Radio Bahá'í Ecuador
Author: Kurt John Hein
Published by: George Ronald, 1988
Review by Des O'Shea
published in CADE: Journal of Distance Education 4,1 (1989)
"Projects such as Radio Bahá'í of Ecuador born, nurtured and
developed by a handful of `inexperts' have been raised as a pilot
project in the world of communications for the integral development of
mankind, a model from which to learn" (p. 155). So states Raul Pavon, an
Ecuadorian Bahá'í and the individual most intimately associated with the
conception of this radio station and its moulding into a tangible
reality.
At a time when the current crisis in communication has prompted a search
for an alternative to the traditional model of communication, Radio
Bahá'í, incorporating the key elements of dialogue and participation
which theorists believe more accurately describes the communication
process, could have a profound influence on media communications in the
future. The crucial challenge, particularly in Third World countries, is
to assist indigenous people to participate in the process of development
while at the same time helping them maintain their cultural heritage.
Radio Bahá'í, working as it does in the front line of development, has
already gone some way towards meeting this challenge.
In Radio Bahá'í Ecuador, Kurt John Hein, who was both researcher and
participant at Radio Bahá'í, gives a concise and inspiring description
of this recent participatory media institution and offers media
professionals and those involved with community development projects a
communication model worthy of consideration. The book provides "an
institutional expression of a set of beliefs about the nature of man,
the nature of development, the nature of community and the nature of
communication" (p. 133).
The philosophy of Radio Bahá'í Ecuador derives from the basic principles
of the Bahá'í Faith, especially those relevant to the spiritual and
material development of the individual and society:
Bahá'ís, believing in all revealed religious truth of past ages as an
unfoldment of one divine plan, have respect for the customs and
traditions relating to these religions and cultures. They desire to
preserve the cultural elements that contribute to the well-being of man.
An effort is made to acquaint people with their own history on
earth.... Because of the Bahá'í belief in the unity of mankind, all
people are recognized as valued members of society and play an equally
important part in building world order. (Bahá'í International Community,
1973-74)
Many principles enunciated by modern communication theorists can be
found in the world view offered by the Bahá'í Faith. The concepts of
dialogue and participation, which are fundamental aspects of present
communication theories, are embodied in key Bahá'í principles such as
consultation and universal participation. Many emerging communication
theories dovetail with Bahá'í teachings. Guided by principles such as
the abolition of all prejudice; equal rights, opportunities and
privileges for both men and women; the harmony of religion and science;
and universal education and service, Radio Bahá'í is realizing its
primary functions in releasing the potential of the indigenous
communities and individuals.
That Radio Bahá'í has become a success is noteworthy considering the
powerful restraints that stand in the way of any great transformation of
existing media systems. The dominant political and economic groups using
communication processes to assist in Third World development have, it
seems, succeeded in creating a culture of poverty. Programming aimed at
rural indigenous populations has had virtually no effect on social and
economic practices. Marginal human groups have remained cut off,
maintaining their precarious systems of internal communication. At the
time of the UNESCO seminar on Participatory Communication in Quito in
1978, no projects incorporating participatory elements in their design
had succeeded. At the seminar it was stated "that such a system could
only be possible in a society different from that which actually
exists."
Although conceived to provide a link between members of the large Bahá'í
population in the Otavalo region of Ecuador, most of whom were rural
campesinos, Radio Bahá'í expanded its focus to include the whole
community; in so doing it has transformed this technology
potentially an instrument of cultural domination into a means of
affirming and strengthening the culture of the Quechua communities. By
consistently trying to apply Bahá'í principles to the analysis of
present social conditions, Radio Bahá'í has created a highly effective
development institution with a special framework and philosophy of
social change, development, and education.
Broadcasting on medium and short wave in the Ecuadorian Highlands, Radio
Bahá'í serves primarily the indigenous Quechua communities within a
50-mile radius of Otavalo. It addresses the needs and reflects the
interests of its audience. The station tries to promote education,
deliver social services, and disseminate basic development information.
The key to Radio Bahá'í's identity is its fundamental commitment to
promote and maintain traditional indigenous culture. As a voice for the
community, the station allows for the exchange of information and
announcements and the sharing of news about important activities and
events in the region. Both formal and informal evaluations conducted in
the community indicate that listeners perceive Radio Bahá'í as "their"
station. This has greatly assisted in the restoration of a sense of
confidence and dignity regarding Quechua culture and has helped
counteract any attempts to limit the capacities of indigenous people. In
its support of traditional art forms, Andean music, and the Quechuan
language, Radio Bahá'í has greatly encouraged elements of culture that
had been in decline.
