Exploring the acquisition of media literacy skills through media participation in Rwanda : a case study of Huye Community Radio

Abstract: Media literacy has been described as the ability of a citizen to access, critically analyze, and produce media content for specific outcomes. It also involves an awareness of the impact of media in the society and an understanding of media processes. More so, there are scholarly views that suggest that media literacy is a foundational skill for democracy. Here, the focus is not only on a media literate consumer or producer of media content but a media literate citizen who can also use media literacy skills to engage in civic practices for community development. Anchored on the Theory of Citizen’s Participation, the aim of this study was to find out what constitutes community radio participation in Rwanda, in addition to the relationship between community radio participation and media literacy acquisition among community radio participants in the country. More so, this study aimed at finding out how participation in community radio has served as a resource for engagement in civic practices among community radio participants in Rwanda and how participants in community radio assess community radio as alternative for promoting media literacy in the country. In order to achieve these objectives, the study adopted a qualitative research method with the case as Huye Community Radio. Fifteen volunteers at the community radio were purposively selected, out of which 9 participated. More so, online interviews which were guided by an interview schedule were used as method of data collection. Findings from the study suggest that community radio stations in Rwanda have also keyed into a maximalist approach in community radio participation just like in the developed countries of the world in a way that has fostered different aspects of media literacy. Furthermore, findings also showed that the community radio in Rwanda has served as an important resource for civic engagement. More so, the respondents agreed that media literacy as facilitated by the community radio is a deliberate pedagogical effort as there are programs designed to teach individuals in the community some media literacy skills. However, they admitted that many individuals are yet to be reached and that the poor attitude of media managers and lack of adequate equipment were factors that militated against the use of community radio as a tool for fostering media literacy. Based on these findings, this study recommended policy changes and adjustments in the use of media as a tool for fostering media literacy in Rwanda. It recommended that media literacy teaching in Rwanda should adopt a more robust approach underpinned by a media literacy education model just like in America and some parts of Europe where media literacy is a core part of the education curriculum.