mediadev library

Rose N. Kimani

In: Media Ownership in Africa in the Digital Age: Challenges, Continuity and Change

Winston Mano; Loubna El Mkaouar (eds.)

London; New York: Routledge (2023), pp. 237-247

"Although it is a community broadcasting station with a small radius, Koch FM conceptualises itself as part of a national and global civil society network and acts as such. Specifcally, it sees its role as promoting democracy and Good Governance. The station has consequently decided to stay away fro ... more

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Media Ownership in Africa in the Digital Age: Challenges, Continuity and Change

Winston Mano, Loubna El Mkaouar (eds.)

London; New York: Routledge (2023), xiv, 295 pp.

"Who owns the media and communications in Africa today and with what implications? The book elegantly answers this urgent question by unpacking multiple dimensions of media ownership through rare and authoritative perspectives, including both historical and contemporary digital developments. It trac ... more

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Negotiating Context as a Survival Strategy: The Case of Mugambo Jwetu FM

Rose N. Kimani

Journal of Alternative and Community Media, volume 5, issue 1 (2020), pp. 87-102

"Kenyan community radio works between international and national media paradigms, while seeking to meet the expectations of its local communities. International funding and training organizations active in the sector focus on enhancing technology for development, freedom of expression, democracy and ... more

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Kenyan Community Radio: Players, Production Processes and Participation

Rose N. Kimani

Bayreuth: University of Bayreuth, Doctoral Thesis (2017), ix, 311 pp.

"Community broadcasting is known as the third tier of broadcasting, occupying the space between commercial and state broadcasters. In Kenya, this sector has been active only since 2004. Despite its recognised value in other contexts across the globe, community broadcasting is still struggling to fin ... d footing in the Kenyan media landscape, and there is a paucity of research on how this sector actually operates – its structures, content and audiences. This work therefore explores the roles and relevance of community radio in the vibrant Kenyan media landscape. Using a complementary mix of qualitative and quantitative methods, three community radio stations with different social contexts, funding and management structures were investigated. The research focused on the ideas and actors behind community radio, its funding and management structures, content, content production processes, listenership patterns and participation practices. Brought to light was that this sector navigates legislation and funding challenges, and juggles between global and local ideals about community broadcasting, most distinct of which are democracy and development. The local, the national and the global inform the ideas under which Kenyan community broadcasting operates, and these ideas are interpreted differently in each context. Communities interact with each of the stations based on their particular local contexts. Not only do they listen to community broadcasters according to specific daily rhythms, but they also mobilise themselves into social formations – most often fan groups and clubs – as a way of collective participation in the life of the station. Contrary to much radio audience research, this work shows that listenership is a distinct activity and participation in and through the media is not only an individual endeavour, but a collective undertaking drawing on pre-existent social solidarities. Community radio content addresses its listeners as different kinds of communities and publics at specific times of the day, and they respond accordingly. As well, there is content transformation across diverse media platforms, which may be a step towards new genres. Despite working within different and hybrid journalistic cultures, the producers play similar roles to their communities across the three contexts including mediation, mobilisation, space-creation, information and entertainment. Of these roles, mobilisation is a strength of community radio. The research reveals the intertwined nature of state, media and audience relationships, and argues for the fact that there are no homogenous audiences even at a micro-level, and that the affective and democratic functions of media participation are intricately linked to each other." (Abstract) more

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Community Radio in a Commercial Broadcasting Landscape: Kenya’s Koch FM

Rose N. Kimani

Radio Journal: International Studies in Broadcast & Audio Media, volume 15, issue 2 (2017), pp. 195-210

"Koch FM is a community radio station located in Korogocho, a slum in Nairobi, Kenya. The station aims to provide alternative information, education and entertainment content. Producers at the station and community members who make up the station’s audience have different perceptions of Koch FM’ ... more

Community Media Ownership in the Context of Donor Funding

Media Ownership in Africa in the Digital Age: Challenges, Continuity and Change

Negotiating Context as a Survival Strategy: The Case of Mugambo Jwetu FM

Kenyan Community Radio: Players, Production Processes and Participation

Community Radio in a Commercial Broadcasting Landscape: Kenya’s Koch FM