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At the opening plenary of Amarc9, Steve Buckley, President of AMARC introduced the theme of Voices of the world, freedom of the airwaves.
Ammannet, the hosts of Amarc9 are an inspiration and model in this region said Steve Buckly, President of AMARC at the opening plenary of the conference. Steve spoke of the vision of Amarc as a community of people and organisations who have a shared understanding of creating an equitable world through equitable access to means of communication. Community radio creates a space for diverse voices to take back power and has immediacy, intimacy and accessibility. Community Radio does not recognise walls or borders and because of the power of radio, governments continutally seek to control radio. Governments seek to control, private owners seek to own and dominate. Community radio seeks neither but wants a third space for civil society to let people speak.
He spoke of the early beginnings of community radio in the Bolivian tin mining communities and the spread to Europe and Australia in the early 1970’s. Then to Mali and South Africa in early 1990’s where it spread rapidly across the continent. Today community, radio while not in every country, is a global movement, often integrated into broader social movements.
In Bande Ache, women working in community radio were the first to open up the airwaves for relief and reconstruction after the tsunami hit. In Nepal community radio activists use the airwaves for fighting for rights and the restoration fo democracy. In Mexico communitry radio ativists have faced up to the power of huge media consortia to demand a voice for indigenous peoples.
Community radio presents a challenge to those in authority and often risk dangers and repression. Just this weekend Radio Rivea in Kinshasa, DRC was closed down along with 6 other radio stations and 3 TV stations. It is no coincidence that this coincides with the elections. The Amarc9 confernce will be circulating a petition for the immediate withdrawal of this closure.
Steve underscored how when repressive regimes threaten the freedom of the airwaves, we are aware of internationol solildarity and the support of colleagues when the right to freedom of experession is under immediate threat. This solidarity is not just about short term defence of freedoms but also about opening up of new spaces for voices to be heard.
