COMMUNITY RADIO HANDBOOK Community Radio Handbook Colin Fraser and Sonia Restrepo Estrada © UNESCO 2001 Acknowledgements We gratefully acknowledge the following people and organizations for their generous support and help: Maria Victoria Polanco, Sophie Ly, and Elvira Truglia of the World Association of Community Broadcasters (AMARC); David Shanks of the World Association for Christian Communication (WACC); Martin Allard of Mallard Concepts Ltd.; Lawrie Hallet of the UK Community Media Association; and the authors of the five case studies Louie N. Tabing, Ian Pringle, Alex and Wilna Quarmyne, Zane Ibrahim and Ms. Adams and Bruce Girard. Special thanks are due to Louie Tabing whose pioneering work in the concept and practice of true community radio, and prolific writings on the subject, have been an inspiration for much of the material in the handbook. PREFACE Much research interest has been devoted to mass media. In their findings, communication In the age of multimedia and online communication, the potential of community radio specialists have always acknowledged that there are many sectors, communities and to provide for effective outreach to discuss and create demand for the Internet has become minorities whose access to information, and means of self-expression are not always even greater. The Kothmale Internet radio experiment in Sri Lanka has proven that radio guaranteed by mass channels. They have recognized that more sharply focused, customized stations can promote and use the Internet in rural communities, overcoming language barriers and essentially small and local media are crucial in filling this gap. and lack of infrastructure. By using radio and browsing the Internet to respond to listeners’ direct queries, by sharing information and knowledge derived from the Internet, the whole During the last two decades UNESCO has commissioned a number of studies and community is involved and empowered with new opportunities. published monographs on the theme of community media. The first monograph published by UNESCO on the theme of community media was Access: Some Western Models of Community Against this background of challenges, I believe that this handbook can contribute Media by Frances Berrigan, which appeared in 1977; and in 1981, the enquiry was extended towards helping different communication actors, technicians, operators and radio producers to the developing countries in a study by the same author entitled Community in community radio stations to make more efficient use of community media for community Communications – the Role of Community Media in Development (No. 90 in the series of development by getting people involved in clarifying issues and solving problems and in talking to each other. Reports and Papers on Mass Communication). A few years later, Peter Lewis prepared the UNESCO study Media for People in Cities (1984) which brought together a number of The handbook is based on the experience and innovative thinking of communication case-studies, and the conclusions of two research meetings, on urban community media. experts and practitioners whose contribution I would like especially to acknowledge: the late Jake Mills, former Director of Engineering, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, who During the ensuing years, UNESCO began setting up community radio stations in Africa designed the prototype sound mixer; Martin Allard, electronics engineer, designer of the (Homa Bay, 1982) and Asia (Mahaweli, 1986 and Tambuli Community radios, 1982) The growth UNESCO prototype transmitter; Alex Quarmyne, former UNESCO Regional of the community radio ‘movement’ was covered in a section of the UNESCO World Communication Advisor in Africa and project manager for Homa Bay in Kenya, the first Communication Report in 1997. community radio in Africa; Carlos Arnaldo, former Chief of Communication Policies and UNESCO sees community radio as a medium that gives voice to the voiceless, that Research Section at UNESCO as project manager of Mahaweli community radio; Georges serves as the mouthpiece of the marginalized and is at the heart of communication and Dupont-Henius, engineer, UNESCO Communication Development Division; Wijayananda democratic processes within societies. With community radio, citizens have the means to Jayaweera, UNESCO Regional Communication Advisor for Asia and creator of Kothmale make their views known on decisions that concern them. The notions of transparency and Internet Radio project; Kwame Boafo of UNESCO Communication and Information good governance take on new dimensions and democracy is reinforced. Community radio Sector; Louie Tabing, project manager of Tambuli community radios and creator of catalyzes the development efforts of rural folk and the underprivileged segments of urban " Village on the Air. " For the time they took in producing this book and for their valuable societies, given its exceptional ability to share timely and relevant information on development comments, I should also like to thank Sonia Restrepo Estrada and Colin Fraiser for compiling issues, opportunities, experiences, life skills and public interests. Given the audience’s low these experiences and putting them together for publication. literacy rate and radio’s ability to involve women and to treat them not only as objects or merely as a target audience, but as participating agents and as a valuable source, community radio becomes one of the most promising tools for community development. This has Claude Ondobo Deputy Assistant Director-General Women Speaking to Women community radio been demonstrated by the special UNESCO project for Communication and Information and stations for the empowerment of women. Director of Communication Development Division iii Table of contents Preface ………………………………………………………………………………… iii Convergence and Divergence in Legislation ………………… 31 Staff ……………………………………………………………………………………52 Applying for a Licence …………………………………………………… 32 Sustainability ………………………………………………………………………52 Introduction ………………………………………………………………………… 1 Looking for Outside Funding for Start-up Costs …………54 Any Community Can Start its Own Radio Station ……………………………………………………… 1 Chapter 4: Technical Aspects …………………………………… 33 Box 6: Main Factors to Consider Technical Background ……………………………………………………… 33 When Planning a Community Radio …………………………54 Chapter 1: Community Radio Broadcasting Equipment ………………………………………………… 35 in the Broadcasting Scene …………………………………………… 3 Reliability and Maintenance …………………………………………… 39 Chapter 6: Programme Policies………………………………… 57 Community Radio in the Context Studio Premises ………………………………………………………………… 40 Participatory Programmes ……………………………………………… 57 of the Globalization of Media ………………………………………… 5 Spatial Relationship Between Community News …………………………………………………………… 60 The Evolution of Community Radio ……………………………… 6 the Components of the Radio Station ………………………… 40 Balancing Views ………………………………………………………………… 60 An Important Initiative by UNESCO ……………………………… 8 Future Possibilities …………………………………………………………… 41 Coverage of Religious and Cultural Events …………………… 61 Specialist Advice ……………………………………………………………… 43 Box 1: The Miners’ Radio in Bolivia …………………………… 12 Local Election Broadcasts ………………………………………………… 61 Box 4: Basic Equipment for a UNESCO- Box 2: Radio Sutatenza/ACPO Educational Broadcasts …………………………………………………… 61 in Colombia …………………………………………………………………… 13 supported Community Radio Station ……………………… 44 Audience Surveys …………………………………………………………… 63 Chapter 2: Features and Functions Chapter 5: Getting Started ……………………………………… 45 Chapter 7: The Community Broadcaster ……………… 65 of Community Radio …………………………………………………… 15 Legal Context …………………………………………………………………… 45 Essential Features of Community Radio ……………………… 15 Preparatory Work in the Community …………………………… 46 Code of Conduct ……………………………………………………………… 65 Functions of Community Radio ……………………………………… 18 Importance of a Mission Statement ……………………………… 48 A Prototype Code of Conduct ……………………………………… 66 Box 3: Involvement of Women ………………………………… 23 Role of the Religious Establishment ……………………………… 49 Selection of Community Broadcasters ………………………… 71 Role of Local Educational Institutions ………………………… 49 Training of Community Broadcasters …………………………… 71 Chapter 3: Legal Aspects …………………………………………… 25 Involvement of Politicians ……………………………………………… 49 Chapter 8: Case Studies ……………………………………………… 75 Uneven and Haphazard Legislation ……………………………… 25 Choosing a Location in the Community ……………………… 49 Radio Olutanga (Tambuli Project), Philippines …………… 75 Most Progress in Africa …………………………………………………… 25 Box 5: Involvement of Politicians ……………………………… 50 Radio Sagarmatha, Nepal ……………………………………………… 80 Asia and India’s Lengthy Choosing a Model …………………………………………………………… 50 Debate on Community Radio ………………………………………… 27 Power of the Transmitter ………………………………………………… 51 Radio Ada, Ghana …………………………………………………………… 85 Legislation in Some Latin American Countries …………… 28 Ownership and Management ………………………………………… 51 Bush Radio, South Africa ………………………………………………… 90 Some Examples from Western Europe ………………………… 30 Programming……………………………………………………………………… 51 Radio Chaguarurco, Ecuador ………………………………………… 95 Introduction “Community radio is a social process or event in which members of the community associate Photo: UNESCO Photo: together to design programmes and produce and air them, thus taking on the primary role of actors here are more than 20,000 poor, can in their own destiny, whether this be for radio stations in the world participate in something as common as mending fences in the T neighbourhood, or a community-wide campaign