Editing Community radio (section)

==Vision, philosophy, and status==
Modern community radio stations serve their listeners by offering a variety of content that is not necessarily provided by the larger commercial radio stations. Community radio outlets may carry [[news]] and information programming geared toward the local area (particularly [[immigrant]] or [[minority group]]s who are poorly served by major media outlets). Specialized musical shows are also often a feature of many community radio stations. Community and [[Pirate radio|pirate stations]] (in areas where they are tolerated) can be valuable assets for a region. Community radio stations typically avoid content found on commercial outlets such as [[Top 40]] music, sports and "drive-time" personalities. A [[meme]] used by members of the movement is that community radio should be 10 percent radio and 90 percent community. This means that community radio stations should focus on getting the community talking and not solely on radio (which is a technological process); the social concerns of community radio are stressed over radio ''per se''. There is also a distinction drawn in contrast to mainstream stations, which are viewed as pandering to commercial concerns or the personalities of presenters.

===Conceptions of community in the literature===
Communities are complex entities, and what constitutes the "community" in community radio is subject to debate which varies by country. "Community" may be replaced by terms such as "alternative", "radical" or "citizen" radio. In [[sociology]], a "community" has been defined as a group of interacting people living in a common location.{{Citation needed|date = May 2013}}

Community radio has been built around the ideals of access and participation. Stations have been run by locals, typically to serve a local audience. However, the internet's availability and popularity has encouraged many stations to [[podcast]] and/or [[Streaming media|stream]] and audio and make it available globally.{{Citation needed|date = May 2013}}

==={{anchor|Models of community radio}}Models===
Two philosophical approaches to community radio exist, although the models are not mutually exclusive. One emphasizes service and community-mindedness, focusing on what the station can do for the community. The other stresses involvement and participation by the listener.{{Citation needed|date = May 2013}}

In the service model, locality is valued; community radio, as a third tier, can provide content focused on a more local or particular community than a larger operation. Sometimes, though, providing syndicated content not already available within the station's service area is viewed as public service. Within the United States, for example, many stations syndicate content from groups such as [[Pacifica Radio]] (such as ''[[Democracy Now!]]'') on the basis that it provides content not otherwise available (because of a program's lack of appeal to advertisers—in Pacifica's case, due to its politically controversial nature).

In the access (or participatory) model, the participation of community members in producing content is viewed as a good in itself. While this model does not necessarily exclude a service approach, there is some disagreement between the two.{{Citation needed|date = May 2013}}