Young People, Community Radio and Urban Life

Abstract

Young people are living in an era where their daily routines are saturated with different media platforms, competing for their attention. One such platform is community radio. However, community radio has not gained as significant scholarly attention as other media outputs. Although there is not a wealth of extant literature on the topic of young people and community radio, much of the available literature provides colourful accounts of young people, community radio and urban life – typically through detailed case studies. Collating these case studies, my discussion is organised around two central themes: first, community radio as a platform for youth voice; and second, social inclusion of young people through youth media participation. I situate these lively exchanges and debates within the wider literature of youth media, the arts and creative industries. I suggest that community radio stations, both traditional FM and online community stations, are crucial spaces of development for young people's identities, and a space of creative learning outside of a more formal environment of school. However, I wish this to be more than a whistle-stop tour of key literature; usefully, this paper critically assesses key conversations and highlights areas for urban geographers to devote future research interest.