At the CMA conference on 15th September I will be making a short presentation, along with Katie Moylan from the University of Leicester, about the CMA’s aim to enhance and support research associated with community media practice in the UK. The aim is to be able to enhance collaboration and partnerships that supports CMA members ability to apply for funding, access resources and evaluate the activities that are undertaken based on their social impact.
I’ve identified a preliminary form of words to start some discussion, and would welcome any comments and input from CMA members and supporters, the academic research communities who work in these areas, and those who are developing community related training and services associated with community media.
We are lucky to have some long-standing supporters of the CMA’s work in the academic and research communiity, both here in the UK and internationally, so reaching out to them and simultaneously opening out our networks is one of the priorities of this process.
Any thoughts and comments will be very welcome.
Community Media Association Research Network
- The Community Media Association (CMA) recognises the value of research that supports the evaluation and development of community media practice in the United Kingdom.
- The CMA is committed to supporting and promoting the development of professionally and internationally recognised research and evaluation.
- The CMA will seek to act in partnership with researchers and practitioners who are recognised and valued as researchers who understand and want to promote the social impact of community media, and the role that community media plays in social and community development.
- The CMA will seek to identify, bridge and provide support for networks of established and emerging researchers, academics, community development practitioners, community media practitioners, policy makers, civic engagement providers and funding bodies.
- The CMA aims to support research and evaluation using accounts of social impact, and practice as evidence to support understanding in the Social Sector of the potential role of community media as a contributing activity for social engagement and community development.
- The CMA will act in partnership with established research communities to develop resources for the sharing, discussion and evaluation of practice-based community media work, including the work of research communities, practitioners and training providers as they seek to assess and corroborat the social impact of community media.
Aims
- Support and promote the activities of the CMA, as defined by CMA charter.
- Build and support a collaborative network of academics and researchers who share a commitment to understanding and promoting the social value of community media.
- Promote the right to self-determination in media through access to self-produced media platforms that are accountable to their communities.
- Foster the CMA’s credibility as an advocacy organisation for community media, community development and community engagement practitioners, etc.
- Foster the CMA’s credibility as an advocacy organisation with government, NGO’s, social-impact policy organisations, etc.
- Ensure commitment to independent, evidence-based research, and link with established and emerging research groups and networks, both nationally and internationally.
- Develop, disseminate and support research models and evaluation tools for community media practitioners and advocates.
- Bid for collaborative research funding from multiple agencies.
Focus on
- Social impact of community media.
- The role of community media as a practice-led activity.
- Evidence-based models that test the strengths and weaknesses of community media practices, organisational models, and regulatory approaches.
- Producing supporting toolkits that support practitioners and advocates in developing evidence for funding bids and co-development support.