Cavan Community Radio

Cavan Partnership, Cavan Community Forum and Cavan Monaghan Rural Development are working together to facilitate the establishment of a Community Radio Station within Cavan. At present a steering committee has been established to lead this project. One of the first tasks for this steering committee is to draw up a programme schedule and submit an application to the BCI for a temporary broadcasting licence.


What is Community Radio?
Community radio is about ‘Community’ and not just about ‘radio.’ Community radio stations that have proven successful, have often seen themselves primarily as community development resources, which happen to use radio as their tool. Community development experience is more important than having radio DJ experience.

How is community radio different from commercial or public service radio?
Community radio is defined as having three aspects:
• not-for-profit ethos,
• democratic community ownership and control through strong community participation, and
• a commitment to use the medium for community building.

When did community radio start in Ireland?
After some twenty years of lobbying, the first pilot stations went on air in 1995. There were 11 in total. Ten finished the pilot period and the BCI then began licensing community stations in urban and rural areas and in campuses. There are currently more than 20 community stations across the Republic and a further 6 in the north of Ireland.

If you are interested in becoming involved in any way with Cavan Community Radio please contact Marianne on 049 4338477 or email community@cmrd.ie.