Reinforcing citizenship through civil society and media partnerships: the case of community radios

Abstract

Since 2011 the intersection between media and civil society organisations, both of which have bloomed in Tunisia, has become a powerful source of support for the development of citizen-run (or associative), community-based radios. In identifying three critical areas in which civic media and non-governmental organisations are translating social programmes to strengthen concepts of citizenship through cooperative action – information provision, advocacy and education – this study argues that they are contributing to the development of a strong new media space in the form of citizen radios. These, often web-based broadcasters provide opportunities, particularly for youth in both provincial and urban areas, to develop capacities as producers, consumers and story subjects, offering them new tools to experiment with blogging, citizen journalism, social messaging and identity building. The partnership of these two sectors provides significant benefits in terms of funding provision, democracy promotion and capacity building, although, it is argued, they can also place limits on the independence and future growth of these citizen radio platforms. The message, financing and regulation of this growing field of civil society/citizen radio output remains at the centre of a continuous negotiation of powers shifting to the public sphere.