ESSENCE OF PARTICIPATION AND ITS BENEFITS IN COMMUNITY RADIO BROADCASTING: A CASE STUDY OF RADIO GRAHAMSTOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

This paper looks at the link between participation and development. In essence, the focus was on listeners’ participation in community radio and its associated developmental benefits, using Radio Grahamstown as a case study. The study adopts qualitative research method and focus group interview was conducted with some selected listeners of the radio station. In addition, an in-depth interview was conducted with the radio station manager to know the importance of listeners’ participation and if indeed the station involves its listeners in its activities. The study findings revealed that Radio Grahamstown involves its listeners in its activities and gives them opportunity to participate in programme content development. The findings also revealed that these participatory opportunities contribute in many ways to the development of the listeners and the community radio station.