Translating the high resolves and noble principles of the Bahá'í Faith
into a vigorously functioning radio station was not an easy task. In the
institutions and communities of the Bahá'í Faith, decisions are reached
through a process called "consultation." It might well be asked what is
new about a decision-making process used by parliaments, councils,
committees, and associations worldwide. The special feature of Bahá'í
consultation, it seems, is the attitude, spirit, and method in which it
is carried out. Kurt Hein describes the process:
In a spirit of unity, and after prayer, the facts of the
matter at hand are determined and every member is encouraged to offer
freely his thoughts and opinions. The purpose of the discussion is to
achieve consensus, or failing that a majority view, so that action can
be taken based upon the collective wisdom of the group. (p.
36)
Such consultation avoids the confrontation of monologue. Decisions are
reached by means of dialogue when members of Bahá'í institutions
harmoniously take counsel together and express their feelings or ideas
in absolute freedom.
The challenge for the station licensee, the National Spiritual Assembly
of the Bahá'ís of Ecuador, was to develop a media institution whose
management structure reflected the Bahá'í principles of consultation
while at the same time allowing the effective daily administration of
the radio station's affairs. To fulfill the need for a consultative body
on site, the Commission for Radio Bahá'í was appointed to manage the
station, but it remained answerable to the assembly. Administering the
daily affairs of the station was a director who sat as an executive
officer on the commission and was responsible to both the assembly and
the commission. These organizational components, allowing a
non-professional body to be responsible for Radio Bahá'í, were
unprecedented in radio.
As a participatory communication model, Radio Bahá'í has actively
encouraged the involvement of local people in the operation of the
station, and these people, as sources and actors, have helped establish
the legitimacy of the station in the eyes of the community. The staff,
most of whom are Quechuans, are drawn from the immediate area around
Otavalo. Not all are literate, but these men and women have been trained
to use the station's equipment and to prepare their own programs. As the
station operates on a small budget, the staff are volunteers, receiving
only a subsistence allowance. They have become "collaborators" in
community service as they have become increasingly involved in training
their counterparts not only in their own country but also in Latin
America. Through its organization and operational methods, Radio Bahá'í
Ecuador fulfills several of the criteria essential to the structure of a
participatory media institution as outlined by communication
theorists.
A high percentage of the programming is music, much of it traditional
Andean music, reflecting the tastes and interests of the audience. Some
of the music has been obtained from recordings of the station's annual
traditional music festival, "Nucanchic Tono" (Our Music). Through
cultural programs devoted to folklore, customs, traditions, festivals,
and crafts as well as music, Radio Bahá'í has helped to highlight the
positive aspects of local culture. In organizing an annual children's
cultural festival it has also helped to develop in school children an
appreciation of various Ecuadorian cultures.
The Radio Bahá'í news program is a valuable social service directed
largely by the local people who visit the studio to broadcast
announcements. The focus on local news, except on occasions of national
importance, enables villagers to communicate important local events to
one another. A typical news program will include items about lost
children, missing identification papers, stray livestock, community
dances, and community work parties. The news programs serve many of the
communication needs of the audience and, because of its popularity,
functions as an effective vehicle for the dissemination of
development-oriented messages.
Radio Bahá'í Ecuador has been effective in reaching its primary audience
of rural indigenous farm families because it has created a distinctive,
attractive sound by broadcasting the voices and ideas of typical members
of the listening audience. The goal of the successful program "Tarpupac
Yuyay" (The Thought of the Farmer) was to answer the needs of the
mountain farmers and herdsmen; to this end, project staff invited
campesinos to talk about their concerns. Two project staff, a village
woman and an elderly farmer, moderated the discussions as they were tape
recorded; they then introduced the edited program when it was broadcast,
incorporating answers supplied by agricultural extension experts.
Segments of another popular program "Tulpa Muyundi" (Around the Hearth),
which promotes the education of children and the role of women in
community life, were also recorded in the villages. This program
provides information on environmental health, personal hygiene,
nutrition, and other topics.
The innovative administration, production, and programming methods of
Radio Bahá'í have maximized audience participation in the station's
operations. The people in the Otavalo area, who not only have access to,
but also participate in and manage their own radio station, work to
promote the wellbeing of their community.
As an organic institution, the radio station's successful gestation is
not the end. The creative process is self-nourishing and will not easily
be put in cold storage. Radio Bahá'í has continued to explore different
ways to release the full potential of people. Similar radio stations
have been established in Peru, Chili, Bolivia, Panama, U.S.A., and
Liberia, and further research is being done into the replicability of
the model. Ways are also being sought to assist local people to become
more self-reliant, both as individuals and as members of the community.
The station also seeks to assist listeners in decision-making processes
and, although it is an informal educational institution, Radio Bahá'í
Ecuador continues to investigate its potential as a tool for formal
instruction.
Radio Bahá'í Ecuador illustrates how one people's use of modern
communications media has helped them uplift themselves; "in the process
and as a consequence they are extending the benefits of their efforts to
society as a whole" (Universal House of Justice, 1983). This book is a
valuable resource for all those involved and interested in community
development and education.
Des O'Shea
Goose Green Radio School
(c) Copyright CADE
