"Community, alternative and popular radio stations have a long tradition in Latin America that began in the middle of the 20th century. They accompanied the struggles of social organizations and popular sectors against dictatorial or authoritarian states despite the fact that those states persecuted ... them or, in the best of cases, ignored them. At the same time, they always demanded legal recognition." (Introduction) more

"Community media – of which community radio is one sector – enable people to voice common concerns, to unite around common causes, to challenge decision-makers on their own turf, to create communities that better respond to the needs of their members. As such, technological convergence posits a ... future in which community media (radio, television, digital platforms) become the nexus of grassroots democracy, of a genuine forum for good citizenship and good governance. In that sense, community radio could enable people to take on the “primary role of actors in their own destiny” instead of being bit-players in someone else’s drama. The risk is that community radio loses its relevancy by becoming just one more voice among many. The challenge is for community radio to represent the locality in ways that shape it for the better." (Editorial, page 2) more

"In less than a decade, and hardly surprisingly given the rapid proliferation of digital media platforms, citizen journalism has upset the applecart of traditional journalism. Yet, for all kinds of reasons, professional journalists are increasingly viewing citizen journalism as a means of supplement ... ing sources, of getting closer to the ground, and of gaining crucial insights into complicated local situations. Citizen journalism is here to stay. How credible and reliable can it be as a source of information and news? Is it appropriate to devise a code of practice for citizen journalism? And while new digital platforms have created exciting new opportunities for socializing and information sharing, how reliable can they be when it comes to professional journalism?" (Editorial, page 2) more