What Makes Radio Listening Clubs as a Participatory Communication for Development Platform Work? A Case Study of Monkey Bay, Malawi

Levi Zeleza Manda

doi:10.29333/ojcmt/2533

Abstract

This case study used qualitative ethnographic research methods, notably focus group discussions, Most Significant Change (MSC) narratives, and key informant interviews, to investigate drivers and the impact of Radio Listening Clubs (RLCs) as a participatory communication platform for development in Malawi. It concludes that personal commitment and innovativeness of members are the key drivers of RLC success. Radio Listening Clubs whose members are active, innovative and committed are more impactful than those clubs whose members are passive and uncommitted to the objectives of the RLC. Since emerging evidence indicates that the RLC platform is an effective development and critical empowerment tool, the study recommends that radio-based communication for development interventions should be accompanied by some form of RLC or community conversation platform to ensure fruitful exchanges among duty bearers, community members, and the media. Radio Listening Club establishment should be preceded by a community readiness assessment to embrace the tool to avoid resource wastage.

Highlights

Panos Southern Africa (PSAf) has been instrumental in using public and community media to advance social development in Southern Africa by, inter alia, affording the poor and marginalised the tools and platforms with which to speak out against patriarchal traditions that suppress women and children, to demand and set the their own agenda for social development, to track resources meant for local development and to hold elected leaders and other duty bearers accountable
Findings and Discussion Radio Listening Clubs (RLCs) Engender Infrastructure Development Interviews with two village chiefs, the RLC coordinators for Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) and Dzimwe Community revealed that RLCs had influence change in the Monkey Bay area
What comes out succinctly from the above verbal data is that, well used, RLCs have the potential to bring about infrastructure development because they conscientise the community to look into itself for solutions to local problems; empower community members politically and ideologically; promote local cultures and languages; act as a platform for the voiceless, and promote critical social change debates

Summary

Introduction

Panos Southern Africa (PSAf) has been instrumental in using public and community media to advance social development in Southern Africa by, inter alia, affording the poor and marginalised the tools and platforms with which to speak out against patriarchal traditions that suppress women and children, to demand and set the their own agenda for social development, to track resources meant for local development and to hold elected leaders and other duty bearers accountable. According PSAf (n.d) the recordings are collected by a local RLC monitor or coordinator and sent to a partner-broadcasting house, such as a national broadcasting radio station or a community radio station, which, in turn, takes the questions and concerns of the clubs to appropriate experts or policy makers for answers. These experts respond to the concerns and are tape-recorded. The RLC acts as a public sphere where unfettered dialogic communication between the local people and the duty bearers takes place

Objectives

Results

Conclusion