"Fostering a participatory political culture is a crucial part of the on-going transformation processes which we witness across North African and Middle Eastern countries since 2011. This paper considers which role participatory communication plays in these processes, by examining the potential of c
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itizens’ radios to accompany Tunisia’s transition at a grassroots level. Analysing the case of Radio 6 Tunis – a local, non-commercial Internet-radio founded by Tunisian journalists under the rule of Ben Ali in 2007 – citizens’ radios are discussed as sites of political contestation and cultivation of critical consciousness. While they empower citizens to reclaim both their voice and public space, their influence is however limited. The manifold challenges which citizens' radios face in the transitional context of post-autocratic Tunisia, may well impede nascent democratisation dynamics." (Abstract)
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"The project aimed at enhancing the capacity of community radio stations to operate as agents of change for the rural poor and marginalised people [...] The project worked with a sample of 15 community radio stations – five per country – in Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia. In implementing the RPCD
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project, Panos Southern Africa used the Radio Listening Club (RLC) approach, which is a unique and proven methodology that empowers the often marginalised and neglected communities to participate in the development of community radio content." (Summary)
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"This case study analyses the intersection between radio, gender and information and communication technologies (ICTs) in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. Specifically, it examines whether recent improvements in radio broadcast coverage and the spread of SMS technology are increasing women’s acce
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ss to information and providing them with a platform that adequately meets their needs. The findings show that, despite cultural and socio-economic barriers, women enjoy listening to radio and want to contribute to debates in their local public sphere. For today’s younger women, it has become easier to overcome traditional obstacles to expressing themselves publicly, as well as to embrace the newest communication technologies, such as text messaging, that allow them access to a public platform. However, it is still difficult to get ordinary women of all ages to communicate with their local radio. Community radio is a male-dominated entity that often consigns women’s programming to a narrow interpretation of gender issues, focused on women’s roles as wives, mothers and homemakers, and does not address the listening needs of women as political and economic actors in their own right." (Executive summary)
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"In this paper I investigate how community radio is conceptualized within and outside of the development frame, as a solution to development problems, as part of development projects communication strategy, and as a tool for increasing democratic political participation in development projects. I wa
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nt to show that community radio is an essential tool of democratization and democracy outside of the development frame. To do so, I will bring out the conceptual and structural dimensions of community radio through examples of existing community radios, both those which are independently created and those which have been created as development projects. These structural and conceptual elements provide community radio the potential to realize the goals of development practice while avoiding characteristic pitfalls. These ‘pitfalls’ of development are also pitfalls of democratization and democracy in existing democratic states, and include: depoliticization, limited participation, particularly of marginalized groups." (Abstract)
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"This article highlights the influence that new ICTs and Computer Mediated Communication is having on the newsroom cultures among community radio journalists in Africa, especially the use of mobile phones and the internet. The discussion is based on findings from a research study that investigated t
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he impact of ICTs on community radio using regional case studies from three African countries – Mozambique, Uganda, and Mali. We argue that the integration of ICTs impacted journalism practice positively as it improved information gathering, processing, distribution, storage, and engagement with the communities, particularly through the use of mobile phones and the internet. However, the synergy with rural community radios that tend to be located in remote areas is yet to be felt in the three countries. While the community radio stations in semi-urban areas or those situated in areas with fairly good infrastructure have better capacity for integration of ICTs and their sustainability, the rural-based community radio stations are greatly inhibited in their integration of new ICT due to lack of the electricity or regular power supply, the high fees charged by the service providers (internet and telephone), as well as the high cost for the ICT equipment, maintenance expenses and operational costs. The article calls for more support for infrastructural development to rural-based community radio stations to close the rural–urban gap and to enable the journalists working there to benefit from ICT integration like their counterparts in the semi-urban and urban community radios." (Abstract)
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"Community radio in Europe is maturing more and more. However, in Central and Eastern Europe, in which countries are still coping with a fatal heritage of the totalitarian history, community radio is now struggling for its rightful place. This is also the case in Poland. Because of insufficient lega
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l recognition of the community sector in media law, radio stations with non-commercial goals exist often outside the official licensed third sector of media. These are, for example, religious stations, student broadcasters as well as stations run by NGOs and local governments. Moreover, in some communities closed circuit radio stations play a significant role – for example, in prisons, at schools and student hostels. There are also a lot of internet radio initiatives in very diverse communities. In this article I would like to explain the legal situation of community broadcasting, to characterize the community media movement as well as to shortly present stations with non-commercial goals in Poland. Moreover, a research project about such stations in Poland will be discussed." (Abstract)
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"Panos is working with 20 radio stations across Uganda to give voice to the voiceless through facilitating debate. It isagainst this background that Panos Eastern Africa (PEA) has developed this Guide to help our partner radio stations and journalists improve the quality of their debate and hope it
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will be useful to the media in general. The guide therefore highlights the role of radio producers and moderators in reaching rural communities recognizing that they too can set agenda for news and debate on radio, thereby positively contributing to the country’s development in all spheres. The rural debate methodology has highlighted the potential radio has to create an informed society that can hold leaders at the different levels to account." (Foreword)
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"This article proposes an enhanced model of radio drama for development, which places forum theatre on the community radio platform. The model responds to the key development priorities of democratic, multi-directional communication, participation and social advocacy. It utilizes the mass disseminat
