Community media projects have grown in number and have had fifteen years of often challenging experience since dawn of our democracy. Key questions have emerged that require collective and structured reflection. 

Here are five important discussions that media projects need to have to shape the future of the sector:

South Africa now has over 100 on-air community radio stations, 2 on-air community television stations, and numerous print and online community and alternative media initiatives. These media projects have grown out of the struggle to liberate our people, and from an acknowledgement that accessing information and the capacity to express ourselves are critical to the creation of a more just and participatory democracy  - as well as a realisation that media owned and controlled by the private sector and state could not serve this purpose.

Community media projects have grown in number and have had fifteen years of often challenging experience since dawn of our democracy. Key questions have emerged that require collective and structured reflection. In December NCRF will be holding its bi-annual general meeting (BGM) to develop common positions on many of these questions.

The Department of Communication (DOC) has also recently gazetted a discussion document that proposes establishing a Community Broadcasting Charter that would define community media, outline licensing processes, governance structures, funding mechanisms, and community participation. ICASA would monitor and enforce this charter.

Here are five important discussions that media projects need to have to shape the future of the sector:

Discussion 1: Purpose & Definition of Community Media

Our understanding of the purpose of community media is well expressed in the NCRF vision for the sector: "A sustainable and independent community radio sector in South Africa that builds grassroots democracy by mobilising all communities to engage in their own development. A sector that enables the expression of the diverse voices of civil society, through access to the airwaves and participation in the programming of radio stations". The DOC suggests projects should be non-profit, and enable local access and have a local orientation, enable community participation and control of the project and programming.

Some questions for discussion:

Discussion 2: Sustainability of People's Media

While the establishment of community media projects were conceptualised within the RDP paradigm of development, they were soon left to fend for themselves as the cold winds of neo-liberalism gripping the country. As a result, in the field today, many media projects registered as non-profit take their financial sustainability as their primary strategic impetus. All energy and creativity is dedicated initially to their financial survival. This strategic orientation places projects at the whim of the local and national market place.

Many media projects are located in communities that have limited consumer power and thus do not represent attractive markets to private sector advertisers. Most of a media project's challenges stem from the lack of access to finances. Dependence on advertising can compromise editorial independence as projects must not offend their advertisers. DOC acknowledges these challenges but makes no clear proposals.

Some questions for discussion:

Discussion 3: Community Participation in People's Media

A robust and invigorated community media requires that projects are accountable to their communities and provide a platform for communities to express their interests and views though the media. A project's community also represents a renewable resource that can provide content, volunteers, and funding. Mechanisms to ensure effective community participation are required at the level of governance, management, and editorial/programming.

Community radio stations are required by ICASA to be registered as non-profit organisations and to hold annual general meetings (AGMs) and elect their governing structures from the community. While the profit/non-profit distinction is necessary, current experience in the field suggests that it is not sufficient and the dominant populist governance model is inadequate. Rather than being places of accountability, policy and strategy, the official business of the meeting is conducted ceremoniously. Often the main feature of the AGM is the election of the new Board: A competition of opportunistic individuals and local political elites vying for position.

Confronted with the limitations of this governance model, community media projects have begun to innovate. Cape Town Community Television has opted for a 'sector-based' approach; building on organised formations within the community. Seats on their Board are allocated to sectors (labor, sport, CBOs, etc.) and organisations in these sectors forward candidates and vote. This model has the advantage of orientating the media project to the diverse interests of the community, ensuring greater continuity and accountability, as well as allowing the project to draw on the organisational capacity of established structures.

Some questions for discussion:

Discussion 4: Networking and Collaboration for a People's Media

Media projects do not realise their objectives in isolation.  They are part of networks of stakeholders with shared or complimentary objectives. To effectively address the challenges projects face they need to work in greater concert through formal and informal networks - locally, nationally, and internationally -  to access information and resources and contribute to addressing common challenges.

Some questions for discussion:

Discussion 5: Producing Quality Content

Community radio stations - broadcasting for many hours a day - resort to music (often American pop) and news bulletins are read off the front pages of the commercial print media. There is also a dependence on the Government Information and Communication Service (GCIS) who provide ready packed news and other content. Local content is dominated by parochial stories often with a bias towards the concerns and prejudices of ratepayers or middle class sections of the community.

Generally, journalists' skills are weak and there is little or no investigative reporting. Content sharing is limited, with few media projects exchanging content for forming sustainable partnerships with CSOs that have a rich understanding of various critical issues.

Some questions for discussion: