In West-Central Florida, there are a total of 55 radio stations, out of which 36 are community stations. These stations offer a wide range of programs, from news and sports to music and question and answer sessions. Community radio is an essential form of communication in Benin and other parts of sub-Saharan Africa, but it often faces financial and structural issues due to lack of funding. The broadcasting links page provides more information on non-commercial educational FM broadcasting stations and their applications.
In the early 1970s, 26 radio stations were already operating in the highland mining districts, and by the time permit agreements had been signed with 161 applicants, 126 community radio stations were already broadcasting. Some of these stations, such as KVNF in Colorado, WMNF in Florida, and WDIY in Pennsylvania, also broadcast NPR programs alongside their local volunteer-based programming. The meme '10 percent radio and 90 percent community radio' is often used by members of the community radio movement. The concept of 'community' is complex and varies from country to country. The history of black public radio is closely linked to the history of non-commercial radio, which is the oldest form of radio transmission in the United States.
In 1991, a movement was organized to establish community radio, and it was officially legalized in 1994. Federal funding through the Public Broadcasting Corporation is limited for most community radio stations because they do not meet the minimum requirement of 100 watts of transmission power. The Bangladesh NGO Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) has been fighting for 12 years to open up community media (including community radio, community television, and community cinema) and emphasize their role as voices for people who have no voice. The NFCB issues manuals for broadcasters, organizes an annual conference, and lobbies for community radio at the federal level. The Association of Community Access Broadcasters (ACAB) is a group of 11 community radio stations from New Zealand. Community stations differ from NPR stations in that most programs are produced locally by disc jockeys and non-professional producers, while traditional public stations rely on programming from NPR and other media (such as the PRI).
Community radio stations are usually managed by nonprofit organizations that have boards of directors and paid staff to manage business operations and coordinate volunteers. Examples of community FM radio stations include Andover Radio, Cambridge 105, Chiltern Voice FM, Preston FM, and Penistone FM. After 1985, changes in government policy led to many unionized mining jobs being eliminated, resulting in some radio stations being sold or ceasing to exist. One of the most prominent broadcasters is Radio Thamesmead (later RTM Radio), located in south-east London. It was one of the first cable radio stations in the United Kingdom that began using the Rediffusion cable system in 1978.
