"This one-volume encyclopedia features around 250 essays on the varied experiences of social movement media over the planet in the 20th and 21st centuries [...] The guiding principles have been to ensure that experiences from the global South are given voice; that women are properly represented amon
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g contributors; that the wide spectrum of communication formats is included; that further reading is provided where relevant; and that some examples are provided of repressive social movement media, not exclusively progressive ones. Thematic essays address selected issues such as human rights media, indigenous peoples' media, and environmentalist media, and on key concepts widely used in the field such as alternative media, citizens' media, and community media. The encyclopedia engages with all communication media: broadcasting, print, cinema, the Internet, popular song, street theatre, graffiti, and dance." (Sage website)
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"This is a collection of case studies of good practice in community media, mainly from developing countries, and focusing especially on radio. The first section addresses the enabling environment for community media, with ten country case studies of good practice in media policies, regulations, fund
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ing and support structures. The second section presents ten case studies on community media sustainability, understood as its longevity, consistency as social enterprises, and rootedness in the communities they serve. The third section looks at social impact of community media, describing ten experiences of community media contributing to improvements in livelihoods, social change, citizen participation and other benefits. The case studies provide key characteristics, a summary, references and links. As they are very short (two pages each), the main function of this publication may lie in providing a first glance of the broad variety of community media approaches and practices." (CAMECO Update 1-2012)
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"The South African community station movement, consisting now of around 100 such stations, situates itself explicitly in the international tradition of alternative, grassroots and (in some cases) radical media. The stations aspire - and are mandated to - cater for poor and marginalised communities,
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often left out of the information mainstream. Created as part of the democratisation process of the mid-1990s, the establishment of the sector represents a conscious attempt to broaden the Habermasian public sphere in South Africa, to improve opportunities for marginalised communities to participate in public discussion, and to build local identities in a range of ways. This article describes the way these stations are meeting their mandate in one area, news broadcasting, where they set out to cover events of particular interest to their communities. It presents a detailed analysis of the extent to which their news bullteins cover local stories, are generated by the stations themselves and use audio material. It also looks at staffing and resourcing, organisational challenges and values. On the basis of empirical research conducted at some 13 radio stations in and around Johannesburg, using methods that include content analysis, interview and observation, the findings indicate that community stations are generally failing to meet their mandate in the critical area of providing original, local news." (Abstract)
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"This article critically examines the role of community media movements in articulating state-Civil society relations in the establishment of a popular radical democracy in Venezuela. We employ institutional analysis and a frame-alignment approach to understand how community and alternative media (C
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AM) advocates negotiated issues of identity and autonomy from the state in the creation of the National System of Popular, Alternative, and Community Communication between 2008 and 2009. The analysis revealed that CAM groups reasserted unmet demands for access to the spectrum and autonomy from state agencies, while amplifying the government's "anti-imperialist conflict frame" as a rationale for increased popular participation in the media. We discuss the democratic potential of these policies and the populist public sphere in Venezuela." (Abstract)
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"Cette publication fait le récit de l’expérience unique des clubs d’écoute communautaires mis en place au Niger et en République démocratique du Congo par la FAO-Dimitra et ses partenaires. Mécanismes d’information et de communication centrés sur l’action, ces clubs ont remporté un s
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uccès tel que Dimitra a souhaité partager l’expérience. Le premier chapitre présente de façon succincte les clubs d’écoute communautaires, leur finalité, leur fonctionnement interne et les résultats obtenus. Le deuxième chapitre inscrit son récit au plus proche des initiatives des communautés, en donnant la parole aux protagonistes et en racontant la création des clubs d’écoute dans les deux pays. Le troisième chapitre fournit des orientations plus pratiques sur les étapes de création des clubs d’écoute communautaires." (Dos de couverture)
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"[...] En este informe confirmamos que si bien existen avances en algunos países, la mayor parte de ellos mantiene un sistema regulatorio y políticas públicas de radio y televisión que violan la libertad de expresión; que se traducen en prácticas discrecionales y discriminatorias en la adjudic
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ación de frecuencias; que no establecen límites reales a la concentración de medios; que imponen barreras a las comunidades indígenas, las organizaciones sociales y otros medios no comerciales al acceso equitativo, y que, además, disponen limitaciones técnicas y económicas que impiden su desarrollo, lo que deriva en el silenciamiento de voces disidentes y diversas e impacta gravemente a la democracia, situación que se ha venido agudizando con los procesos de convergencia y transición tecnológica. Estos procesos, que avanzan rápidamente, podrían –y deberían- ser una gran oportunidad para garantizar el ejercicio de la libertad de expresión en condiciones de pluralidad y diversidad. Sin embargo, existe una preocupante tendencia hacia una mayor concentración de medios de comunicación por efecto de la expansión de servicios de quienes ya cuentan con frecuencias del espectro radioeléctrico, por lo que consideramos conveniente que la CIDH determine estándares específcios que permitan tanto el artículo 13º de la Convención Americana sobre Derechos Humanos, como la Declaración de Principios sobre Libertad de Expresión, de 2000, en materia de regulación de servicios de comunicación audiovisual y radiodifusión, tanto en lo que toca a los entornos existentes como a la transición a los soportes digitales, previa a la adopción de normas nacionales para garantizar una distribución y asignación de espectro compatibles con el Estado de Derecho y el pluralismo." (Introducción)
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"Kritischer Journalismus kann in Gemeinschaftsmedien die zivile Gesellschaft stärken. Voraussetzung dafür wären jedoch ausreichende finanzielle Ressourcen und ein unbestechliches journalistisches Rollenverständnis. Ein Erfahrungsbericht aus der lokalen Radiostation Arise FM in Ghana." (Einleitun
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g)
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"Esta publicación comparte algunas perspectivas para acercarse desde los proyectos de las radios comunitarias, alternativas, populares a los aspectos principales de las configuraciones mediáticas contemporáneas. Al mismo tiempo, sistematiza algunas herramientas específicas para incorporar las ll
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amadas nuevas tecnologías al quehacer radiofónico. Nos propusimos construir un recorrido que ponga en relación el proyecto político comunicacional de las radios comunitarias con una gestión viable y sostenible de las comunicaciones digitales. Ni las perspectivas ni las herramientas son las únicas posibles. Invitamos a todas y a todos a discutirlas, debatirlas, re-escribirlas, completarlas. A inventar otras. Y después compartirlas." (Page 4)
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"This manual describes the process for starting a local radio station—the organization of community support and planning, equipment needs, programming strategies, business growth and sustainability and journalistic ethics and standards. This manual does not insist that you follow a set of rules to
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start and operate a station. But it does offer important guidelines about what things you might think about, why they are important and how you can learn from the experiences of other communities in other parts of Afghanistan and the world. There’s information in this manual for community supporters, station managers, reporters, technicians and other workers, and you can give copies of this manual to them." (Page 7)
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90 Indian community radio stations present their background, programming focuses, lessons learned and contact details.