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ion advantages of the radio medium, the distinctive, dialogic qualities of community radio and the democratic and empowering tendencies of forum theatre to propose a prototype for fully participatory radio drama for development. The model was developed and tested during fieldwork at community radio stations in Laos in 2010 and 2011. Forum Theatre on the Air draws on two of the major theoretical paradigms of development communication: participatory communication and entertainment-education. The model creates an argument for a greater integration of these broadly complementary yet parallel hypotheses." (Abstract)
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"The chapter focuses on three East African countries: Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. Radio broadcasting in these countries is typically divided into two categories: public and private. Although proponents of community radio are pushing for the sector to be recognised as an independent entity, community
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radio in the region is still viewed as local or private radio. The performance of community radio in the region is analysed with reference to the challenges facing the sector." (Introduction)
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"Despite the enthusiasm for community-owned radio, a movement which has been steadily gaining pace since the implementation of new legislation of 2006, we are yet to find an understanding of who the community is in community radio. Through an extended case study, this analysis shows how “community
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participation” is constantly shifting. It presents three arguments: “community” is not a discrete entity; communities are dynamic; and communities are cognitive constructs." (Introduction)
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"This report presents the main findings of three regional surveys on participation at local and community radio stations in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Pacific. The studies examined the involvement of the radio stations’ communities in programming, management, ownership and funding. Partic
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ipation of the community is an important feature of almost all stations participating in the survey. In all regions, involvement in programming is strongest. Results show that “traditional” forms of listener involvement, such as participation in talk shows or call-in programmes - which can also be found at public or commercial radio stations – are most frequent in local/community radios. Participation in management, ownership and funding are less common. Whereas the ranking of the various areas of participation is similar throughout the regions, differences exist in their importance: Latin American radios top participation in programming, but they are far below average in management and ownership. In Africa, the level of participation in financing and ownership is comparatively high. In Asia, participation in management plays a crucial role. The majority of the stations generate revenue through multiple sources. In Latin America, advertising is of primary importance, in Africa, sale of airtime and funding by foreign and local donors are relatively significant, while in Asia, governmental support plays a bigger role than in the other two continents. Lack of funds is seen as the most severe constraint for an increased participation of communities in all regions covered by the survey. An early involvement of the communities (in the planning and implementation phase) and their organisation in listeners' clubs are two factors that lead to stronger participation." (Abstract)
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"Ce rapport présente les principales conclusions de trois enquêtes régionales sur la participation dans certaines stations de radio locales et communautaires en Afrique, en Asie, en Amérique latine et en Océanie. Les enquêtes ont porté sur la participation des communautés dans la programmati
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on, la gestion, la propriété et le financement des radios. Les résultats ne sont en aucun cas représentatifs; ils fourniront cependant une base pour la poursuite de recherches plus approfondies et conduiront à une publication. La participation de la communauté est un élément important pour presque toutes les stations qui ont participé à l'enquête. Dans toutes les régions, la participation dans la programmation est la plus forte. Les résultats montrent que les formes «traditionnelles» de la participation des auditeurs, comme la participation à des talk-shows ou à des programmes interactifs – présentes également dans les radios publiques ou commerciales, sont très fréquentes dans les radios locales et/ou communautaires. La participation à la gestion, à la propriété et au financement est moins répandue. Bien que le classement des différents domaines de la participation soit semblable dans toutes les régions, il présente certaines différences dans leur importance : les radios d'Amérique latine montrent une participation particulièrement élevée dans la programmation, mais sont de loin inférieures à la moyenne au niveau de la gestion et la propriété. En Afrique, le niveau de participation dans le financement et la propriété est relativement élevé. En Asie la participation à la gestion joue un rôle important. La majorité des stations génèrent des revenus par des sources et des activités multiples et variées. En Amérique latine, la publicité est d'une importance primordiale; en Afrique, la vente de temps d’antenne ainsi que le financement par des donateurs étrangers et locaux sont deux facteurs relativement notables, tandis qu'en Asie, l'appui du gouvernement joue un rôle plus important que dans les deux autres continents. Le manque de fonds est considéré comme la contrainte la plus forte pour une participation accrue des communautés dans toutes les régions couvertes par l'enquête. Une implication précoce des communautés (dès les phases de planification et de mise en oeuvre) et leur organisation en clubs d’auditeurs sont deux facteurs qui conduisent à une plus forte participation." (Résumé)
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"Este informe presenta los principales resultados de tres sondeos regionales sobre la participación en las radios locales y comunitarias en África, América Latina, Asia y el Pacífico. Los sondeos investigaron la participación de las respectivas comunidades en la programación, la gestión, la p
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ropiedad y el financiamiento de las emisoras. La participación de la comunidad es un elemento importante en casi todas las radios participantes en este sondeo. En todos los continentes, la participación se da con mayor fuerza en el área de la programación. Los resultados muestran que las formas 'tradicionales' de participación de los oyentes, como los programas de entrevistas o la participación por teléfono – también muy de uso en la radio pública o comercial - son las más frecuentes en la radio local y comunitaria. La participación en la gestión, la propiedad y el financiamiento es menos común. Mientras la clasificación de las diferentes áreas de participación es similar a través de las regiones investigadas, se dan sin embargo ciertas diferencias de importancia: las emisoras latinoamericanas tienen mayor participación a nivel de la programación, pero están por debajo del promedio en las áreas de gestión y propiedad. En África el nivel de participación en el financiamiento y la propiedad es relativamente alto. En Asia la participación en la gestión juega un papel fundamental. La mayoría de las radios genera ingresos por una variedad de fuentes. En América Latina la publicidad es de primera importancia, en África la venta de espacios radiales y el financiamiento por donantes locales y extranjeros tienen un peso significativo, mientras que en Asia el financiamiento del estado juega un papel mayor que en los otros dos continentes. En todas las regiones que cubrió el sondeo, se percibe la falta de fondos como el limitante más severo para lograr una mayor participación de las comunidades. Un compromiso 'temprano' de las comunidades (ya en la fase de planificación y ejecución) y la existencia de clubes de oyentes son dos factores que conducen a una participación más intensa." (Resumen)
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