Networking – KCOMNET https://www.kcomnet.org Thu, 02 Nov 2023 07:05:20 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 Strengthening Community Radio Identity & Content https://www.kcomnet.org/portfolio/strengthening-community-radio-identity-content/ Tue, 31 Oct 2023 12:28:11 +0000 https://dodwellsolutions.com/kcomnet/?post_type=portfolio&p=8448
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Strengthening Community Radio Identity and Content
Telling Data Stories – Revealing Citizens Reality

HIVOS/Kenya Media Programme(KMP) supported Kenya Community Media Network(KCOMNET) for a one year project (November 2013 – October 2014). The aim of the project was to strengthen the generation of community based content and programming in the existing community radio stations in Kenya.

 
25 participants drawn from the 13 Community Radios participating at the capacity building workshop on strengthening community radio identity held in Kivuli
 
Participating community radios
Expected outcomes
Project Evaluation
 

Outcomes of the capacity building workshop on strengthening community radio identity

 

The objective of this workshop was to build the capacity of community radio practitioners in the development of content and programming generated from their communities that is unique to community radio identity. The workshop was held at the location of the newest community radio station in Kenya at the time, Mtaani Radio, based in Kivuli Centre, Riruta Satellite, Nairobi. This Capacity Building Workshop provided a platform to share experiences and identify best practices in programming and how they can be shared and enhanced.

The workshop brought together over 25 participants drawn from the 13 Community Radios in the country including stakeholders and partners from Media council of Kenya, UNESCO regional office for Eastern Africa, Cambridge University, Kenya Correspondents Association, FITI Resources among others.

The workshop was followed up by engagements at the location of the 13 community radio stations to mentor and train them further on the development of content and programming generated from their communities.

Findings and recommendations of the pre-status assessment

Preceding the workshop was the production of a pre-status report on the content and programming carried out by community radio stations and their means of engagement with their target communities.

The pre-status report has analysed the process of content generation and programming of the community radio stations in Kenya and sampled in depth the practice at three community radio stations: Baliti FM, Isiolo County, Koch FM, Nairobi County and Ekialo Kiona Community Radio in Mfangano Island, Homabay County. Findings of the report guided the capacity building interventions in this workshop.

Key findings 

  • Lack of audience surveys hence programmes not produced according to the needs of audience.
  • Gender mainstreaming was weak, More so, it was understood within the context of numbers rather than the societal roles and hence stereotyping.
  • Inadequate use of social media engagements and platforms
  • Limited radio production skills (i.e content sourcing, Interviewing, presenting, scripting, conducting audience surveys, production process, editing, sharing of pilot programmes and community engagement strategies).
  • Weak sustainability strategies (Institutional, financial and social sustainability).

Recommendations

  • Strengthening the understanding of the community radio concept, identity and principles.
  • Strengthening the understanding of  community radio as a medium for Communication for Development (C4D)
  • Training on the generation of community based content, programming and production skills.
  • Enabling better comprehension of gender mainstreaming amongst the community radio practitioners.
  • Strengthening the use of social media engagements and platforms
  • Institutionalise audience surveys and feedback mechanisms
  • Sustainability strategies, building partnerships and networking.

The discussions arising from the presentation informed the participants further on the uniqueness of community radio content and programming as contrasted with the private/commercial radio stations.

Community radio concept, identity and principles
Kenyan laws and advertising for community radios; opportunities and challenges
Radio programming
The audience, the king
Radio production
Community radio; the big picture
Financial sustainability strategies for community radios
Social media opportunities for community radio & launch of KCOMNET’s website
Research and consultation of African citizens’ views through radio and sms
UNESCO’s commitment to support community radios
The role of Kenya Correspondents Association in uplifting standards of media workers in Kenya
Media Council of Kenya’s (MCK) commitment to building the capacity of community radio journalists in Kenya.
 
 
 
]]> The Radio-for-Peace Program https://www.kcomnet.org/portfolio/the-radio-for-peace-program/ Tue, 31 Oct 2023 12:25:15 +0000 https://dodwellsolutions.com/kcomnet/?post_type=portfolio&p=8445
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The Radio-for-Peace Program
Development objective of the project

Community radio actively engaged in conflict sensitive reporting in the pursuit of sustainable peace and development in Kenya.

25 participants drawn from the 13 Community Radios participating at the capacity building workshop on strengthening community radio identity held in Kivuli

Core project activities

KCOMNET in partnership with GIZ Civil Peace Service is developing a countrywide training and learning program for community radio journalists and community stakeholders in non-violent communication, conflict sensitive reporting and alternative dispute resolution.

  1. Field assessment on the nature, strengths and challenges on conflict sensitive reporting
  2. Training to community radio journalists and local stakeholders in all the community radio stations in Kenya on peace building, conflict sensitive reporting and behavior change programming
  3. Production and broadcasting of quality programmes on peace building and conflict resolution by all the community radio stations in Kenya involved in the programme. 2 programmes per station.
  4. Development of a web based database of radio programmes being produced and broadcast at the participating community radio stations and for sharing of the programmes
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