community radio in South Africa persistent beginnings
Code buster NCRF - National Community Radio Forum membership body of community radio stations IBA - Independent Broadcasting Authority broadcasting regulatory authority in this country (now ICASA) Big thanks to Nyin Cameron of Sydney Australia for the video clips you will see
Discrimination leads to sexism, racism and other oppressions when based on: a. long held belief that discriminators are naturally superior b. generations of economic or military power (or threat of violence)
The belief of superiority and the on-going practice of negative discrimination feed into each other and are upheld by generations of social conditioning. Systems of oppression like racism and sexism have three main elements: a. attitudes (e.g. stereotypes, beliefs and values towards others plus power) b. negative discrimination (use of power to unfairly disadvantage another) c. belief of natural superiority of those in power
year
NCRF members
on air
1993
15-20 projects
0
1994
15 aspirant stations
0
1995
38
15
1996
46
17
1997
50
40
2006
82
82
Early challenges for the NCRF • Lack of legislative framework • Arbitrary process of licensing - during the political negotiation process, against some negotiated way forward to level the playing field • Lack of resources • Even after democracy, IBA’s operation outside of a policy framework - thereby no proper prioritisation of disadvantaged communities
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Early challenges for the NCRF
Poverty and lack of experience at community level in the face of considerable hurdles put up by the licensing process and later by some donors
Activists were absorbed into government and other industry players, weakening the NGO sector
Equally as we trained community radio people, they
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Early challenges for the NCRF SENTECH was slow to democratise and its rates were far too high for the community radio sector. A review of signal distribution tariffs is still outstanding.
Advertising revenue was slow in the early days because media planners were not familiar with ‘black’ areas. There was no audience measurement devices for community radio audiences.
Early challenges for the NCRF •
Frequency sharing provided a difficult solution to the lack of frequencies.
Early irritants for the NCRF
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the sale of transmitters to right / white stations in the period before the 1994 election (by the SABC) at a time when disadvantaged communities were facing financial barriers to owning transmitters or paying SENTECH signal distribution fees
Early irritants for the NCRF Resource advantages:
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Networked news services established ahead of the NCRF realising its plans for the SACRIN project (a satellite info. Networking project). SACRIN took time to fund, roll out and operationalise.
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Early SUCESSES for community radio
The campaign for independent broadcasting (Western Cape) and later the Campaign for Open Media involved key community radio pioneers.
The formation of Bush Radio as a spearhead for community radio was key to visibility, sustained training prior to broadcasting and for the rich debate and plans laid out at the regular Open Forums.
Radio Zibonele was able to broadcast without interference, proving feasibility and establishing an important model for grass
Early successes for the community radio / NCRF
A series of indabas were arranged and enabled consistent participatory dialogue on the development of the sector, in the broader media environment. Many people were empowered.
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Some key indabas were: Rhodes University Media Policy workshop (90) University of Bophuthatswana Media Policy Workshop (91) Campaign for Open Media / IDASA Conference on the role and shape of media in the new South Africa (91) SASPU Multi-media Mindblasts SASPU Free the Airwaves Campaign
Early NCRF INDABAS • • • • •
NCRF Healthy Station Workshop (Sept 95) NCRF First Annual Congress (May 95) NCRF Second Annual Congress (June 96) NCRF Third Annual Congress (May 97) NCRF Programming Summit (May 99)
Early successes for NCRF
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Getting good people on the boards of the SABC and IBA Council was crucial to working with those organisations The amendment of the IBA Act by Parliament to fast track community radio was an important gesture towards the need for grass roots communication Successful lobbying for the removal of
Early successes for NCRF
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International solidarity was important, for example from AMARC
Early assistance from AusAID and FES was key to the start up of the sector. Their faith gave strength to the NCRF when other donors were skeptical and critical.
Early successes for NCRF We would also like to acknowledge the support of:
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IMDT
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CAF
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OSF
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CIDMAA
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EMW
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WACC
successful initiatives that involved the NCRF
The regulatory framework is clear An enabling support mechanism exist, in the form of MDDA DOC support for programming, infrastructure and training, GCIS prioritises community radio for advertising NEMISA offers state of the art training Local government support exists for community radio
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Ongoing challenges remain
Capacity building, especially in the areas of corporate governance, management and financial management specifically, relevant programming, technical skills Usage of community radio for community mobilisation and driven development Sustaining skills and developing local “station based” skills development strategies, plans and programmes on an ongoing basis
…. Ongoing challenges remain
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Many communities however still do not have access to media (In particular communities in rural geographies) Electronic Communications Act provides for a different licensing regime Could lead to more Community Radio licenses Challenge would be to ensure they cover the underserved communities
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Asante sana Re a leboga Siyabonga We thank you Lumko Mtimde lumko@mdda.org.za
and
Tracey Naughton tracey@traceynaughton.com