Third International Conference on Communication & Media Studies

Abstract

The study analysed three Asian migrant communities and their use of the community radio as an alternative media platform. Community radio is described as ‘radio by the people for the people’ where the voices heard are usually ignored in mainstream media. Scholars believe that alternative media mainly originated from dissatisfaction of audiences with mainstream media. Social margins, subcultures, ethnic or other minorities, who get minimum space in mainstream cultures, seek alternatives and create their own if not found. This study particularly analysed the use of the community radio platform by migrant Nepalese, Filipinos and Iranians living in Christchurch, New Zealand. These three communities are producing and broadcasting weekly radio programmes on Christchurch-based access radio station Plains FM. These three communities’ radio programmes are among the 47 ethnic languages radio programmes that 12 access radio stations produced in New Zealand in 2017. To analyse the use of radio by Asian migrants, the researcher observed the production processes and conducted focus groups and one-on-one interviews with audience members and programme producers. The study found that the migrant communities have desirable access to information, education and entertainment through their radio programs. Though those segments of audiences have easy access to mainstream media, they find their radio programmes more authentic and intimate. Community radio works as a platform for sharing, making sense of community identity and uniting a different segment of migrants. This study explores new way to analyse how migrants use the community radio as alternative platform to fulfil their mainstream media needs.