oa By any means: Paths to sustainability for Argentina’s community radio stations

During 2016 and 2017 the Centro de Producciones Radiofónicas (CPR-CEPPAS) conducted a research project on the ways 11 community radio stations in Argentina generate and manage financial resources. We selected a comprehensive sample with different types of community radio stations and used UNESCO's Media Development Indicators as a starting point. The main goal of the investigation was to deepen our knowledge about the relationship between community radio stations and the market, taking into account work, financial planning and management. We approached the radio stations with the understanding that their sustainability could be measured on multiple levels, not only financially, but also by putting special attention to the economic aspect of sustainability. We draw regularities, identified strengths and weaknesses, and pointed out creative fundraising methods. Our main conclusion is that the multiplicity and diversity of funding sources is a distinctive element of the definition of community radio.