tranquileye free media papers

By Colin Fraser and Sonia Restrepo Estrada for UNESCO, 2001.

From introduction: here are more than 20,000 radio stations in the world and more than 2 billion radio receivers. Any notion that TV and other sophisticated communication technology will replace radio is unfounded, for radio is in constant expansion. Its waves reach almost every corner of our planet. It is the prime electronic medium of the poor because it leaps the barriers of isolation and illiteracy, and it is the most affordable electronic medium to broadcast and receive in... The last two decades have seen a rapid expansion in the number and popularity of community radio stations. Among the reasons for this are: the democratization and decentralization processes in many parts of the world; deregulation of the media and the relaxing of broadcasting monopolies by state institutions; and disaffection with commercial radio channels... To start a small radio station is not as complicated and expensive as many people think. There is enough experience in many countries to prove that it is within the reach of almost any community.