Mediating peace: community radio as a tool for dialogue during conflict
Résumé
Introduction Community radio as grassroots media platforms play a critical role in fostering peace, understanding, and cooperation in times of conflict. Their localized orientation enables direct connections with community members, supporting dialogue and social cohesion. The article examines the role of community radio news in mediating conflict, using, the July 2021 unrest in Durban, South Africa as a case study. The unrest reflected broader structural challenges, including socio-economic inequality, high unemployment, post-COVID-10 recovery pressures, and governance tensions and coincided with the incarceration of former President Jacob Zuma. Methods Using peace journalism and advocacy journalism as conceptual frameworks, the study investigates how four Durban-based community radio stations - Inanda FM, ViBE FM, Highway Radio, and Izwi Lomzansi FM - responded to the unrest their news coverage. A qualitative design was used, drawing on semi-structured interviews with 12 purposively selected participants (journalists, news anchors and producers) who were actively involved during the unrest. Data was analysed thematically. Results The findings indicate that community radio journalists adopted roles that were simultaneously educational, informational and supportive. The stations functioned as localized public spheres, facilitating dialogue across divided communities and incorporating elements of peace and advocacy journalism. However, these contributions were shaped by financial and institutional constraints. The study argues that community radio remains a crucial yet fragile communication infrastructure for conflict mediation and peacebuilding in inequal urban contexts. It concludes by calling for policy and funding frameworks that prioritize newsroom sustainability as central to democratic communication and conflict prevention. Discussion The study argues that community radio remains a crucial yet fragile communication infrastructure for conflict mediation and peacebuilding in inequal urban contexts. It concludes by calling for policy and funding frameworks that prioritize newsroom sustainability as central to democratic communication and conflict prevention.
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