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  Open Access and Media Democracy
  Promoting electronic public  spaces for the community; working to ensure open access to communications  technologies and distributions systems as a crucial component of a democratic  society.
  
  
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  Media Literacy
  Providing the training and tools necessary for  people to become effective communicators in the Information Age, able to examine  media critically and use media competently.
• Voice and Empowerment
  Supporting individuals in developing  self-confidence and a public voice; building their capacity to become change  agents through community media.

• Diversity and Inclusiveness
  Engaging a wide range of  community perspectives, including those of groups that have historically been  misrepresented or under-represented; encouraging understanding and collaboration  across barriers such as race, culture, class, ideology, gender, age and sexual  orientation.

• Creativity
  Celebrating artistic freedom and nurturing the  creativity that new and continuing volunteers, community members and staff bring  to community media projects.

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• Recognising that community media fosters the  freedom of expression and information, the development of culture, the freedom  to form and confront opinions and active participation in local life; noting  that different cultures and communities lead to a diversity of forms of  community media; this Charter identifies objectives which community media share  and should strive to achieve:

• 1. To promote the right to communicate, to assist the free  flow of the information and opinions, to encourage creative expression and to  contribute to the democratic process and a pluralist society;

• 2. To provide access to training, production and distribution  facilities, to encourage local creative talent, to foster local traditions, and  to provide services for the benefit, entertainment, education and development of  their audience;

• 3. To seek to have their ownership representative of local  geographically recognisable communities or of communities of common  interest;

• 4. To be editorially independent of the government, commercial  and religious institutions and political parties in determining their  programming policy;

• 5. To provide a right of access to minority and marginalised  groups and to promote and protect cultural and linguistic diversity;

• 6. To honestly inform their audience on the basis of  information drawn from a variety of sources and to provide a right of reply to  any person or organisation subject to serious misrepresentation;

• 7. To be established as organisations which are not run with a  view to profit and to ensure their independence by being financed from a variety  of sources;

• 8. To recognise and respect the contribution of volunteers, to  recognise the right of paid workers to join their trade unions and provide  satisfactory working conditions for both;

• 9. To operate management, programming and employment practices  which oppose discrimination and which are open and accountable to all  supporters, staff and volunteers;

• 10. To foster exchange between community media practitioners  using communications to develop greater understanding in support of peace,  tolerance, democracy and development.

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• youth in media arts and emerging technologies for use in self-expression,  communication, and social change.
• build critical thinking skills for young people who have been historically  neglected by public policy makers and mass media
• Using video and audio production, computer art and the Internet
• access advanced communication technology and gain inclusion in our  information-based society.

  • Digital inclusion
• address community issues

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• Communities are the radio stars

   

  More than 8 million people are now able to tune into community radio stations  and demand is still high for licences, Ofcom’s first Annual Report of Community  Radio reveals.

   

  Over 130 community stations are now broadcasting across the UK, with another  50 preparing to launch.

   

  These not-for-profit radio stations cover small geographical areas and each  typically provides 81 hours of original and distinctive output a week – mostly  locally produced.

  • Not for profit, locally produced content

• Rich content

   

  Community radio stations reflect the variety of cultures, demographics and  tastes in the UK.

   

  For example, there are stations catering for urban music fans (New Style,  Birmingham) experimental music aficionados (Resonance FM, London) younger people  (CSR, Canterbury), the Armed Forces and their families (Edinburgh Garrison FM)  and religious communities (Cross Rhythms, Stoke-on-Trent).

   

  In total, 41% of stations are aimed at general audiences in town or rural  communities, 18% broadcast to general audiences in urban areas, but a  significant proportion target specific groups such as young people (17%),  minority ethnic groups (14%) or military communities (5%).

  • Good quote: ''Community radio stations reflect the variety of cultures, demographics and
    
    tastes in the UK.''

  • examples of community radio and statistics
• on average, each station operates with 74 volunteers who together give around  214 hours of their time a week. Across the sector this represents over 100,000  volunteer hours a month.

  • Good example/quote of volunteering opportunities and the ''wider social benefits.''

• In fulfilling their wider requirements to deliver social gain to their  communities, each station are also required to provide training and  accessibility.

   

  For example, in the year to April 2008 Bang Radio, broadcasting in west  London, delivered broadcast training to over 230 young people, and continues to  offer further work placements to local school and college pupils.

   

  Similarly, Wolverhampton’s WCR Radio provided accredited training to 49 of  its 190 volunteers – 44 of whom now hold a qualification in radio  production.

  • Accessibility in all aspects

  • Wider social gain. Also providing training including accreditation, work experience. Also ensure accessibility for participants.

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