This study focused on whether radio increases the awareness level of the rural population in India, whether increases in awareness vary by the type of subject matter broadcast, and what the characteristics are (including media habits and community awareness) of the rural radio listeners. Ten villages in Hassan District, Mysore State, were investigated. Three villages (the controls) had no radios; the other seven had community radios, private radios, or both. Interviews were conducted before and after programs broadcast during February and March 1967 by All India Radio, Bangalore. Findings included these: (1) general awareness in communities with radio is higher than in communities without it; (2) the general awareness level of illiterate radio listeners exceeds that of literate persons in communities without radio; (3) radio messages on politics and farming significantly increase rural dwellers' political awareness and farming knowledge; (4) whenever religious and cultural programs are broadcast along with farming programs, the former were retained more than the latter. Several questions emerged for further study. (Author/LY)