RTV Theory and Practice - Special Issue

radio stations encourage active citizen partlcipation and a healthy diversity of opinion” (p , 1 ) . 11 ) It may arise within movements for social change , often in opposition to the established tocal media (White, 1980, p. 3). COMMUNITV PARTICIPATION IN RADIO IN THE U.S, : A BRIEF HISTORV Community radio in the United States has taken a number of forms , from the proliferation of amateur operators prior to the First World War , to radio listening clubs in the 1930 sand 19405, the airing of locally-based music on local stations , stations catering to ethic minority groups , and the rise of the Pacifica stations since 1949. Each relied upon a model of community participation by self-selected groups of people who close to participate in the creation, or monitoring, of programming for themselves . Each was an alternative to the centrally-located cadre of station operators who decided what the public should hear . The first community wireless originated with the experiments of pioneering amateurs in the first two decađes of the twentieth century . Young men took up the challenge of the new medium as a means to communicate between themselves over great distances , and as a means of channeling their desire to tinker with mechanical and electric things . These were encouraged by local news media , which sought to promote adventunsm among the young in the new age of invention (Douglas , 1987, pp. 187-215). Promotion of the radio amateur brought together a number of popular trends of the time; the increasingly important role of popular culture and journalism . . .in identifying and reinforcing acceptable norms of behavior, the boom in mstructive hobbies with their many 'amateur' practitioners , and the rise of the boy inventor-hero as a culture archetype (Douglas, 1987, p. 190). Between 1906 and 19 12, the commercial wireless operations were facing hard economic times. But, at the same time, a community of amateur wireless operators emerged throughout the United States. Hundreds, and then thousands , of schoolboys took to building their own transmission and reception eguipment. Children's books , manuals and magazines aimed at boys and young men gave advice for constructing and maintaining radio eguipment (Douglas , 1987, p. 197). Ву 19 12, the NKW Topk: TIHES estimated that there were several hundred thousand active amateur wireless operators . They traded information , gossip , and , occasionally , assisted in

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