Community radio management in South Africa : a study of Mafikeng Radio and Radio Mafisa

Abstract

The study of community radio management has not been given much attention by scholars because of its position and hierarchy in the stream of traditional and new media. Be that as it may, community radio remains a viable and the most proximate form of media for communities to dialogue with and engage themselves. However, its management has been problematic even in countries like South Africa where there have been favorable broadcast policies regarding community radio. The essence of this study was to identify and examine management practices or models present in community radio stations in South Africa using two community radio stations - Mafikeng FM and Radio Mafisa as entry point. Using a qualitative method, the research explored the type of management model and practice present in these community radio stations. This was done using semi-structured interviews and data was analyzed using the analytical inductive approach. Community radio management goes beyond financial sustainability. Its social and institutional sustainability should be prioritized in order for community radio to be relevant, and for it [community radio] to be well managed. The major finding for this study is that both community radio stations- Mafikeng FM and Radio Mafisa have no management models they are patterned after, rather they have carved out ways of managing their radio stations in view of their peculiar circumstances, which negates the mandate of the promoters of community radio.