Enabling Environment, Good Local Content And Community Radio Broadcasting In Africa: The Case Of Kenya

This document puts forth several arguments that the author says are indispensable to the development and strengthening of community radio broadcasting on the continent and in particular in Kenya.

From the Introduction:

• "Good local content is an essential pillar of sustainability for community Broadcasting.
• Good local content should be part of implementing real change in view of improving and transforming the living standards of communities served by radio stations.
• Good local content is created by the convergence of global, national and local experiences and interests; so that global concerns might have local meaning or root, clarity and perspective.
• Communication technologies can enable the vibrant participation of communities on the traditional African market model.
• Legislation is not the only tool enacted by parliament that can institute change within poor communities. There are invisible laws ingrained as a consequence of years of eroding the sense of self-reliability of communities that need to be tackled and changed."

The author uses the example of Radio Mangelete, which is a women’s project based in a rural community a few hundred kilometers from the capital, Nairobi. As a result of the quality and appropriateness of the local content aired, women have been able to seek redress in areas where their rights were violated; cotton and horticulture farming has been increased with improved yield and nutrition levels within the population; and certain beliefs, such as witchcraft, have been questioned and discussed openly.