Since 2010, $3 million in government funding has gone towards creating 14 community radio stations in indigenous communities all over Ecuador. By 2014, the government hopes to support the creation of 40 more.

The purpose of the network of stations, according to the government, is to help preserve cultures, languages and to democratize the freedom of expression of ethnic groups like the Tsáchilas, whose radio station is called Somba Pa-min (“Speaking loud” in their language, tsafiki).

The first law affecting community radio was passed in 1975, during the Rodriguez Lara dictatorship. It established community member’s rights to access radio and television frequencies, but did nothing to make it happen. During Sixto Durán Ballén presidency, in 1995, the National Council of Radio and Television was created, and the law was changed. Ads were forbidden on community radio stations, but no subsidies or grants were created to fill the financial void. The airwaves were open for business for the commercial radio stations that could afford it, though. During the 13 years it existed, this Council only granted one community radio permit.

The 14 indigenous nationalities that, since 2010, have community radio stations are the Shiwiar, Zápara, Andoa, Huaorani, Amazon Kichwa, Siona, Cofán, Shuar, and Achuar in the jungle provinces of Orellana, Pastaza, Sucumbíos and Morona Santiago; the Andes Kichwa, in Imbabura; the coastal Chachis and Éperas in Esmeraldas; and the tsáchilas in Santo Domingo, also in the coast region.

The value of radio as an information medium is clear in any context, but in the jungle where communities are spread out and scattered across great distance with little road access and dozens of languages between them, the usefulness of radio is compounded.

The draft of a Law of Communications, up for debate in the next national assembly, would establish that control of the airwaves be split equally between public, private and community media: 33 percent each.

Original story