Young People, Community Radio and Urban Life

Catherine Wilkinson

doi:10.1111/gec3.12197

Abstract

AbstractYoung people are living in an era where their daily routines are saturated with different media platforms, competing for their attention. One such platform is community radio. However, community radio has not gained as significant scholarly attention as other media outputs. Although there is not a wealth of extant literature on the topic of young people and community radio, much of the available literature provides colourful accounts of young people, community radio and urban life – typically through detailed case studies. Collating these case studies, my discussion is organised around two central themes: first, community radio as a platform for youth voice; and second, social inclusion of young people through youth media participation. I situate these lively exchanges and debates within the wider literature of youth media, the arts and creative industries. I suggest that community radio stations, both traditional FM and online community stations, are crucial spaces of development for young people's identities, and a space of creative learning outside of a more formal environment of school. However, I wish this to be more than a whistle‐stop tour of key literature; usefully, this paper critically assesses key conversations and highlights areas for urban geographers to devote future research interest.

Highlights

This paper examines the nexus between youth, community radio and progressive outcomes for young people within extant scholarship
To be eligible for a community radio licence, a station must be provided mainly for the good of community members, rather than for commercial reasons; serve one or more communities; not be provided with the intention of making a financial profit, and use any profit wholly to improve the future provision of the service or for the delivery of social gain to members of the target community; provide community members with opportunities to participate in the operation and management of the service; and be accountable to the target community
This paper considers urban young people as both the producers and consumers of community radio, and synthesises literature on how the space of community radio leads to progressive outcomes for these young people

Summary

Introduction

This paper examines the nexus between youth, community radio and progressive outcomes for young people within extant scholarship. Such an example is valuable and informs some of the discussion here, but the key focus of this section is how contemporary community radio is used by young people for the exploration and exhibition of youth voice.

Results

Conclusion