RTV Theory and Practice - Special Issue

lean heavily toward communlty access by participation in panel discussions, listener call-in programs, and debates. Its organizer , Lorenzo Hilam ( 1986), saw radio as a means of the đemocratic right to dissent, "the right to argue , anđ điffer , and be heard” (p . 3). These stations flourished in the white communities where they were orgamzeđ , but were less successful in their attempts to incorporate minority communities (Barlow, 1987). Of greater success at minority participation has been KPOO-FM, "Poor People's Rađio" in San Francisco. Since 1980, KPOO has had programming participation by the City's Latino , Asian , Filipino, and Native American communities (Barlow, 1987 ). COMMUNITY RADIO TODAY There are just over 100 community radio stations currently operating in the Uniteđ States , of which many are organized into a national organization called the National Federation of Community Broadcasters (NFCB) , more than tripling in numbers đuring the last decade , Programming on these stations tends to be eclectic , reflecting the tastes and neeđs of the local communities they serve . A 1982 NFCB pamphlet describes the rapid growth of community radio : "This movement (of commumty radio) has not only brought countless new voices to the air across the country, but has set an example of creative programmmg , community participation and listener support that's changed the whole nature of public radio in this country. Despite their diversity , these stations are united by a philosophical, political and aesthetic approach to radio that emphasizes localism and commumty needs; radio as an activist resource for community đevelopment anđ social justice; creative freedom; experimentation and diversity in music , cultural and informational programming; involvement of people traditionally excluded from the mass media; and commumty participation through accessible station governance and extensive opportunities for public participation in all aspects of operations and programmmg " (NCFB , 1982, P. 18). implied within this statement of purpose are a number of mherent problems which occur whenever groups from disparate constituencies come together to share a finite resource . While national systems of broadcastmg may differ in fundamental philosophy of licensmg and structure , each will have to face the issues of which Kinđs of communities will be serveđ by and

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