CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?Possibilities of an engaged citizenry by way of

Izwi loMzansi FM community radio & mobile phone convergence

Lauren N. FoxCentre for Communication, Culture and Media Studies (CCMS)University of KwaZulu-NatalDurban, South Africa

LaurenNFox@gmail.com@La_Foz

What is potential for engaged citizenry?

1994

End

of A

parth

eid

2013

Vodacom & MTN

1991

IBA Jabulani!

1993

Telkom

2000

ICASA

Temporary/event licenses, d

elays

Network roll-out

2006

• Community Radio• Mobile Telephony

Community?

4 year licenses

Availability,

affordabilit

y

Citizenship:

implies an individual’s physical presence in a society & ways in which a person plays a part in daily societal activities (Dahlgren 2006).

encompasses not just being a part of society, but partaking in active learning for political literacy and empowerment, addressing

structures & relations of power while pursuing social justice, development & democratic agendas (Lister 1997).

‘Engaged’ Citizenship:

REGULATION… or in media broadcasting lingo, ‘GATEKEEPING’

• Media = intellectual figures (Gramsci)

• Top-down authority driven or bottom-up audience driven processes?

• How to address both “public performances” and “hidden transcripts” of power relations? (Mills 2010)

① (How) are presenters regulating radio discussion?

② (How) are listeners regulating radio discussion?

Questions:

Senza Kwenzeke with Cindy “Halfpynt” Shezi

Sifiso Sibisi Talks with Sifiso Sibisi

• “Voice of the South” in Zulu• Durban city• 1998 founded• 2007 broadcasting full-time• Urban contemporary talk, music,

empowerment focus• Estimated 241,000 listeners/day (SAARF

2012)

• Single in-studio landline phone

• No caller ID• ‘No cell phones’

sign in studio

• No studio SMS number

• Presenters use their own personal number

• No official station twitter account(s)

• No official station Facebook page

• No in-studio Internet connection

Izwi loMzansi FM hardware (or lack thereof):

CALLS SMS SOCIAL MEDIA

So… where is the convergence? Regulation?• $$$• No call

screening• Calls are still

the primary method of participation

• $• SMS

interaction is nearly non-existent

• $$$• Facebook

access via mobile phone

• Use of personal Facebook pages

The people must speak! The danger with [SMS] is that some will raise allegations and you need to challenge those allegations, you know?

If it’s an SMS, you just read the text and it remains an understanding that that was a fact that he sent. It was not a fact. It was just a view and again, a view that can’t be tested to be true. He’s expecting you to read it as it is.

But if he calls, you can say ‘wait chief. Can you verify this? How did this happen or why are you saying this? Do you have evidence?’ (Sifiso Sibisi, 31 July 2012)

Listener 1: Because if the presenter doesn't understand my point/view he may able to ask or challenge me when he needs clarity.

Listener 2: I always prefer to communicate with them telephonically to express my view clearly and be straight-forward. I don't want anyone to misquote me.

Listener 3: I prefer to use [call-in method] because if the presenter wants to engage/challenge my viewpoint on the programme he/she can do that without any problem because I would be live on-air.

Listener 4: Because it’s direct and it’s not open to distortion!

Listener 5: Because it is easy to communicate with radio presenter and to be able to question him or her or answer his or her questions live on-air until both announcer and listeners get your point of view.

Listeners prefer to call-in:

Breaking it down further…

Breaking it down even further…

Women prefer to engage via Facebook… why?• not as confident in their verbal

debating skills & prefer to engage in written discussion online where they feel less vulnerable

• Facebook familiar and convenient, especially when multitasking

Female 1: Most of da times I'm on facebook. I'm always online

Female 2: if i miss some show topic in this method i will still get some information

• No airtime

• Unable to get through on landline phone

• They want to be ‘seen’, ‘heard’

Final Thoughts… Future study?• Izwi loMzansi FM listeners regulate radio content

by making sure that it’s NOT regulated

• Correlation of of men/women preferred methods of participation in community radio programing

• SMS convergence over-hyped?

• Listeners are aware of media gatekeeping, want to be heard and/or seen (esp. women)

• Audience solidarity being built off-air, on-line

• Facebook extends community radio programs in time and space

THANK YOU!LaurenNFox@gmail.com

@La_Foz