Background

In the transformation from apartheid, community radio has been given a prominent role (equal to the public service and commercial sectors) in the development of media plurality, civil society, and democracy. The question remains if they will be able to deliver a return on this commitment.

 

 

Introduction

Supported by the US Embassy, I was tasked with delivering a keynote address at the 2009 Community Radio Symposium in Durban. During my visit I had the opportunity to analyze the state of media pluralism in South African civil society, which provides this snapshot of RAS community radio. Evidence was assembled from more than 60 stakeholders including politicians, regulators, advertising agencies, media sales agents, media measurement firms, media consultants, journalists, academics, consumers, and of course the radio practitioners themselves. Using accepted methods of research including market analyses and organizational reviews, I formed a composite picture of the community media sector. This research was instrumental in developing a well-targeted presentation at the symposium, as well as recommendations for the sector going forward.

 

 

 

Environment

When analyzing the environment for community media, we can point to the following components as essential in forming an “enabling environment”:

 

• legal & regulatory recognition and support
• technical access to appropriate spectrum
• organized communities
• sufficient economic activity / consumer markets

 

 

Results

The environment for community radio in South Africa scores high marks on all the above criteria. In fact, among the 50 countries I’ve visited and analyzed, the South African environment of community radio would rank well above average. With more than 7 million listeners, one in five South African radio listeners tune to community radio. The government not only recognizes the sector, but it also allocates valuable frequencies, builds the studios and transmitters, and even subsidizes operations for many radios. The community radios are allowed to carry advertising sufficient to cover their regular operating expenses. The consumer markets are generally healthy, with more than enough retail advertising spending to fuel the sector. In addition, the commercial media sector funds the audience research which greatly enhances the community radios’ ability to attract advertisers, including major brands as well as local businesses. Without hesitation, I can report that the South African community media operate in an “enabling environment”.

That’s the good news.

 

 

Organizations

The second requirement for the sector’s success lies with the radio organizations themselves, and this is where there is work to be done. Except for a handful of highly successful well-managed radios, most of the radios lack the organizational capacity to take advantage of their positive environment. Their sustainability depends on developing a well-managed entrepreneurial organization designed to develop diversified sources of revenue with an emphasis on advertising. When analyzing organizations, we categorize the operations as either a “charity” (unable to develop sustainability beyond external donor funding) or a “social enterprise” (indeed able to develop long-term sustainability, optimally from resources linked to the community). It is the social enterprise that will survive and prosper as a sustainable component of a functioning civil society.

 

 

Utilizing a standard set of criteria used for commercial media, it is possible to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the radio organizations. They generally include governance, strategy, business plan, budgets, sales management, salespeople, and sales systems. The overwhelming evidence points to the lack of capacity in most South African community radios to sell and execute effective advertising, which involves the people, systems, materials, and most importantly the training needed implement them. The visits were consistent with this recurring weakness, that if fixed, could go far to ensure the sustainability of the sector for years to come.

 

 

Visits

Kasi FM - Johannesburg Area

An established station with large signal, large audience, and very limited organizational capacity for enterprise. Completed initial management training, suggesting preliminary steps for development. Management recognizes opportunity and welcomes next steps.

Good potential 

 

 

 

Theta FM - Johannesburg

An established station with large signal and large audience. Management has a commitment to development of enterprise capacity but lacks the skills. Initial training of sales team was productive. Good potential. 

 

Inanda FM - Durban

New station with similar large signal covering entire Durban metro area. Gov’t subsidies for Y1 operations. Limited commitment from management for organizational development, currently a classic “charity” case. Training for sales team went well, but they have little chance of success without capable management. Big potential!

 

Vibe FM - Durban

New station with very large signal covering all of Durban, but no measured audience yet. Subsidies from a gov’t agency for Y1 operations. Board and management are complete novices but were very attentive learners and welcome more enterprise development training. Big potential!

 

 

Hindivander FM - Durban

An established radio serving the commercially vibrant Indian community. Board and new management are engaged and very interested to take advantage of their opportunities for enterprise development. Need to build a sales organization from the ground up but seem capable of learning quickly. Big potential!

 

 

Symposium

The Durban symposium presented a program designed to inform the discussion of sustainability and revenue generation for the community radio sector. It was attended by bureaucrats, academics, vendors, sales agents, and of course radio practitioners from the KZN region. Presentations included knowledge sharing from a successful radio in Maputaland, advice from a community radio national sales agent, remarks from a representative of the local business hub, and marketing solutions from a local graphics agency.

As the featured speaker, my remarks were informed by the current state of community radio in South Africa as compared to sectors around the world. My intent was to emphasize the opportunity presented to South African community broadcasters by their government. After establishing that the environment was very fertile, we then discussed the need for organizational development as the remaining piece of the sustainability puzzle. We shared some examples of management skills and practices to indicate that there is much to learn here, then I challenged the participants to dedicate themselves to enterprise development. We later broke into groups for discussions of specific recommendations towards this aim, and I facilitated the final discourse in which we shared some ideas for the managers to implement.

In total, I felt that my message, designed to challenge the prevailing mindset, was well received. Several attendees supplied positive feedback, indicating a willingness to learn, and a desire for more organizational development and training. 

 

Conclusion