The Third Way?: Community Media

In today’s world, we often engage with the media. The newspapers we read, the television news we watch, the online articles and blogs we read; these are just some examples where we come in contact with the media. However, more often than not, these media sources are considered mainstream media or mass media. Mainstream media typically applies to print publications with the highest readership among the public, along with radio formats that have the highest number of listening audience. However, mainstream media has been criticized for its domination of the corporate media and the economic and political media structures that favoured some interest over others (Rennie, 2006). 

This is where community media held its beginnings. In 1976, UNESCO established a commission to examine international communication issues, with a predominant focus on the inequality of information flows between the First and Third Worlds.  The discussions gave birth to a New World Information Communication Order (NWICO), also known as MacBride Report. It was in this context that the terms “access”, “participation” and “self-management” were raised as indicators of democratic media.

Community media can be defined as “a range of community-based activities intended to supplement, challenge, or change the operating principles, structures, financing, and cultural forms and practices associated with dominant media” (Howley, 2010). What makes community different from mainstream media? Why is there an inherent need for community media, contributing to its rising popularity?

 

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A main characteristic of community media is that it is often financed by donations, grant funding, and in-kind contributions. This frees community media from the influences of advertisers in terms of form and content. The organizational structure of community media is often relatively smaller in size and relies a lot on voluntary participation. This situation encourages participatory decision making and practice that essentially turns readers into writers. Inspiring self-expression of personal ideas that are shared by like-minded others enables a community to better understand itself (Rennie, 2006). 

 The emergence of community media is frequently associated with wider political change particular the deepening of democracy and the strengthening of civil society (UNESCO, 2011). An important contribution of community media is the chance of public participation and defending diversity in fields like culture and gender. Contents with political and economic news may facilitate community dialogue and involvement, community messages and information programs. Through access to the production and consumption of relevant communications, these media form a collective platform for community empowerment (WACC, 2013). As stated by the Council of Europe (2008), community media essentially encourages   freedom of speech and media plurality, public and gender-balanced access, cultural diversity, self-determination, transparency and promotion of media literacy.

An example of community media in action is the establishment of 101.7 MAMA FM, community radio station set up by the Uganda Media Women's Association (UMWA). The first women’s radio station in Africa, it targets women between the age of 15-45 with gender sensitive educational programmes, and offers training and practical experience for female journalists (WACC, 2013). In Benin, West Africa, community radio is gaining popularity after the liberation of broadcasting which opened the media landscape. This open and transparent system allows for allocating frequencies including public hearings for the community.

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In this day and age, many people have access to multiple channels of media, be it mainstream or alternative. Should community media be focused on? Is the rising distrust of mainstream media a sign of its decreasing popularity? Downing (2010) offered an interesting view where he stated that people do not categorically switch off mainstream media in the present moment. Years of exposure from accumulated mainstream media could not be simply erased. This generates the formation of the dynamic mental co-habitation among users between the two types of media source and their variants. In my opinion, both mainstream and community media offer different perspectives of various issues and may co-exist with each other. Without mainstream media, community media would not exist. It is up to the people to gather whatever information they can get from both mainstream media and community media and thus, create their own point of view. 

References

Council of Europe (2008). Promoting Social Cohesion: The Role of Community Media. Retrieved from http://www.amarc.org/conference_europe/document/Promoting_Social_Cohesion_The_Role_of_Communit_Media.pdf

Downing, J.D.H 2010, Audiences and Readers of Alternative Media: The Absent Lure of the Virtually Unknown. In International Communication:a reader (ed) D.K Thussu, 293-307. New York: Routledge.

Howling, K. (2010). Understanding Community Media. Retrieved from http://www.uk.sagepub.com/booksProdDesc.nav?prodId=Book232060#tabview=google

Rennie, E. (2006). Community media: a global introduction. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield

UNESCO (2011). Community Media: A Good Practice Handbook. Retrieved from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0021/002150/215097e.pdf

WACC (2013). What is the special significance of community media to civil society? Retrieved from http://www.waccglobal.org/en/20024-communication-rights-in-the-information-society/662-What-is-the-special-significance-of-community-media-to-civil-society-CRIS-Campaign-Issue-Paper-3.html