Characterization of community television stations active in Tolima (Colombia) in the analog and digital ecosystem: the case of TV Café de Planadas and COOVISIÓN de Cajamarca

Abstract

Community television in Colombia is internationally recognized for being one of the first to be regulated in Latin America, standing out for transmitting, with relative independence, the information needs of communities in the most remote territories of the country; however, in recent years, its progressive disappearance has been evident, for example, in 2012 in Tolima there were 32 community TVs and in 2021 there are only two left. This research aims to characterize the two active community television stations in Tolima to learn about their operation, social relevance, and difficulties and propose actions with a view to their strengthening. The methodology is based on a qualitative approach with a grounded theory design, in which knowledge is built from human experience. The methods applied are social cartography, in-depth interviews, focus groups, and digital ethnography. The results indicate that, although there is an adverse regulatory context that puts community TV at a disadvantage compared to subscription TV, its administration has not managed to link communities in content production, nor have they taken advantage of Information Technology and Communication to reduce production costs and increase coverage and income. Finally, regulatory, and organizational changes are proposed, in which education is fundamental to guarantee these proximity televisions' development and social impact.