“Community radio is 10% radio and 90% community,” Jeff Shaw says. Speaking at a workshop about bringing together the worlds of low-power FM (LPFM) radio and public access television, Shaw drew this key lesson from his long career as a community media provider. The quote, he added, was inspired by community radio advocate Zane Ibrahim, founder of Bush Radio in Cape Town, South Africa. “It’s not necessarily the tools that are used--it’s about engaging with the community,” Shaw said.
The importance of community engagement was also a major theme for others at the workshop, which was presented at last week’s Alliance for Community Media Conferencein Tucson, Ariz. Titled “Turn Up the Radio: Exploring Collaborative Opportunities for PEG and LPFM,” it featured a variety of lessons for how LPFM advocates and Public, Educational, and Government (PEG) Access TV providers could benefit from working together more closely.
