Removing Barriers, Increasing Effectiveness - amarc

Chapter 14: Community Radio and Media Context 59Traditionally the role of the media is perceived as one of informing, providing apublic service and entertaining audiences. Some, with a somewhat widerperspective, consider that the two dominant forms of radio, public andcommercial, also play an important role in rendering governments accountable,thus supporting democracy and good governance. In the last decades,community radio has evolved into a new radio sector worldwide, as a naturalresult, both of the evolution of civil societies and the breakthroughs incommunications technologies.Radio is the most widespread electronic communication device in the world and aunique mean of reaching the world’s poorest communities. Community radio inparticular puts the tools of communications into the hands of communities forcultural expression, news and information, dialogue and development.The specificity of community radio is that it facilitates the empowerment of localcommunities, inclusiveness, and cultural diversity. In that sense, community radiois closer to what is called "new media", as it erases the boundary between thosewho receive and those who impart information.In spite of recent technological developments, radio remains the mostwidespread and accessible communication technology. It is an oral medium; onethat is low cost and that is already receivable by 90 per cent of the world’spopulation. For just a few thousand dollars worth of equipment, a communityradio station can serve a community of 100,000 people or more.The ideal model for sharing the radio spectrum is one that reflects the diversity ofsociety’s communication needs. In the North as well as in the South, democraticsocieties need public (not state), commercial and community radios if they wantto reflect the diversity and the needs of their societies. In Nepal for instance, thealliance between community and independent radios in the Save theIndependent Radio Movement (SIRM) shows that both can effectively worktogether in the struggle for press freedom, freedom of expression anddemocracy. Also in conflict or post-conflict situations the media landscape needsto build a plurality of voices. This is even more important when it is a question ofgiving voice to the voiceless and addressing the development agenda. 60 39Community radio has had to advocate strongly in the past for a place in the radiospectrum but there is increasing recognition of the importance to includecommunity radio as a specific radio sector.The existence and the practice of community broadcasting are an expression ofa participatory attitude to democracy and the growth of strong and dynamic civilsociety organizations. It can be considered a form of public service broadcasting,59Marcelo Solervicens, Secretary General of AMARC60 See: International Mission on Press Freedom and Freedom of Expression in Nepal in www.nepal.asiapacific.amarc.orgAMARC Community Radio Social Impact Assessment 2007 Page 81 of 128