Community Media is community owned and controlled, giving access to voices in the community and encouraging diversity, creativity and participation. Community media provides a vital counterbalance to the increasing globalisation and commercialisation of the media.

Community Media is providing media and information communication technology access, training and employment and is an exciting source of social innovation and practical 'joined up' outcomes.  Combining social enterprise, creative content production and skills for the digital economy, Community Media has a vital role in reaching out to people and communities at risk of exclusion and disadvantage.

Community-based radio, television and Internet projects work by enabling people to become media producers, to send as well as to receive, and, by working together, to reinforce knowledge, dialogue and cultural expression at neighbourhood and community level.

 

The freedom of expression underpins all other human rights.  It is the means by which other human rights are defended and extended.  In the Information Age the freedom of expression takes on additional importance, as the ability to send and receive information, regardless of frontiers, comes increasingly to dominate our economic, social and cultural life.  A new grassroots agenda is emerging to articulate the right to communicate an agenda in which access to new media and communication technologies is seen as an essential part of public life and a democratic culture. 

 

Examples of Community Media...

Community Radio - Awaz FM
Awaz FM, one of the first licensed full time Community Radio Stations,serves the Asian population in Glasgow, broadcasting in Urdu, Punjabi and English delivering entertainment, local, national and community information in a bi-lingual format. 

Awaz FM is a voice of Glasgow's multi-faith community, a voice to let the people of Glasgow express their needs, desires and giving organisations a chance to use Awaz FM as a platform to deliver their aims and objectives. Awaz FM is run by volunteers and does not have any paid staff. For further information about  Community Radio, see our Community Radio pages. 

Tees Valley Community Media involves many communities within the Tees Valley with a little overspill into Durham and North Yorkshire. The project has a broad range of community media activities from simple web pages to online community newspapers and on demand audio and video streaming.

Tees Valley Community Media facilitates two major webcasts each year from the Stockton International Riverside Festival and the Middlesbrough Mela. Many other community media projects take place with a broad range of participants.

The foundation for these activities, Tees Valley Communities Online was set up by the University of Teesside.  For further information about Community Internet Projects see our Community Internet pages.