(a) is fully controlled by a non-profit entity and carried on for non-profitable purposes;
(b) serves a particular community;
(c) encourages members of the community served by it or persons associated with or promoting the interests of such community to participate in the selection and provision of programmes to be broadcast in the course of such broadcasting service; and
(d) may be funded by donations, grants, sponsorships or advertising or membership fees, or by any combination of the aforementioned.

The Broadcasting Act provides for two types of community broadcasting services. These are broadcasting services catering for a geographic community and broadcasting services catering for a community of interest. The community served by a geographic broadcasting service is geographically founded. The service caters to persons or a community whose communality is determined principally by their residing in a particular geographic area.

The community served by a community of interest broadcasting service is one which has a specific ascertainable common interest. The distinctive feature of the broadcasting service is the common interests that make such a group of persons or sector of the public an identifiable community. Types of broadcasting services catering for a community of interest include services catering for institutional communities, religious communities, cultural communities, etc.

A CR station is characterised by its ownership and programming and the community it is authorised to serve. It is owned and controlled by a not for profit organisation whose structure provides for membership. Management, operation and programming primarily by members of the community at large, its programming should be based on community access should reflect the special interests and needs of the listenership it is licensed to serve.