Community Radio and Social Activism in Chile 1990-2007: Challenges for Grass Roots Voices During the Transition to Democracy

After a mass democratic movement ended the 17 year Pinochet dictatorship in Chile in 1990, social activists saw community radio as an ideal medium for participatory democracy and for articulating grass roots needs and demands. However, the initial upsurge of grass roots radio activism was squelched by government delay in enacting enabling legislation. The provisions of the law that was eventually approved made the license application process onerous for grass roots organizations. Community radio was also adversely affected by the overall decline in grass roots social activism which reflected both widespread disillusionment with the government's limited reform agenda and deliberate government policies to bring about social demobilization. As a result, although community radio has become well established, with over 300 legal stations plus others operating without licenses, it has not fully realized its potential as a social activist and democratic medium. The field research for this article was funded by two professional development grants and a Latin American Studies travel grant from California State University San Bernardino. The author thanks the reviewers for their helpful comments.