Content developed Phoebe Leema
Community Radio
It’s a 3rd model of radio broadcasting in addition to Commercial and public broadcasting. It is to inform people about the important community’s information about whatever is happening in formulate opinions begin to interest mobilize to address common issues within the community. Community radio is normally a non-profit action that can cause the information needs of people living in a particular community or in their own native language format that suit the specific community.
7 reasons why community radio is important: –
1. Community radio provides validation which indicates that there are other peoples who are also experiencing same situation in a similar community and share their experiences with the radio is known as validating. It helps to straighten ties and build Awareness of Common values, challenges, and solutions within the community.
2. Community radio informs listeners like all radio stations but this only works within their specific community not in the country as a whole. This helps in the education and development of the community as a whole true community station will be able to hold people in power accountable within the community. People like the least often get news through verbally or rely on the literate population of the community to read newspapers and pass on the information.
3. Community radio speaks to people in their own language so that people can understand and get information about their specific area about their own community the content of the radio is much more relatable and consumable the community as a whole when it is presented in the language of the area.
4. Community radio helps to build a sense of community which helps to give voice to the voiceless communities and make the listeners empowered to express their opinion and point of view on any matter. Communities created around these radio stations as people will gather to listen to Radio programs and will discuss the topics covered in the show it also helps the opinion of the people in the area allowing for more discussion this kind of discussion can help to create a tight-knit community. The fact that people will start to listen to the presenters regularly and begin to feel like they know them also allows for a sense of community to be called as a large portion of the people will turn to the radio presenters as the source of trusted information.
5. Jobs are created because of community radio station anyone with an interest and get involved in the station activities local people can become Board members, managers, technician, admin support, or journalist. this makes People involved in community activities and creates more job opportunities. This helps in the development of the community as unemployment will drop.
6. Community radio promotes economic growth by local entrepreneurs and traders who can advertise the business therefore it promotes community businesses and increase business for their brand which then subsequently puts more money into the local economy. The creation of more jobs also contributes to the growth of the economy allowed for businesses to expand their origin and the standard of living.
7. Community radio preserves local culture and traditions through telling traditional stories to the listeners to give information about their native culture and traditions which is a way of passing down traditional information to the younger generation to ensure that the local culture and tradition of the community are continually being, therefore keeping them reserved.