LA SÍNTESIS NOS PERMITIRÁ RELATIVIZAR

Sustainable broadcasting has become an essential topic in many areas, (Chen, Thiede, Schudeleit & Herrmann, 2014; Haskin & Burke, 2016). There is need to investigate various aspects of CRS sustainability in order to ensure that all are effective to the overall sustainability of these stations. Shukla’s (2014) study of the role of community radios as a developmental intervention in India found that CRS within an enabling environment can be a potent tool for promoting sustainable and inclusive development.

2.17.1 Organisational sustainability

Gumucio-Dagron (2003) defines organisational sustainability as relating to the station’s policies, management styles, internal relationships and practices including its partnerships with external agencies. The principle of organisational sustainability seeks to improve the societal, environmental and economic systems within which the CRS operate (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, 2012). Since CRS often operate under the arm of the parent institution (e.g. a university), their employment and operational policies are normally reflective of the parent institution’s. Additionally, the attainment of a sustainable status by these stations has some ripple effects on their surrounding community. Thus, the stability of these institutions is integral to the growth of societies.

A further definition by Krüger et al. (2013) considers organisational sustainability as organisational frameworks, such as the legal framework, government policy and the licensing regime, within which a station operates. These include broadcasting acts, compliance with the Bill of Rights and licensing regulations provided by ICASA to stations. CRS often put a major focus on policies but previous research has shown that there usually is no positive relationship between organisational policies and employee behaviour (Ramus & Steger, 2000; Whitmarsh, 2009). 5FM station manager and programme manager, Cullinan and Nash (2017) are of the view that licence agreements – particularly the format definition - are rather broad and intended to guide stations instead of restricting them. Community radio management should therefore understand, interpret and explain the stations license agreement to employees in practical ways in order to avoid frustrations brewing and legal action being taken against the stations owing to misunderstandings.

2.17.2 Financial sustainability

Financial sustainability, is the station’s income-generating potential over time, such as return on sales and overall competitiveness (Siemering & Fairbairn, 2007; Nybakk, 2012). CRS need funds to be able to pay salaries, meet operational expenses, produce programmes, buy and repair equipment when necessary, and pay transmission costs (Krüger et al., 2013). The organisations depend on inadequate advertising fees, donations and sponsorships to survive financially, such that they struggle to meet their financial obligations while producing quality broadcasting. In addition, the ability of communities to grasp the financial management of radio stations represents the single most important challenge facing the evolving sector (Olorunnisola, 2000; Order, 2016; Scifo, 2016). The reality is that commercial radio stations are structured as for-profit enterprises (Wakefield, 2017) while CRS are not-for-profit enterprises and as such face many methodological and financial challenges, especially with regard to the establishment of financially sustainable models (Manyozo,2009). Therefore, community stations need to create and maintain effective financial models in order to plan their finances accordingly.

A big challenge that community stations face is that they sometimes become too dependent on external funding from organisations (Singh, 2010; Krüger et al., 2013). This dependence undermines their attempts of establishing ways for financial stability. Additionally, some of these stations become too overprotected that when external funding stops, it leads to their demise, as they would fail to remain sustainable on their own. This indicates that community stations’ financial sustainability is imperative because a cessation of funding puts most projects at risk (Manyozo, 2009; Krüger, 2013; Scifo, 2016). Finally, CRS dependency on external funding is heightened by the fact that advertising revenues in rural areas are too low to generate any substantial fees (Manyozo, 2007). This results in limited funds to operate stations, maintain infrastructure, finance overhead costs and pay employees.

Nkopane Maphiri, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of The Media Connection, emphasises that community radio has an increasing demand for skills development, especially in management areas (Nevill, 2017). The deployment of untrained staff has a domino effect in that should funds be received, employees will not have the skills to effectively and efficiently use the funding, thereby threatening the stability of the station. Moreover, it is an arduous task to keep stations running in a poor community and to ensure that employees remain focused on the stations mission (Krüger, 2013). As a result of such difficulties, community radio broadcasters fail to visit remote communities to research and produce programs due to a lack of financial sustainability (Manyozo, 2007) and thus broadcasters tend to produce top-down programs (African Farm and Rural Radio Initiative, 2008). This then leaves rural communities at risk of socio-economic marginalisation.

2.17.3 Social sustainability

Social sustainability means community ownership of the station and participation in the production and airing of programming at both decision-making and operational levels (Siemering & Fairbairn, 2007). All employees, such as management, producers, news editors and on-air personnel should belong to the community that the broadcast service focuses on. Semujju (2014:197) stresses the importance of community participation in

the statement that “one of the essential ingredients of community media is participation.” Therefore, the survival of CRS is dependent on community involvement (Gumucio- Dagron, 2003; Oni & Fatoki, 2013).

Megwa (2007) underlines that South Africa’s broadcast licensing authority, ICASA, takes into account community participation and support in granting or renewing operating licenses for CRS. Support for CRS is expressed in different ways such as through voluntary work, donations, participation in activities and constructive criticism (Krüger, 2013). The participation of the community being served in the decisions being made in CRS ensures that they are not sidelined in their own development. Jacobs (2016) also notes that stations need to invest in their communities by appointing local personalities and allowing them to participate in the management and operations of the stations.

The communities served by CRS should be actively involved in the activities of the stations. The communities should not be passive listeners but be active decision makers/contributors to what constitutes relevant information for them, programme production and management of the radio station (Shukla, 2014). Moreover, community members must participate as planners, producers and performers as this is a means of expression of the community (Carpentier, Lie & Servaes, 2003). The community members’ active participation in the management of the station ensures that their matters are addressed in a constructive manner and that solutions are established.

Finally, listeners do not just become loyal to stations through positive feelings about the stations (Wiid et al., 2016). Instead, stations that address the community’s difficulties and serve as a platform for their self-expression gain the loyalty of that community. Loyalty with current listeners is just as important as attracting and acquiring new listeners, even though the latter is more time consuming while retaining existing ones is expensive (Martinette, et al., 2014; Myler, 2016; Davey, 2017). Wiid et al. (2016) highlight the significance of listener retention by indicating that it has an impact on the profitability and continuation of CRS. Therefore, lack of a community of listeners that support a community station means that the station may cease to exist.