Community Radio for Development Email Discussion Report

This 4-page report summarises an email discussion hosted by id21in early 2006 focused on community radio. The discussion was meant to be an opportunity for community media practitioners and activists from around the world to share their experiences and views on the role of community radio in development processes. It highlights the trends noted and key recommendations put forward by participants for developing the community radio.

Over 450 people subscribed to the discussion and 118 people with experience in over 40 countries contributed their views. Discussions focused on the issues covered in id21 insights #58: 'Voices for change: tuning in to community radio'.

Each week focused on a different topic led by a different moderator:

1. An enabling environment - Steve Buckley, World Association of Community Broadcasters
2. Achieving sustainability - Alfonso Gumucio Dagron, Communication for Social Change Consortium
3. Assessing the social impact of community radio - Birgitte Jallov, Independent Consultant
4. The fourth week was left open for participants to raise any outstanding issues.

Summary recommendations from participants included:

"Community radio has the potential to change people's lives at the community level. It allows people to have more influence over local and regional development processes. To make the most of progress so far, discussants felt that community radio activists need to consider the following issues:

• Learning - Each country and region is different and everyone has different perspectives and experiences. Yet, community radio stations internationally can learn from each other. Activists need to explore opportunities for south-south networking and set up platforms where ideas and programmes can be shared, resources generated and pooled and where people can lobby for change.
• Participation - Given that each radio station works in a specific context, commitment to participatory processes that include and engage the community is critical for any initiative to succeed.
• Networking - Setting up partnerships between stakeholders, including other broadcasters, NGOs [non-governmental organisations] and Human Rights groups, and building local, regional and international networks will strengthen and provide support to new movements.
• Evaluation - Radio stations need to include provisions in their budgets to finance evaluations and assessments. If external evaluators are used they should collaborate with local people so they retain ownership of the process.
• Language - To facilitate networking, mechanisms such as this email discussion and other resources should be accessible in different languages, including English, Spanish and French."