Content of community radio

1. Content of community radio Ullamaija Kivikuru

2. Vision(Michael Delorme, AMARCH president, 1990) • Community radio implies a democratic dimension, popular participation in the management of the station as well as the production of its programmes. For us community radio is accessible. It is neither the expression of political power nor the expression of capital. It is the expression of the population. It is the third voice between state radio and private commercial radio.It is controlled democratically by the population it serves[…] It informs, motivates discussion and entertains while broadcasting music and poetry that regenerate the collective soul.

3. Mission • Creation and reinforcement of an informed citizen, willing to take challenges and to act BUT • The scenario easily becomes a ”mixed grill” of contradictory elements (e.g. representative, deliberative and participatory democracy theories). Their perceptions of an active citizen differ considerably • National/local dimension constantly problematic • Acommunity medium cannot fulfil its task alone • What is meant by participation? More than phone-ins…

4. Potential • Radio is easily accessible • Radio production is not expensive • Radio is intimate BUT • Community radio is easily taken over by too much/little professionalism • Community radio still easily repeats a top/down attitudes • The border to commercial broadcasting is diffuse (as such not dangerous, but a problem for station governance & relations to authorities)

5. Strategy • Professionalism in production • Participation by the community in all levels • Relevant thmes discussed • Proximity dimension emphasized • Entertainment, culture strengthened BUT • Is it possible to combine these aspects? • The locality aspect becomes easily quite technical (local expert talking about national affairs, etc.)

6. Community • In general, a community medium operates well if the community operates well (local governance OK, numerous advocacy units, gender equality discussed, etc.) • Unfortunately, so far community media have not been able to bring change in a poorly-functioning community • Sharing, uniformity leads easily avoidance of conflicts in coverage

7. Volunteer base • As such, a sound principle, indicates commitment • Operates fairly well in communities with strong advocacy activity, civic organisations, etc. • In the long run, impossible in community radio activity (most stations have combinations of a few professionals plus volunteers) • Fits badly with the present 24/7 ideology • Leads to a continuous need for training personnel (cooperation of stations, interns, etc.)

8. Aspects to be considered • Professional sub-providers (production training circles, programme archives) & local updating • No regular dependence on outside sources & donors. All have their own agendas, but if these are useful, they could be used with care • Re-appraisal of radio forums from the 1970s? • Not too heavy programming (South Africa: two-thirds of community radio stations’ programming focuses on politics or delivery, while listeners tend to be tired of politics)

9. Civic mapping(Pew Center for Civic Journalism, US) • Profound acquaintance with the community (surveys, meetings, focus groups, internet discussions) • All social, economic and cultural groups (also children, the youth, the umemployed, senior citizens) included • Based on these discussions, an agenda is developed and based on it, a programme schedule for 3-4 months (not more). The radio should adjust itself to the living mode of the receivers • Then again, a new mapping round

10. Democracy Radio, South Africa(Idasa)

11. Community radio rarely independent from national agenda • National politics • National educational/developmental politics • National strategies for culture and media • Conflicts of opinion on national level rarely openly discussed in community radio • The potential of live programming mainly used for focusing on local issues • Impression of a campaign often embedded in the programming • Experts not trained for radio presentation (”educational” top/down focus)

12. Linkage to the national: news • Natural to talk about big national themes (elections, etc), but the perspective not always much developed (local authorities talk about national issues) • International news? Commedia: village people knew surprisingly much about international themes via conventional media and opinion leaders, but wanted to discuss them on village level (does the c.m. expertice meet the level?) • Participation not easily brought in to current affairs programmes

13. News? • Current issues, but how much international, national, regional, local? • News collection? Sources used? • News narratives & style & language? The inverted pyramid is not an answer • From news to views?

14. Own scoops? • Though resources limited, finding ”own” stories is possible via community linkages (better than in conventional media), but rarely used • Scandals, sensations a rarity in the community media • Considerably more process reporting (via life discussions mainly) than in the conventional media • Community contacts crucial for support and sources • Civil courage quite rare

15. Edutainment, infotainment • Radio soaps for social change (not very common), found among public & commercial broadcasters • Soul City (SA) on TV tells about a community radio station • Women’s groups talking about health, education, politics, marriage, women’s status (Latin America)

16. Format transfer from conventional media to community media • News & current affairs • Studio discussions • Music programmes • Use of sources (the higher the better, chairpersons of associations, etc.) NOT • Civic/citizen/public journalism formats • Citizen-run programmes (too much respect for professionalism?)

17. Format for a national issue presentation, Democracy Radio • Topical round-up (5 minutes) • Highlighting the core of the problem (15 minutes) • Citizen action, short narratives (5 minutes) • Advice for advocacy, lobbying (5 minutes) • Always two presenters • Frequently phone-ins in advocacy section • Special attention to the language used (no abstract words, explanation for concepts)

18. Music • Proportion of music tends to grow in the long run • National focus stronger than among commercial stations • DJs frequent also in community media programmes • Royalties? Support for own music?