Community Communication and Economic Sustainability of Ilumán Radio 96.7 FM, Ecuador

Abstract

Faced with the cultural onslaught of Western models imposed by the Ecuadorian State, which privileges a single way of living and being, this study analyzes other ways and means of understanding communication and community radio, from local logics of struggles to claim identity cultural spaces. Under these criteria, the cultivation and wisdoms upbringing goes through the history of “ Ilumán Radio”, its community and participatory characteristics, and how they are articulated to influence the economic sustainability of this medium, without sacrificing the well-being of its people or promoters, nor the community nature of the radio. The study generates inputs so that “Ilumán Radio” improves its processes of approach and horizontality with the community, empowering the audience regarding the radio with expression in proposals of social and economic sustainability. In this way, it was found that Ilumán Radio is a community and indigenous media that promotes the strengthening of the Kichwa peoples ́ cultural identity from Imbabura province.