Launched by Internews, this guide addresses the challenge of how to make community media financially sustainable in countries around the world. The Community Media Sustainability Guide: The Business of Changing Lives covers topics such as incorporating new online platforms and using alternative energy to power radio stations, all with an eye to sustainability.

Case studies of community media outlets and networks featured here include creative solutions to the problem of finding enough funding to stay in business. For instance, the Coffee Lifeline project in Rwanda relies on partnerships with international groups to supply agricultural news to coffee farmers, and Desi Radio, serving London's Punjabi community, thrives on a mixed business model that includes selling advertising, conducting media trainings, and hiring out volunteers to dance at weddings.

The guide is designed for community media practitioners and activists, trainers, and the donors and development agencies that support them. It provides different perspectives on sustainability, practical approaches to achieving it, and a comprehensive list of resources for practitioners and activists. The publication was funded by a grant to Internews Network from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) via a subgrant from Pact.

Click here to freely access the guide in PDF format.

Internews Network is an international media development organization whose mission is to empower local media worldwide to give people the news and information they need, the ability to connect, and the means to make their voices heard. Founded in 1982, the organization has worked in over 70 countries and trained over 70,000 media professionals worldwide.