The Importance of Audience Participation in the Success of Community Radio

Abstract

Studies show that community radio provides a platform for community participation, and the use of indigenous languages in its programmes facilitates development. Using Forte community radio as a case study, this chapter employs Day’s (2009) framework of audience participation in mass media to investigate the extent to which the community participates in content production, programming and management of the station. The study adopted a mixed-method research design to collect data from participants; quantitative data was analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences while qualitative data was analysed using thematic analysis. The findings show that Forte community radio does not fully involve the community in content, programming and management. This evidence suggests that the community mostly participates as experts, guests and through call-in when programmes are live on air. This denotes the lowest levels of participation as community members’ participation is ranked on levels 1–3 and 6 in reference to Day’s (2009) framework of audience participation in mass media. This study suggests that there is a need to employ a diversity of approaches to increase community participation in content production, programming and management of community radio stations to promote broadcasting that facilitates the development of indigenous communities.