Press Release PSAf challenges community radio stations to inclusively use social media Grahamstown, 07 September 2014 Panos Institute Southern Africa (PSAf) has challenged community radio stations and other media entities to adopt inclusive approaches that ensure that the poor and marginalised are not left behind in the social media revolution. While there is no doubt that social media have transformed the way people communicate, PSAf Programme Manager for Media Development and ICTs Elias Banda says it is sad to note that thousands of poor and marginalised in Southern Africa still do not have access to social media platforms. “There is need for community radio stations to manage properly the issues being discussed so the marginalized and poor (without access to social media) are not left out. If not well managed, the use of social results in only those with access to and are able to use data enabled mobile phones can interact with others through the radio station’s social media platforms. Facebook and social media in ITT is creating a socio-technological divide among the communities. The poorest of the poor who cannot afford mobile phones, later alone data-enabled phones are now left out of the community discourse,” said Mr. Banda. Presenting a paper titled: Community Parliament- How Social Media Has Improved Community Interface at the ongoing Highway Africa Conference in Grahamstown, South Africa, Mr. Banda said there has been an increase in the number of community radio stations that have integrated social media into their communication platforms. “A number of rural based community radio stations now use social media to engage with their audiences and local opinion leaders,” said Mr. Banda. “This approach has created some kind of community Parliament where the radio station uses its page to start debate on a topic of local interest. The radio station then monitors the discussions on the Facebook and then develop news content based on the posts and the comments.” Using an example of Itezhi Tezhi Community Radio Station in Central Zambia, Mr. Banda said there was evidence that if well managed, social media could complement community radio broadcasting. And if not properly manage, this could widen the digital divide among the community members. “The radio station runs a Facebook page that has more than 1,600 followers. For a remote rural district, this is a large number. What is even more interesting is that the followers of the radio station’s include the local Member of Parliament, the District Commissioner, senior leaders of opposition parties, government workers, electricity company workers, wildlife officers, fishermen and traders,” said Mr. Banda. Through the debates started online and further emphasised on air through news and special broadcasts, Mr. Banda said Itezhi Tezhi radio station has led debates that have resulted in a number of major developments being implemented. “For example, the D769 road which links ITT and Namwala on the South and Mongu Road was damaged in the early 1980s is currently being re-done and tarred. A driller was also purchased to drill boreholes in the surrounding villages and individual homes at a fee, while the Vice president has visited the area twice within two years to launch construction of health centres and markets. A game management unit composed of ZAWA and villages now responsible for resolving human animal conflict and profits from game activities. All these achievements are a result of the community members and other local based stakeholders using the local radio station’s social media platforms to air their concerns,” added Mr. Banda. In his presentation, Mr. Banda also emphasised the need for creativity and focus on the part ofthe radio station to be able to effectively fuse social media content into the radio news. Mr. Banda was part of a Media Research Colloquium panel which also included former PSAf Executive Director Mr. Parkie Mbozi and Lindani Mbunyuza-Memani, a media scholar. Ends//
Posted on: Mon, 08 Sep 2014 16:38:57 +0000
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