ABSTRACT
The ubiquitous nature of the radio and its flexibility to accommodate literate and illiterate populations has never been in doubt. This advantage is further enhanced by technological convergence which has made radio ever more mobile. The convergence of radio and other information and communications technologies is globally growing at a fast pace and this presents an advantage to the programming of participatory radio content to maximise the diverse expression of opinions and allows Africans to share their daily experiences through the use of easily accessible mobile technologies (Thompson 2013). It is in this respect that the radio is a critical mass medium in the development of rural or local communities, hence making community radio a constant talking point in the scheme of rural community development. This chapter reports on an empirical study aimed at examining the type and extent of participation that exists between rural dwellers in the Ngaka Modiri Molema district of Mahikeng and Mahikeng FM – a radio station that serves the community. Through a qualitative research approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted, following a purposive sampling technique of 13 respondents, comprising ten regular listeners and three employees of the community radio station. By using the typology of participation of Tufte and Mefalopulos (2009), findings suggest the need of rural dwellers to use community radio not only as an informative tool, but to represent themselves through ‘empowered’ participation and involvement in deciding what constitutes news for them. This is because the nature of reality and needs is different for various communities, as participation is intended to engage stakeholders experiencing different realities.
