Contribution of community radios in rural areas development case study of Habwa Ijambo? program aired at RC Huye

2.2.6. Social Effects of the Media

Richard argued that it is commonly believed that the mass media wield wide and mysterious powers. According to social learning theory, individuals could acquire or learn a great deal information simply by watching others and without being directly reinforced. However, their decision to perform or enact what they had learned depended to a considerable extent on «reinforcement contingencies» - that is, rewards and punishments (Jeffres, 1986).^5(*)

2.2.7. Community Radio for Rural Development

"People should make community radio as a basic need because by listening to community radio, people can increase knowledge, skills, insights and new innovations through broadcasts of community radio."

The thing above was revealed by the chairman of the Board of Community Radio Broadcasting (DPRK), MITRA FM Radio, Tanjung Anom Sub-village, Tandem Hilir Village II, Perak Hamparan Sub-district, Deli Serdang district. As cited by D. Ocwich (2006) the media is more effective in «spreading awareness of new possibilities and practices» (Servaes, 1999: 23), than causing direct social change.

The media's impact is better felt when augmented by other channels of communication, including interpersonal interaction (McQuail, 2005). Other scholars such as Willbur Schramm view the mass media as a «bridge to a wider world», and as the vehicles for transferring new ideas and models from the North to the South, and within the South from urban to rural areas (Thussu, 2000: 41-42). Modernization is, under this theory, conceived as a process of diffusion whereby «individuals move from a traditional way of life to a more complex, more technically developed, and more rapidly changing way of life» (Servaes 1999: 27).^6(*)

Nowadays no one can deny the importance of media in fighting social evils, illiteracy as well as poverty. Understanding the essence of media and showing full confidence in it, «Media has played pivotal role in spreading knowledge in traditional societies in India where accessing education was just a dream. By regularly broadcasting programs on agricultural issues and on various social and moral evils, media has contributed a lot in bringing multifarious development in this nation (Saad Ullah Khan, 2002).

The diversity of this participatory radio movement is large and very rich. In this we find our strength (Delorme in Lewis, 1993).

Bernard Lamiset and Ahmed Silem (1997:470) classified local community radios among the non commercial radios. There are characterised by the commercial resources from the messages that they aired. The particularity of these radios is that they are always in contact with its audience if you compare to other which do not focus to this region or that. Community Radio Stations are operated, owned, and driven by the communities they serve.

Community radio is a type of radio made to serve people; radio that encourages expression and participation and that values local culture. Its purpose is to give a voice to those without voices (Girard, 1992; ix).

* ⁵ Richard M. Perloff is Associate Professor of Communication and Director of the Communication Research Center at Cleveland State University.

* ⁶ Denis Ocwich , FM Radios and Rural Development Case Study: Lira District, Northern Uganda, 2006