C C
M
29
Choosing Appropriate
Equipment and Technology
Peter Schioler and Steve Buckley
C C
M
30
In this chapter
l Building and physical infrastructure
l Setting up your community radio
l Computers, software, networking
l Equipment and software maintenance
C C
M
31
Until recently, communication technologies could be broadly divided into broadcasting and
telecommunications. Broadcasting was understood to be a one-to-many technology. A central
broadcast station transmits a communications signal to many listeners. Telecommunications,
on the other hand, was seen as a one-to-one technology, best characterised by the telephone,
a device for long distance personal communication.
Now, however, these previously distinct technologies are converging. By combining the
characteristics of broadcasting with telecommunications systems, the Community Multimedia
Centre (CMC) creates new possibilities for many-to-many communications. The broadcast
listener can more easily become a producer of news and information while the Internet provides
new tools for group telecommunications.
The CMC incorporates the features of community broadcasting with those of community
telecentres. Radio (or TV) studios and facilities for production and broadcast are combined
with access to telephone, Internet, email, fax and printing. This is not simply a case of putting
different technologies under one roof: the CMC aims to be an integrated broadcast and
communications platform.
CMCs come in many shapes and sizes
Choosing the appropriate technology solutions for your CMC will be crucial for its sustainability
and relevance to the community. Focussing too much on high technology solutions will require
substantial financial and human resource investments, while ignoring modern ICTs will bar
your community from taking full advantage of the last decade’s striking developments in ICT-
based services.
Since CMCs come in many shapes and forms, it is not possible to give ‘one fits all’ advice on
how a CMC should be equipped. In addition, local factors such as