ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the importance of passing the mic, or the ways that community radio stations facilitate different facets of listening. Drawing on the research data, this chapter proposes a typology that explores the types of listening that were observed in the interactions between the stations and their audiences. Within this typology, there are three layers of listening: social, incentivised, and political. Social listening refers to the development and maintenance of interpersonal relationships. Incentivised listening has somewhat negative connotations, but instead it describes the reasons for tuning in to community radio – to get something out of it, whether that be entertainment, information, or to learn something new. The final layer of listening is political listening which aims to blur the boundaries between the defined roles of speaker and listener in order to achieve political equality. Finally, this chapter concludes by examining the role of community radio staff members as listeners themselves.