"The study uses qualitative and quantitative research to perform a community-based needs assessment. It highlights the underlying issues of a weak economy, infrastructure and caste system. It also highlights social and family networks that strengthen communities. The research then investigates how t
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he community radio station is responding to these needs, presenting findings alongside the potential 'role of radio' (HCR 2002). The study uses a set o community radio indicators (James 2004) in collaboration with 'five conditions for social change' (Dragon and Tufte 2006) to identify limitations and constraints, and review effectiveness. The dissertation concludes with key recommendations for the station to: increase networking, increase learning and, most importantly, increase community involvement. It makes recommendations for donors to reduce control and increase community participation." (Abstract)
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"The study found that, in their struggle to generate the income for day-to-day running costs, stations become detached from their communities, and end up competing - usually unsuccessfully - with better-resourced commercial broadcasters. The solution, the study suggests, is to invest in strengthenin
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g community participation, rather than diluting this vital ingredient in a bid to save money, as has tended to be the case, particularly when donor funding dries up." (fesmedia website)
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"This document reports on the pilot assessment of 15 community radio stations – or of radios that claim to be community radios – based on the Community Radio Performance Assessment System (CR-PAS) developed by the Community Radio Support Centre (CRSC) / Nepal Forum of Environmental Journalists (
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NEFEJ). The CR-PAS seeks to assess community radio stations in seven performance areas: participation and ownership, governance, programs, resource structure and management, station management, financial management and networking. It uses a set of 60 indicators and is intended to be a practical tool that the stations could eventually adopt for continuous self-assessment. Following a brief overview of radio in Nepal, this report provides an overview of the CR-PAS and the assessment process. Thereafter, it reports on the findings and analysis both of all the radios that were assessed and also of individual stations, leading to conclusions and recommendations." (Executive summary)
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"This article analyses the uses of the ‘community’ and ‘peace media’ labels in northern Uganda. It tries to assess their effect on power configurations and on the practices and the representations of media workers. In order to do so, it analyses how non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have
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penetrated the local media and have modified the rules of the game, in terms of access to resources and protection from repression, but also in terms of the definition of professionalism. It shows how a local radio station, Mega FM, has managed to negotiate its dependence on the state and on international NGOs, including how it has succeeded in dominating the local media market, by embracing these media models. Finally, all these dynamics are illustrated and nourished by a shift in the professional values: the media workers now value the ‘responsibility’ of the media understood as a support to the peace process." (Abstract)
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"AMIC undertook a research project to assess the economic viability of the Tambuli model in the Philippines after 15 years of its introduction. This book documents the opinions and the perspectives of many stakeholders in the community radio sector. It reflects both the success stories and barriers
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facing the community radio in the Philippines." (Synopsis AMIC website)
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"This report offers an overview of results of an assessment that sought to investigate the audience impact of Internews’ network of five FM radio stations in southern Sudan and two transitional areas that were established to provide their communities with critical information about the peace agree
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ment, the referendum and the resettlement of returning refugees. The five stations are the first community radio stations to be established in these remote parts of Sudan. The results show communities identify strongly with their local station and listen in preference to any other available radio service. This is because they believe the information they will receive is credible, accurate and relevant to their specific community, in their local language. A high percentage of listeners also attribute their knowledge about political processes including the CPA, referendum, popular consultation and elections directly to their local FM station." (Abstract)
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"Women on the air are usually viewed through a traditional model - in the context of their relationship to their husbands or children – and not as individual beings with a broad range of interests and needs. As a result, radio does not currently meet the needs of women, and women do not participat
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e as much as they would normally otherwise be willing to do. For the latest generation of young women, it has become easier to overcome traditional cultural obstacles as well as to embrace the newest technologies that allow them access to a public platform. However it is still difficult to get ordinary women – of all ages – to come and talk on the radio about their experiences, opinions and interests. This will not change without an increase in women radio presenters and contributors – more women's voices need to be broadcast, and outside of the stereotypical contexts, to encourage greater female ownership in community radio." (Executive summary)
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