How can community radios/media be of relevancy to publics/communities with in their reach?

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Permalink Reply by Joseph S. Makuwira on May 4, 2009 at 9:43am

Certainly, the community radios are playing a critical and very important role in desseminating, sharing and facilitating flow of information that is of value to the targeted community. Unlike the commercial radios their audiences have particular kind of information to hear i.e development specific whilst in commercial it becomes really broad casting.

However, the community radios should be sensitive with political issues. In a community where people are affiliated to various political parties, balancing local political news is critical. There is also an over- assumption that community radios know the community better hence downplaying the importance of research in the community. This has resulted in poor differetiantion from the rest. Research should therefore still be an on-going process in the community.

Joseph Makuwira

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Permalink Reply by Sandra Nassali on May 5, 2009 at 2:23am

Hello Joseph, thank you for your contribution but somehow, i do n't agree when you say that community radios shouldn't address political issues in a given community due to different political affiliations that people may hold.

I think it should be otherwise because political empowerment is one of the vital cornerstones of development. Community radios should teach people their political rights, show them what good leaders are supposed to do so that they are guided on the right path.

May be what they should not do is to attach themselves to a particular political party; here they will go wrong as different personalities hold different political views.

Sandra

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Permalink Reply by MJR David on May 4, 2009 at 10:10am

Is Community Radio a social innovation?

Dear Sandra and all

What you say about the community makes a lot of sense.

Putting the community around a technology (radio and new communication technologies) is the most important thing,
But unfortunately that is the most ignored by many Community ventures,
Let me give you few first hand examples from my experience from Sri Lanka and elsewhere,
The government thinks that a massive river diversion programme needs a communication component and community radio is introduced to provide information and make them speak up irrespective they need it or not,
The international community thinks that new communication technologies need to be converged with the old and that’s introduced irrespective of the community needing to do so,
The NGO community thinks that AIDS is a hot topic and that introduced to the community,

In the lexicon of International development community radio remains an external intervention and the challenge is to make it a social innovation.

The agenda on technology, content, profit motives and many other matters have been largely decided outside of the community and as long as this trend continues sustenance of community radio and its spirit is going to fall short of expectations of many communities.

MJR David

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Permalink Reply by Sandra Nassali on May 5, 2009 at 2:28am

Hello David, you are right when you say that profit motives and other matters decided outside community values affect the sustenance of community radios. This is what most stations face as investors tend to promote their own interests rather than those of the community.

May be there are community members who have been involved in such projects and they have proved to be successful and would be glad to share with us on how to go about this issue as it is serious.

Sandra

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Permalink Reply by Vishva on May 4, 2009 at 10:11am

To keep the existing audience and to attract more audience it could be better if a radio station is entertaining to some extent. It has to be necesserily "Something Interesting".

Like any other media, a radio channel has to be evolving. by evolving it should evolve to be "the radio station that people need". To reach that point, it could be better to get the "feedback" of the audience. to get the feedback, one could use a telephone number that someone could call. Also people could shair thair ideas over the phone through the radio network.

Technically, a radio program that broadcasts feedback of people over the phone has to be live, but broadcasted with a delay. This is a precautionary measure to break the broadcasting in case the caller says something inappropriate to be broadcasted.

A community radio station could be "not profit oriented". But maintaining a "Radio Station" costs a considerable amount of money. At the same time, the community groups may have marktting and advertising needs. For an example, if a small business owner is seeking a distributor from the same community, it could be benificial if they could broadcast a commercial advertiesment for that specific community.

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Permalink Reply by Sandra Nassali on May 5, 2009 at 2:36am

Hello Vishva, this is good and interesting; thank you for your contribution. Indeed, entertainment is vital as people wouldn't love to listen to educative programs all the time. Also, packaging matters; a program can be educative and entertaining at the same time for instance, instead of sensitizing people about HIV/Aids narratively, a drama series can work best.

You pointed out the issue about community groups that may have to do the marketing ''from a community perspective''. I liked this idea. David noted in his contribution about investors trying to promote their own interests rather than those of the community; your idea can work here as it helps the community radio to financial sustain itself while at the same time promoting the interests of the community.

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Permalink Reply by Ananya S Guha on May 4, 2009 at 12:18pm

Those involved with Community Radio Stations also need to study community profiles and assess their needs. You have rightly said that CR Stations focus on social and developmental goals. They can also be used as warning to sound out on catastrophes such as floods and earthquakes. And, in addition if they can be used for educational and cultural purposes why not? Also CR Stations should be used in multi purpose tele/ vocational centres.

Ananya S Guha

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Permalink Reply by Sandra Nassali on May 5, 2009 at 3:24am

Good ideasAnanya, i for one hadn't thought about the catastrophe issue and so i have learnt :-D!

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Permalink Reply by Nadakudathi Narasimma on May 4, 2009 at 1:41pm

Sandra,

It was nice you started the topic, As a part of an NGO based out of India, We do have some plans for community radio and it would help us, as you suggested that people start posting the tips or case studies on management and sustainability of CR.

Regards
Narasimma Prasad
Upakar India Trust

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Permalink Reply by Sandra Nassali on May 5, 2009 at 3:22am

Thank you Narasimma, community members have already started sharing tips on how to address the different components of community radio stations. Follow the tread as there are lots to learn.

Cheers,

Sandra

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Permalink Reply by Balaba Peter on May 4, 2009 at 3:28pm

Managing a Community Radio is not a simple task as other may think, in fact there several challenges beyond what you listed. The issue of ownership is one among the many critical issues that have to be discussed.
Indeed it is true that Telecentre Operators requires some guidance but on what? did you mean on software, Hardware, personnel, Content development, marketing or technical and troubleshooting?
I leave it for you to expand the discussion.. however, I wish to propose that you separate sustainability from the discussion because it is very broad.

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Permalink Reply by Sandra Nassali on May 5, 2009 at 2:43am

Hello Peter, i meant guidance on everything and since you are in charge of a community radio yourself, we would really love to here from you.

I don't think separating sustainability from the discussion is really such an issue because if you were surely following this forum critically, you will see that people are tackling all the issues at the same time. One doesn't necessary have to say it all, you talk about what you are most knowledgeable on.

Since you talked about the several challenges beyond what i have mentioned, please share these with us. We are here to learn from each other and i am sure other community members would be glad to learn about them too; and to also raise key points on how they can be solved.

Cheers

Sandra

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