"Laos has had a particularly turbulent recent history. Since the late nineteenth century, its territorial borders have been defined and redefined at the whim of successive outside forces, its national identity contrived and manipulated to suit the dominant power of the moment. The articulations of n
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ation status have, for the most part, been inaccessible and irrelevant to the inhabitants of Laos, who have been far more concerned with the day-to-day battle to survive." (Page 75)
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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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"Whether at a local, national, or international level, radio has played and continues to play a key role in nurturing or denying—even destroying—people’s sense of collective identity. The essays in this volume provide a historical and contemporary overview of radio in small nations. A number o
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f representative small nations are featured: some grappling with new postcolonial identities and others still operating under repressive regimes; some struggling to find a new common purpose in the postindustrial age and others unifying previously ignored ethnic or language groups. As a whole, the collection strives to present diverse voices commenting on the influential and essential place of radio within these countries." (Publisher description)
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"As a post-Communist emerging democracy, the Czech Republic has seen a transformation of its society to embrace the recognition and legitimacy of independent broadcast media. Those media include the government-funded public service broadcasters and, of course, the advertising-supported commercial br
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oadcasting sector. What we have yet to see emerge is a community broadcast media sector. A third sector recognized as a legitimate counterpart to the aforementioned public service and commercial operators, fully legal with access to licences and support from the regulator. Recognition is the natural first step in the ultimate establishment of a vibrant community media sector. The process of recognition of the community media concept from community idea, to organized interest, to political policy somehow has not taken hold in the Czech Republic, resulting in a bipolar broadcast media landscape without a community radio component." (Conclusion, page 138)
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"In the twenty-first century, community radio is fulfilling an increasingly important role in the world’s mediascape. This book documents the ways in which community radio broadcasters and activists are using the medium in countries around the world to challenge political corruption, aid the trans
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ition to political democracy and broadcast voices that are otherwise unheard. The contributors to the volume are academics and practitioners from five continents, many with first-hand experience of community radio. Each chapter demonstrates the pivotal role that small radio stations can play in developing, sustaining and invigorating communities. The book charts campaigns for the legalisation of community radio and relates them to a theoretical context, while providing illustrations and examples from community radio stations around the world." (Publisher description)
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