The 'special interest' and 'geographic' models of community radio: a study of the effectiveness of the two models in meeting the needs of the community
Date
2009-10-02T12:06:28Z
Authors
Murkens, Romie
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
After a decade of operating on the fringe of society as an alternative media tool for
political and social change, community radio in South Africa finally came into legality
with the passing of the Independent Broadcasting Authority Act of 1993. It was
founded on two models: the community of interest and the geographic community
model.
This research report draws on two case studies, Radio Islam as an example of a
special interest 'faith' model, and Soshanguve Community Radio as a
secular/vernacular 'geographic' model, and seeks to establish: which model offers a
more effective community radio station? Social criteria are included as well as
principles of participation and good governance as required by the Independent
Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) which absorbed the IBA
legislation in 2000. In addition, this report takes into account those ideals developed
in the last sixty years by community media practitioners and activists around the
world.
This dissertation uses a combination of public sphere concepts of radio, as well as
communication theories that includes participatory democracy, and radio as a tool for
social development. It finds that the early arguments against giving the airwaves to
community of interest stations, because they served middle-class interests of
previously advantaged communities, hold no validity today, fifteen years into
community radio broadcasting. Although this report recognizes, that inequitable
socio-economic conditions favour the station that has a stronger economic base,
each model should be measured in terms of how effectively the communication
needs of a community are met and how democratic the structures of governance and
participation are in practice.