PARTICIPATORY RADIO AS THE VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SELECTED RADIO STATIONS IN THE EASTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA OSUNKUNLE Oluyinka O December 2013 PARTICIPATORY RADIO AS THE VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SELECTED RADIO STATIONS IN THE EASTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA By OSUNKUNLE Oluyinka O Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Media Studies at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University December 2013 Promoter / Supervisor: Dr. J. Wozniak DECLARATION I, OSUNKUNLE, Oluyinka Oludolapo with Student Number 210090146, hereby declare that the thesis for Doctor of Philosophy in Media Studies is my own work and that it has not previously been submitted for assessment or completion of any postgraduate qualification to another University or for another qualification. OSUNKUNLE, OO DECEMBER 2013 ~ i ~ AKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my profound gratitude to the following people that have contributed immensely to the success of this research work namely; My Promoter / Supervisor, Dr. Janina Wozniak for her painstaking supervision, constructive criticisms, useful suggestions and constant encouragement at all times towards making this research a success. I am very grateful. My wife, Atinuke and children, Aanuoluwapo, Oluwaferanmi and Toluwalope for their continuous prayers, love and support that made me to press on in difficult situations. My Dad, Late Elder J.O. Osunkunle (I wish you’re still alive) and my Mum, Mrs. D.A. Osunkunle and siblings (Bimbo, Laide, Fola & Laolu) for their prayers, love and support over the years. Prof. & Mrs. O.S. Fatoki and family (Cape Town) for their help and love over the years Prof. & Mrs. A.O. Oduntan and family (KwaZulu-Natal) for their love, support and encouragement at all times The Station Managers and Staff members of Kingfisher FM (Port Elizabeth), Forte FM (Alice) and Radio Grahamstown (Grahamstown) for their unwavering support and assistance throughout this study All the respondents for this study / listeners of these selected radio stations in Alice, Grahamstown and Port Elizabeth Most importantly to God Almighty, the giver of wisdom and all good things and with whom all things are possible. Halleluyah! ~ ii ~ DEDICATION This study is dedicated my late father, Elder Joseph Okunola Osunkunle for being an exemplary father and for his love and guidance for us as a family. ~ iii ~ ABSTRACT This research project was aimed at assessing whether community radio stations are indeed the voice of the community or are set out to fulfil their own agenda. This study therefore looked at three different categories of community radio stations, namely the faith-based radio (Kingfisher FM), geographic community radio (Radio Grahamstown) and institutional community radio (Forte FM) with the aim of studying their activities and comparing the three. Relevant literature has been reviewed and data have been collected using both quantitative and qualitative methods through questionnaires, personal interviews and focus group interviews. The study however leans more on the qualitative approach and a quantitative approach has merely been used to identify the trends of the views of the participants. The analysis of data highlights the views of the respondents about these radio stations as the voice of the community. The views of the respondents from the three radio stations showed that these stations enjoy a very good patronage from the listeners in Port Elizabeth (Kingfisher FM), Grahamstown (Radio Grahamstown) and Alice (Forte FM), respectively. The results and discussions confirm that these radio stations meet their various individual needs of the listeners and that of the community at large. In addition, the fact that participants of the focus groups and survey respondents for these three selected radio stations reported that the Station regularly fulfils the major functions of a radio station, which is to inform, educate and entertain them, showed that these radio stations are acting socially responsible as well. This study was also able to confirm that these community radio stations do give opportunities to listeners to contribute to programme content development, which shows the willingness of these stations to give voice to the listeners and allow them to be part of their own personal development and that of the community at large. ~ iv ~ TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION ................................................................................................................ i AKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................................ii DEDICATION .................................................................................................................. iii ABSTRACT .....................................................................................................................iv TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................. v ACRONYMS ..................................................................................................................xv LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................ xvi LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................... xvii LIST OF IMAGES ......................................................................................................... xvii CHAPTER 1 .................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY ................................. 1 1.2 CONTEXT OF THE STUDY ............................................................................... 3 1.3 LOCATING THE CATEGORIES OF COMMUNITY RADIO ............................... 4 1.4 THE PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH .............................................................. 6 1.5 THE RESEARCH PROBLEM ............................................................................. 7 1.5.1 Statement of the problem ................................................................................... 7 1.6 RESEARCH QUESTIONS ............................................................................... 10 1.7 RESEARCH AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ............................................................ 10 1.8 METHODS OF THE STUDY ............................................................................ 10 1.9. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY .................................................................... 13 1.10 ENVISAGED ETHICAL ISSUES ...................................................................... 14 1.11 DEFINITION OF TERMS ................................................................................. 14 1.12 Proposed Chapter Breakdown ......................................................................... 15 CHAPTER 2 .................................................................................................................. 16 LITERATURE REVIEW: RADIO BROADCASTING, POLICIES AND REGULATIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA ............................................................................ 16 2.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 16 2.2. CRITIQUES OF THE MEDIA AND THE NORMATIVE MEDIA THEORIES ..... 16 2.2.1 THE ROLE OF MASS MEDIA AS A CATALYST FOR DEVELOPMENT ......... 18 2.3 THE POWER OF RADIO ................................................................................. 21 ~ v ~ 2.3.1 Radio as an important medium for formal education ........................................ 22 2.3.2 Radio as a powerful medium of communication ............................................... 23 2.3.3 Radio as an effective medium for education .................................................... 25 2.4 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE BROADCASTING SECTOR IN SOUTH AFRICA .............................................................................................. 26 2.4.1 The advent of radio in South Africa: 1919 - 1936 ............................................. 27 2.4.1.1 Emergence of amateur broadcasters ............................................................... 27 2.4.1.2 Early experimental broadcasts in South Africa ................................................. 28 2.4.2 The Establishment of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) .... 29 2.4.3 Further developments: Introduction of news services in South Africa .............. 29 2.4.4 Other developments: The Commercialisation of the SABC .............................. 30 2.4.5 Introduction of FM services by the SABC ......................................................... 31 2.4.6 The advent of independent radio in South Africa ............................................. 32 2.5 BROADCASTING AND TELECOMMUNICATION REGULATIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA ............................................................................................................ 33 2.5.1 The Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) and its contributions to the transformation of the South African broadcasting industry ............................... 35 2.5.2 Independent Communications Authority of South Africa and its contributions to the South African Broadcasting industry .......................................................... 37 2.5.3 Licensing radio stations in South Africa: Relevant criteria and considerations for issuing community broadcasting