Community Media Analysis Using Media Business ProcessModel

A Case Study of Amami FM in Amami Islands

Abstract

　In community media research in Japan, it has been pointed out that there

is a bias in studies centered on the viewpoint of media companies and a lack of

audience research. In addition, the number of community media studies has

been limited to introducing only a certain aspect of the community media looking

at a specific period of time. So, it has been suggested that it is necessary to

comprehensively understand community media business processes―from the

beginning through its continuation until its eventual end （or growth）. Therefore,

this study aimed to analyze community media using the media business

process model and conducted a case study of Amami FM’s 10-year business,

which began community broadcasting as a cultural device. Three qualitative

methods were applied including in-depth interviews with the people related to

business operations, analysis of 10-year programs and in-depth interviews with

the organizers, as well as six focus group interviews consisting of listeners of

the station. The results presented the need for analyzing the media process of

creating, sustaining and developing from the three perspectives of ⑴ business,

⑵ audiences and ⑶ communities. Furthermore, the findings indicated that it is

effective to consider a new model in understanding the community media as a

cultural device.