability. Once devised, the self-sustainable model will be implemented on experimental basis nationwide.

The project also aims to explore the possibility of generating revenue through the mainstream media and via collaborations with other NGOs. Another area that the projects aims to explore is how such community video businesses can be supported by micro credit lending.

Financial sustainability will mean the CVU will no longer be dependent on outside funders. This, in turn, will minimize outside influence in editorial content. Solid financial status will also enable CVUs to expand. For instance, a CVU with significant revenue can take on new producers, start community radio programs or get new equipments.