"Community media represent a crucial input in development processes, playing an important role in democratisation, social struggles, and awareness raising. But they often face difficulties on the financial and legal levels due to the constraints created by national media laws. This paper shows the l
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ink between community communication and human development. It provides suggestions for development advocates and communities regarding advocacy for a policy environment supportive of community media. It reflects on the licensing process and financial sustainability of the projects. In demonstrating how practically media policy can be reshaped to meet civil society needs, two case studies are considered: the UK, where the communication regulator has opened a process to license community radios; and Brazil, where thousands of ‘illegal’ community stations are facing repression, but where the regulator has inaugurated a consultation process with practitioners." (Abstract)
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"El artículo presenta un conjunto de reflexiones sobre la actuación de radios educativas y comunitarias en contextos de conflicto social principalmente entre empresas mineras y comunidades en el Perú. Parte de una aproximación a la problemática de los conflictos sociambientales, cuyo número e
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intensidad se ha incrementado significativamente en los últimos años. Propone una descripción de los principales escenarios y actores, incluidos medios de comunicación, así como los problemas de carácter estructural que se ubican a la base de las relaciones de conflictividad social. Presenta una definición general de las radios comunitarias y educativas y sus proyectos de comunicación; propone y analiza los principales ejes de tensión y los desafíos que afrontan estas emisoras en situaciones de conflictividad, tensiones que tienen que ver con las nociones de objetividad y pluralismo informativo en el marco de relaciones asimétricas de poder y comunicación entre empresas, Estado y comunidades; así como la ubicación y el rol de las emisoras frente al tejido social en situaciones de conflictividad, entre otros campos del quehacer comunicativo." (Resumen)
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"This book is essential reading for anybody interested in development communication. Mefalopulos, a World Bank development communication officer with wide-ranging experiences in the field, presents four modules. The first module concisely presents the concepts and applications of development communi
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cations and their relevance for development operations. The second module addresses communication officers and practitioners who want to become acquainted with the theoretical foundations. The third focuses on methodological applications of development communication, describing the typical program cycle of communication-based assessment, strategy design, implementation and evaluation. The fourth module presents practical experiences to illustrate DevComm's relevance, including e.g. the use of development communication in poverty reduction strategies or strengthening local voices through community radio. Given its modular structure, this straight-forward publication is a valuable resource on the strategic use of communication processes in development." (CAMECO Update 4-2008)
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"This report investigates the impact media and ICTs can have on the lives of the poor, based on the experiences of nine donors and NGOs forming part of the "Building Communication Opportunities (BCO)" alliance. It suggests that radio will have the most influence on social and political change where
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it is widely accessible, trusted by listeners, and open to inclusive participation. ICTs can help make markets work for the poor, but the surrounding circumstances are highly influential in determining in how far they make a difference. Communication networks appear to be particularly effective in building communities of activists where they enable the pooling of resources and expertise and leverage wider influence on decision-makers. However, the report concludes that evidence of the impact of ICTs is still weak. More debate is needed about how ICTs are best deployed. This requires learning how people really use the tools, as well as a more effective assessment of past and current experiences." (CAMECO Update 1-2009)
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"Les médiassont appelés à jouer un rôle de plus en plus important dans la lutte contrela pauvreté et la poursuite des Objectifs du Millénaire. Cela fait longtempsqu’on glose à ce sujet. Mais combien de bailleurs et d’ONG s’investissent ne serait-ce que ponc-tuellement dans l’appui aux
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médias du Sud ? Quelle part de l’aide leur estaccordée ? Combien de programme et de projets consacrent une partie deleurs budgets à une communication qui vise réellement le renforcementdes personnes et le changement social ? Combien d’agences de déve-loppement ou d’ONG possèdent un département de communication etd’information digne de ce nom préoccupé par autre chose que l’autopro-motion institutionnelle et les relations publiques ? Comptez-vous....Les documents préparatoires de la 10ème table ronde inter institutionsdes Nations Unies sur la communication au développement (2007) ad-mettaient qu’en dépit des discours, la communication pour le développe-ment n’a pas été assez intégrée aux stratégies de développement.L’appropriation, la participation, le dialogue sont des objectifs de plus enplus mis en avant, mais aucune stratégie concrète n’est réellement pré-conisée. Les conceptions de la communication se limitent à la publicitédes projets. Il semblerait qu’on ne se soit pas suffisamment préoccupé departager le savoir pour rechercher réellement le consensus sur la planifi-cation, la mise en œuvre et l’évaluation des projets de développement.Faute d’engagement, le débat sur les médias et le développement a trèspeu évolué ces 20 dernières années car les références ont très peu changéfinalement. Les colloques se succèdent et leurs recommandations réin-ventent sans cesse la poudre, on habille les bonnes intentions de nou-veaux oripeaux méthodologiques, de nouvelles formules creuses et onlance des pétards mouillés qu’on regarde s’éteindre..." (Éditorial)
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"It is my hypothesis that church-based radio stations can contribute to community development. A total of 50 respondents out of 60 confirm that they listen to and understand community-development programmes through these stations. The messages are either fully understood, or partially in cases where
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the language transfer from Tok Pisin to Melpa is confusing for those who speak only Melpa. The languages used by both stations were, according to the majority of respondents, easily understood and the messages were clearly presented. There is a consensus among respondents that non-faith-based stations do not target their programmes towards community issues. Mainstream radio stations disseminate information that seeks to address national issues, paying little attention to issues being faced by small communities. Apart from promoting the Christian faith, church-based radio stations communicated information vital to grassroots lifestyles. The churches have tapped into a system within the PNG media that enables “any person” to initiate a media organisation that is aimed at information dissemination in the country (Melham and Aloi, 2003: 3). Churches such as the Catholic Church and the Baptist Church have initiated radio stations that disseminate information that comply with their respective mission statements, which promote religiously oriented aims and visions. Baibel FM and Triniti FM, as shown in the results of the survey, have the potential to disseminate community development programmes aimed at improving people’s livelihoods, sustaining development and alleviating poverty. The moralistic component of their programming is an attractive feature for listeners." (Pages 215-216)
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"IPDC’s support for community radio in Nepal has been a strategic, defining factor in the growth of the community media sector. The Programme has regularly supported small, distinct projects that have catalyzed the growth of the sector at different times by promoting replicable models, establishin
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g precedents and benchmarks, and building the capacity of key organizational players. Between 1993 and 1997, IPDC played a key role in the establishment of the country’s first independent broadcaster, Radio Sagarmatha. In 1999, the Programme was instrumental in setting up Nepal’s first rural radio licensee, Community Radio Madanpokhara. In 2002, IPDC provided critical support to Radio Lumbini, the region’s fi rst cooperative broadcaster, and Radio Swargadwari, a station in the heart of the country’s armed conflict. In 2006, IPDC supported the Nepal Association of Community Radio Broadcasters in a broad, sector-wide initiative. Community radio has gone from one license in 1997 to nearly 90 at the end of 2007." (Page 3)
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