This document discusses community radio, including that it is small scale radio stations owned and controlled by local communities for non-profit purposes. Key aspects are that they are staffed by volunteers and provide access and training to local residents to make programs. There are over 200 community radio stations in the UK, providing jobs and training opportunities. Stations aim to have real community participation reflected in their programs and structures through outreach, partnerships, audience research, and training. Examples of stations mentioned are Bristol Community Radio, Beam Radio in Totnes, and Radio Wear in Bishop Auckland.

1. Community radio

2. What is Community Radio?
Key principals of Community
Radio
Examples
Participation
Live radio for community radio
Discussion Questions

3.  Small scale radio stations
 Owned and controlled by the communities
they serve
 Geographically defined neighbourhood OR
 Community of interest (or both)
 Not for profit
 Staffed by volunteers
 Access and training for programme
makers in target community
 Over 200 stations-new job sector!

4. Training and Community
Outreach are central to
community radio station
management
real participation must be
reflected in programmes
and station structures

5.  Station aims and POLICY
 Regular Training Programmes
 Community outreach and
partnerships
 Audience Research
 Feeds into programme making
 Feeds into programme schedule

6.  Think about Sunderland target audiences
first
 Get young people on the programme
 Get out into Sunderland
 Work with existing contacts
 Build on them over a longer period of
time
 What extra/different skills do you need?
 Not just vox pops...

8.  Most established CR station in Uk, licenced 2002
 8-10 staff
 General training for volunteers
 Project based programmes
 Community Reporters’ training scheme
 Various projects leading to on air material and
podcasts-eg Climate Change Project
 Look at Schedules
 www.bcbradio.co.uk

9. Based in Totnes, licenced 2007
2 part time workers
Community based and art radio
Very small scale
Projects with schools and
community

10.  Ruralstation serving villages where main
industry is farming and tourism, licenced
2006
1 full-time station manager plus operation
team and volunteers
 Programmes made by school kids and young
offenders
 RadioSkills Course Run in association with
Bishop Auckland College

11.  community station for 35 years
 Policy of representing all minorities
in one radio station
 http://www.3cr.org.au/

12. Content
The way you make them
Involving people-as producer
and trainer
Working together v individual
egos
Issues of professionalism
First steps...

13.  Community Media Association web site and
discussion list