RTV Theory and Practice - Special Issue

could also have consequences for government policy regarding advertising . It Is expecteđ that once commercial television becomes a realitv m the countrv , this will be followed by legalization of advertismg at the regional and local levels . REFLECTION ; DEMOCRATIZATION OF COMMUNICATION AND LOCAL RADIO The above descrlption of the process by which local radio stations have been mtroduced m Dutch commumties is a somber story. It suggest an image which has consepuences not onty for the future of the medium, but also and especially for its potential contribution to the democratization of communication . Although it was conceived on the ideals of greater participation of citizens , the medium has become mtegrated mto existlng međia structures . It is important to realize that the development of local radio and television in the Netherlands does not stand alone . White (1984:16) signals such a tendency elsewhere in the world , and sKetches m general terms four stages - the natural history of such alternative commumcation efforts . When we compare the mtroductorv process of local rađio m the Netherlands with the stages White proposes there are a number of remarkably parallel situations . STAGE 1: SPONTANEOUS COMMUNAL EXPRESSION White đescnbes the development of democratic communication forms as follows : ". . ,they begm withm the context of small , relativelv đispersed groups attemptmg to create a free space for a new cultural expression controlled directlv by participants" (White ; 1984:18). For this stage it is necessarv to look back at the very first experiments with comrnunitv radio and teievision m the Netherlands m the miđ-19705. Then there were no regulations regardmg organizational structure , content. region of signai distnbution and such , but tne two media were completeiv open. There was also, then, a strong feelmg that fmaily an alternative medium has been found wtnch coulđ counter messages produeed bv medla of the dommant culture; citlzen had fmally their own media . Tlns stage lasteđ relatively a short penođ of time and ended m 19 75 with selection of the six stations approved by the government for particioation m a national expenment with commuratv radio and television. At this pomt m time , m 1988, there is but a small number of plrate stations which have been able to retam an automonous character m spite of commercial an.đ cioverninentai pressure . Out of need these stations operate man illegal circuit and аге staffed by a small groups of voiuntsers . While remarks quite perceptively aboul ttns situation:

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