After two and a half days of hearing about pervasive control over media in China, the meeting this morning with Wang Boyong (International Centre for Communication Development) took us back to the future. Discussing issues around media access and community participation in Inner Mongolia, we realised that the humble loud speaker is alive and frequently used to disseminate information in villages.
Unlike other administrative units, residents of a village elect their own leaders and the loudspeakers are used by the local village leaders to disseminate information and events. What’s more, in some cases it seems the loud speaker system is also used by the residents to articulate their needs and concerns.
Against a back drop of state control, the loud speaker might well remain one of the openings for community participation in media – at least in the rural and remote areas.
The thought resonated later when we met Sun Heng in Pi Village, which also has its own loudspeaker system. It seems, in Pi Village, that it is only used for informational announcements by the leadership of the Village Committee. And although migrant workers make up over 80 per cent of the village population, their status means they are not represented. Yet, they have an inspiring programme of cultural activities including music and festivals.
If only some of it could be aired on the loudspeakers…
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