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Auteur / Author :	Rui Massingue	ONLINE
Titre / Title :	Manual Tecnico de Ediçao Digital Para Radios Comunitarias
Collection / Series :
Editeur / Publisher :	UNDP - UNESCO

Année / Year :	2003	Nbr. Pages : 32 pages / 187 Kb Taille / Size

URL :	http://www.mediamoz.com/CR/crmanuals/ManTecEdDigit.pdf

Evaluation / Book review.

Foreword
A community radio is a unique local force for development. It has the fantastic capacity of a mass medium, facilitating that a few people can communicate effectively with many. Once the installation is carried out, and the radio is really on air, the producers can very easily be in instantaneous touch with the listeners - with the community. Any important news can immediately be carried into to the radio receivers of the community.
This, however, does not work if the technical aspects are not taken well care of: It is important that the equipment is adequate for the reality in which it will be used with dust, humidity and possibly a shortage of spare parts. It is important that the equipment is cared well for through effective preventive maintenance routines. And it is important that the equipment it being used in an appropriate way, by community producers and technicians, who have received the training needed to use the equipment in an appropriate way.
Because if the equipment is not working, nothing goes on air.
Besides from these basic considerations when thinking about the use of equipment in a community radio, it is important to choose carefully the technology for the radio in question: should be use the "old fashioned" analogue equipment? Or should we rather go for the new, digital equipment? Do we have repair technicians to help us in these areas? Spare parts? What about preventive maintenance routines? The price of consumables (tapes, CDs etc.)?
Once all of these important assessments and discussions have been taken, and if you have decided to make use of (also) digital technologies, you have to find out how to start working with this new technology, how to use the hard ware - the machine - and the soft ware - the programmes inside. You need to know how to handle difficult situations, how to diagnose problems and to solve (the easiest of ) these.
Once all of this is in place, this new digital technology has fantastic potential for opening the doors to the socalled "knowledge society", where access to information will be as important for our development and well being as what we now consider basic necessities.
The manual you are holding in your hands right now has been produced to help you do exactly this: step by step find out how to start using your new, digital equipment, and how to live well with it - and develop with it. This is the basis for ensuring that your radio becomes the effective tool for social development and change that you and your community wants!

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