Community Radio - A Lifesaver for Many Immigrants

Community radio means many things to different people. But, to the immigrant, community radio is a life-line that helps them to not only maintain contact with the latest happenings in their native countries but to gain important information that will help them personally and also aid them in adapting to living in the United States. When one hears about ethnic community radio programs, many may associates the spoken language to be Spanish to reflect the largest minority group in the United States. However, visit different cities such as those in South Florida, New York, etc. and one will find ethnic community radio stations broadcasting programs not only in Spanish, but also Haitian Creole, Jamaican Patois and other languages and dialects. Similarly, Somali residents listen to community radio in the twin city of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Indian Americans may not only listen to Bollywood classics and other cultural music but also to their homeland news and current affairs on programs in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, California, Washington DC. Asian Americans too have their vast choices of listening to community radio stations throughout major media markets where there are large Asian populations. Listeners hear music from their native lands, keep abreast with upcoming events, get up-to-date homeland news, and listen or call in to share opinions on current affairs programs. So, ethnic community radio is the source of vital information for many immigrants. As such, professionals who were born outside of the United States or those U.S. born who are children of immigrants will become well-known and respected as they advise in the areas of medicine, law, business, accounting, politics, etc. Speaking in their native language or dialects, specialty doctors provide medical information and respond to questions; attorneys respond to questions and those associated with ethnic-affiliated bar associations often arrange one-day fairs where listeners may go to get advice and assistance in completing forms to sign up for citizenship or to vote. These attorneys and politicians who speak the language or dialect of their listeners are instrumental in explaining the U.S. voting process and are influential in getting non-native citizens out to vote. Ethnic community radio plays an important role for the immigrant in maintaining a strong connection to their culture while they make the United States their new home.