Community and amateur radio
Practical Action
Constraints of Community Radio / Amateur Radio
Some countries restrict the issuing of licences or have long application processes.
The necessary technical and broadcasting skills may not be available.
The radio station owners/managers are in control of a powerful communications
medium, and must use it responsibly.
Real Life Story
Orkonerei Radio: the voice of
livestock keepers.
The village of Tarrat is located in rural
Tanzania, 80km south of Arusha on
rough mud roads. This is a Maasai
pasturalist region with no grid electricity
or telephone lines. However, the people
living around Orkonerei do not go without
their own local radio station. Orkonerei
FM (94.4Mhz) has been broadcasting
since June 2002 and markets itself as
sauti ya wanchungi, the voice of livestock
keepers.
Judging by the huge number of postcards
sent in by listeners, the station is very
popular. Listeners often visit the station
to ask questions and announce local
events. Orkonerei FM uses a solar power
system and has a 60 meter mast which
allows broadcasting to 5 regions within a
100km radius. The station is on air daily
from 12 noon until 10pm, with various
programmes including music,
educational, and religious programmes.
They also have their own local journalists
who make news programmes. The station
has a small support office in Arusha
which finds news and information on the
internet and sends it to Orkonerei by e-
mail using a high frequency radio, and
‘Bushlink’ software.
The 60 meter mast at Orkonerei
Getting the station started was not easy; it took 5 years to secure the necessary broadcasting
licence. Staff remain uncertain about whether they are entitled to broadcast in the local
Massia language, given that Kiswahili is the national language in Tanzania.
Real life story written from an Practical Action visit to Tarrat, May 2003
Further reading
Using Existing Mass Media Practical Action Technical Brief
Podcasting: Recording and Using Local Voices for Knowledge Sharing Practical Action Brief
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