Mapping community radio in South Asia A systematic analysis of the alternative mediascape in Nepal India and Bangladesh

Abstract

Mapping Community Radio in South Asia: A Systematic Analysis of the Alternative newlineMediascape in Nepal, India, and Bangladesh is a doctoral thesis that comprehensively newlinemaps this alternative medium within the South Asian region, with a focus on community newlineradio (CR) in Nepal, India, and Bangladesh. With the development of a South Asia specific newlinetechnique and framework for analysing CR, based on an international understanding of newlinealternative media, the researcher was able to analyse the media ecology of these countries. newlineThrough a mapping methodology, this thesis presents data using thematic, newlinereference, and conceptual mapping for both primary and secondary data relating to CR newlinewithin each country. First, secondary data were gathered from desk review and collated, newlineanalysed, and organized into a Community Media Database (CMD) for South Asiai - which newlineinformed the primary data gathering process. The CMD contains virtually accessible data newlineas of December 2017 with regards to the countries - organized under: management and newlinenetworking; policies and guidelines; economic sustainability; participation; community; newlineprogramming; and, technology and infrastructure; and the active CR stations - organized newlineunder: establishment information; location; contact information; networks and partners; newlinecommunity profiles; programming; and, miscellaneous information. Primary data gathered newlinethrough in-depth interviews with stakeholders and case study analysis were then analysed newlineusing six thematic areas: policy environment; ownership and management; community; newlineprogramming; technology and infrastructure; and, networks, partners, and networking. newlineThe technique and framework enabled the researcher to understand, systematically newlinestudy, analyse, and examine the CR sectors within each country and across all three newlinecountries using the thematic areas. Apart from providing a consolidated body of work newlineregarding the CR sectors within Nepal, India, and Bangladesh, this project also presents an newlineexhaustive list of 24 principles that the CR sectors within Nepal, India, an