edition-dw-akademie-in-the-service-of-the-public-functions-and-transformation-of-media-in-developing-countries-pdf

Part III Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador: Three Examples From Latin American Community MediaRadio Pio XII (Bolivia) – Radio for the People With a Long TraditionRadio Pio XII was founded in 1959 by Oblates Missionaries inthe tin miners’ colony Siglo XX in the Bolivian Andean Highlands.Initially, it had the explicit mission to “work against thegrowing influence of leftist ideology that spread” in a “miningcamp considered a nest of communist agitation in the country.”45 Soon, the Oblates began to question their own approach,and even changed it drastically after 1965, when faced with themassacre of mining workers in the camp by the Bolivian army.Ever since, “Radio Pio XII, radio for the people” has been, notsimply a slogan and corporate claim, but also a guiding ethicalprinciple (Una radio que se hace pueblo). The station’s officialmission and mandate is to further the cause of the excludedpeoples and to denounce injustice: “The essence of our workas reporters is to physically be with the people in the streetsand the small towns, not in the studio. This closeness to thepeople is our strength and part of our moral authority,” saysRoberto Durette, director of Pio XII and priest. 46Since the 1970s, the radio station in the miners’ camp SigloXX has had to cope with numerous physical attacks. Successivemilitary regimes tried several times to close the studioand prohibit the continuation of broadcasting. In 1976, thelocal population surrounded the central offices to protect thestation from military forces. The first radio station in Siglo XXmainly served the miners and rural population; later, in the1990s, the Oblates built additional stations in two provindictatorship,community radio played a key role in memoryrecovery, the reclaiming of public freedom and the empowermentof women” 39 Since then, local radio in Latin America hassupported the revival of indigenous languages, helps shapelocal identities and has even turned out to be the most effectivecommunication platform in times of emergencies or socialunrest.In Latin America, the concept of community radio is usedin a much more malleable way than in other regions, says CarlosRivadeneyra, AMARC coordinator for Latin America: “Usuallythe main criterion to be considered community radio isthe non-profit, associative, and participative character. For us,the main aspect is its role as spokesperson and mouthpiece ofcivil society, not its formal status. Community radio adapts recursivelyto specific local and national contexts; therefore wehave a broad spectrum of situations in terms of legal status,coverage and institutional support. These variations make itso difficult to estimate the number of community radio stations,because they aren’t always registered as communityradio.” 40 Recently, AMARC introduced the concept of citizens’radio (radios ciudadanas) to emphasize its mission to promotethe exercise of civil rights. 41Regardless of its low public profile and generally precariousfinancial situation, this often underestimated sector isconsidered today in specialized literature a “worldwide referenceas an instrument of social mobilization,” 42 performingan “educational, informative, formative and transformingrole.” 43 For analysts like Steve Buckley, Latin America’s broadcastershave inspired many other community radio sectors:“The Latin American experience has profoundly influencedthe growth of the international community radio movement,particularly as we have come to better understand the role ofmedia in development.“ 44Three Examples From Latin American Community MediaWe will briefly describe and characterize three communityradio stations which illustrate the scope of impact and socialcontribution of community radio. Radio Pio XII from Boliviais historically one of the first radio stations in the region. Thecase illustrates how a miner’s radio station has been adaptingto its changing intercultural context. The second case, Vokaribein Colombia, shows the innovative side of community radiotoday when used in an urban context and with a focus onyouth culture. Finally, as a recently-established private radiostation with a community orientation, Radio Intag in Ecuadorgives some insight into the challenges community radiofaces when it defends the local environment against extractivemegaprojects. It is important to note that these three cases arenot really representative for all Latin American communityradios but they show important aspects and issues, related tothe problems of intercultural societies, of urban youth subculturesand of environmental protection. Additionally, DWAkademie has supported two of the three radio stations andhas learned some thoroughly documented and useful lessons.The case analysis should enrich the general conclusion we willtry to draw from a broader Latin American perspective.27Merayo 2007, 14.28Bosetti 2007, 38.29Peter Deselaers, Project Manager,Research and Development,DW Akademie, Germany.30Buckley 2008, 4.31Lamas 2011.32Ernesto Lamas, FoundingMember of Radio La Tribu,Buenos Aires, Argentina.33Geerts & van Oeyen 2001.34Merayo 2007, 10.35Thanks to Caty Luz Zárate, internationaldevelopment consultant,for her valuable contributionsand reflections relatingto the history and role of communityradio in Latin America.The comments and observationsof Peter Deselaers, Richard Fuchs,Matthias Kopp andJan Lublinski from DW Akademiehave also been very useful.36Reyero Fernández 2012.37Ibid.38Gumucio Dagron 2001.39El Expectador (2011)40Carlos Rivadeneyra, Coordinatorfor Latin America, AMARC, Peru.41Geerts & van Oeyen 2001, 38.42Chaparro 2008, 158.43Reyero Fernández 2012.44Buckley 2008, 1.45Torrez Miranda 2007, 2.46Roberto Durette, DirectorGeneral Radio Pio XII in Bolivia.Edition DW Akademie In the Service of the Public 235