Theorising the many faces of prisoner radio: developing a holistic framework through process and product

Abstract

There is a nexus where radio and prisons meet that is yet to be explored to its full potential, both in practice and in academia. This article consolidates two separate bodies of knowledge, examining ‘prisoners’ radio’ (usually broadcast to the general public on community radio or the Internet) and ‘prison radio’ (broadcast to a prison audience within a prison setting), to propose a theoretical framework that incorporates both. It draws on two case studies from the United Kingdom and Australia and is informed by the seminal work of alternative media theorists Clemencia Rodriguez, John Downing and Chris Atton.