ABSTRACT
This chapter defines community radio by exploring the various theoretical underpinnings of the media. Drawing on the definition from the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (known by their French acronym, AMARC), community radio is understood as “a two-way process, which entails the exchange of views from various sources and is the adaptation of media for use by communities”. Several theories and discussions underpin this definition including the democratisation of media access, alternative public spheres, the New World Information and Communication Order (NWICO) debates, the historical links between community radio and radical politics, as well as the different interpretations of “community” and how “community” can be constructed and maintained. This chapter aims to highlight the diversity and context-dependent nature of community radio and to develop an understanding of some of the dominant theories and debates surrounding the medium.
