Removing Barriers, Increasing Effectiveness - amarc

Part V. Challenges to Community Radio Stakeholders:Increasing the effectiveness of CR. 70Chapter 15: How can CR stakeholders and AMARC make aDifference?ChallengesThe Roundtables, the electronic Forum, the survey on CR social impact andAMARC 9 World Conference debates consistently discussed on CR Network andAMARC challenges and indicated key lines of action for CR stakeholders andspecifically for AMARC.It is clear that even though the sector has become a world tier of broadcastingincreasingly recognized by multilateral organizations and the human rightssystem. This said, the lack of proper enabling legislation is the single principlebarrier to the further development of community radio. In order to actualize its fullpotential. Community broadcasting still needs to be universally recognized as adistinct media sector, as a vital alternative to state owned public broadcastersand commercial private media. As the main international organization embracingthe CR movement worldwide AMARC is in a unique position to promote anddefend CR but needs to increase its effectiveness by proper harmonization of itsdifferent bodies and actionsCommunity radio sustainability is a global challenge and in spite of the increasingpositive experience of socially sustainable community radio; financial andtechnological sustainability remains challenges for community radio organizers.Knowledge sharing and capacity building are central for CR sustainability.There is increasing evidence for CR social impact in poverty reduction, inaddressing development objectives and in democracy building. A key aspect ofthe communication process initiated by CR is giving and amplifying the voices ofthe poor and the marginalized, particularly women. Furthermore, the positive linkbetween information and communication technologies and community Radioneeds to be further implemented in order to increase the effectiveness of CRinterventions.70Part IV, presents the key findings and documentation on the challenges and lines of action discussed andformulated and adopted by CR stakeholders during the World Evaluation of Community Radio: RemovingBarriers, Increasing Efficiency activities, including Regional Roundtables, Electronic Forum Discussions,electronic Survey and AMARC 9 World Conference.AMARC Community Radio Social Impact Assessment 2007 Page 86 of 128