Abstract
According to the media council of Kenya, 95% of all Kenyans listen regularly to the radio. As much as some people dismiss the radio for not being as rich as the TV which exploits both the visual and audio senses, it is a fact that nobody can dismiss the “strong influence” (Lasswell theory) of the radio on the general population. The radio is an effective tool of communication due to its portability, affordability and ability to reach a large audience, even to the poorest population in the remotest part of the world with little infrastructure. One can listen to it while going on with their daily chores. Kenya has over a hundred radio stations today a good number of them being commercial stations while the others are community Radios. Some of these commercial stations broadcast in vernacular therefore causing confusion as to what exactly is the difference between a community radio and the commercial radio broadcasting in a local language. This paper attempts at elucidating vividly the difference between the two and the role they play in the society with a bias to the Kenyan context of legal and policy frame work .
Highlights
In Africa, radio outside the state owned systems has been a development of the late 90s
Homa Bay Community Radio Station established in the western part of Kenya in May, 1982 was among the first in Africa
For decades Kenya's only local source of news, information, and entertainment on radio came through the state owned Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC)
Summary
In Africa, radio outside the state owned systems has been a development of the late 90s. UNESCO shares the views of the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters that community radio stations should represent the interests of the community, whether that is a small locality or a broad social sector They provide opportunities for citizen involvement where all views can find expression and the diversity of languages and cultures can be defended. As ownership and operations consolidate, independent and locally owned stations disappear from the airwaves, compromising the circulation of programming catering to the specific needs, tastes and desires of these smaller, local publics Stiegler, despite resolutions such as “Radio Communication is a public utility and as such should be regulated and controlled by the Federal Government in the public interest” that came out of the first conference in 1922, the importance of business investment was always central to the discussions. Most call-in programmes, are led by presenters, who select the topics for their programmes again, mostly from other media
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