In this study of networked gatekeeping processes in community radios in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, the authors draw on (pre)colonial gatekeeping institutions such as the griot and the colonial interpreter. They also consider the significance of cell phones and social media in the communication ecology studied, which is situated in a context of pervasive insecurity. Their research takes into account the expectations of donors, the needs of local communities, and the pressures exerted by various audiences, ultimately foregrounding the importance of accountability to local communities. The authors discuss various gatekeeping strategies, such as using local languages, editing pre-recorded voice messages, and allowing anonymous contributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]