At times, some of the young entrepreneurs involved with this were forced to buy used transmitters from the Israeli black market. Most were used by Israeli army units that was replaced by newer models.
The Palestinian National Authority was supportive, realizing that it would be useful if the Israelis eventually decided to stop the approved official national radio and television. Actually this happened after Israel's destruction of Palestine TV studios and Voice of Palestine towers.
The experience of Palestinian community media activists was reflected recently at the conference held in the Tunisian capital by AMARC, the planet Association of Community Radio Broadcasters, in addition to Community Media Network, a non-governmental organisation, and regional and international freedom of expression organisations.
Palestine's experience with capturing airwaves in a period of transition was of extreme interest to media activists from Libya, Tunisia, Egypt and Yemen. In those Arab Spring countries, opportunities for district radio have increased exponentially due to the absence of a strong central government and since revolutionary forces demand that governments or perhaps businesspeople doing business with governments no longer use a monopoly over the airwaves.
Experiences from Libya and Tunisia indicated that several such list of radio stations have already started broadcasting. Inside the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, young activists used transmitters and towers from the Gaddafi regime to establish Shabab Libya FM.
In the new Libya, activists merely need the approval of local city councils to start broadcasting. Plans are under approach to establish similar community r / c in other Libyan towns.
In Egypt Radio Horytna and radio Hoqook are actually broadcasting online and waiting to identify a way to go FM.
In Tunisia, activists, with the help of international supporters, used the transitional chaos to smuggle in radio transmitters. Tunis6 had become the country's first community radio station. Another station, Sawt Al Manajeem, is on its way up in the mining southern capital of scotland - Qafsa.
Private radio stations are now allowed in Tunisia. Licence fees are huge at $60,000 annually. No provision exists for reduced or waived fees for nonprofit community r / c.
Egyptian activists have for some time been broadcasting online. Stations such as Horytona and Hoqook are on the air using the Internet. There are intends to find ways to overcome government bans and also to begin broadcasting using homemade transmitters.
In Yemen, a number of activists are also considering ways of happening the air using the transitional period because best opportunity to capture the airwaves.
In most cases, airwaves captured during transitional periods remain after central governments take power. Some paperwork is that is needed usually to legitimise existing stations, whereas any new requests after central powers take control are much more difficult to satisfy.
The Arab world endured lack of community radio because radio was the key instrument of power within the 1950s and 60s when most Arab leaders took power in military coups.
Community radio has proved to be a major instrument of local development, and a medium to express oneself freely.
Local media, that have been largely absent in previous decades, are becoming key to the new wave of revolutions. A fresh project plans to address this challenge. With funding from the Swedish Agency, an advocacy campaign is going to be launched in the Arab spring countries along with the establishment of seven community r / c.
Arab government and civil society activists are slowly learning the significance of community media. The Arab Spring and native activists demand decentralisation of power and freedom of expression for marginalized communities, especially outside the capitals.
The Palestine experience will no doubt be thoroughly tapped on as local, regional and international activists, NGOs and development agencies would like to the Arab Spring beyond just political changes, writes tagza.