The International Development Climate
Opportunities and Threats to Advancing Media
and Communications in Africa
UN Economic Commission for Africa
9 March, 2006
Outline
Overview of some recent International Changes
Opportunities
Threats/Challenges
Update on African Media Development Initiative
The International Development Climate
Some recent changes
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Increased commitment to ‘governance’ through bi-lateral and
multilateral donors
From 1990-2003, largest increase in aid to Africa was in governance
sector (4% - 12%), outstripping both health and education (DAC,2005)
Recognition that media and communications has an important part to
play underlined by last year’s Commission for Africa and further
recent developments:
- Githongo affair emphasised the case for support to local media
sector to question local transparency, scrutinise direct budget
support and mobilise popular participation (Benn speech, Feb 2006)
- DFID White Paper focuses on what is required to build ‘effective
states’
- Wolfowitz and the ‘war on graft’
Potential New Sources and Supporters
•
Technology-based Foundation sector in the US is becoming more
internationally focused
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Foundations are linking support to local media to positive changes in
governance and transparency, but also want to support scale and are
driven by an ‘investment culture’
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Large international gatherings of opinion formers and influencers are
taking governance issues seriously (CGI, Davos, Business Sector)
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UN has not had a co-ordinated role in relation to media support, will
UNDP under Dervis play a more proactive role?
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Similarly, despite shortcomings of the ‘war on graft’ will this make the
explicit linkage for the World Bank between investment in media
reform and good governance?
Opportunities
• Increased international focus on support to governance
strategies and recognition that media can play a role in
achieving better governance
• Convergence of authorities and still some remaining
momentum to back this up – UNDP, World Bank, CfA,
Bi-laterals, New sources showing interest
• Internal/External pressures for reform and opportunity to
place media reform at heart of African and international
policy agenda
• Opportunity to engage private sector, non-traditional
donors and wider financing community
Threats/Challenges
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Funding for ICD from bi-laterals and multi-laterals doesn’t match rhetoric, is
too short term and doesn’t sufficiently recognise scale of investment required,
and is held back by the -
•
Lack of existing evidence to make the case for the linkages between
investment in ICD and positive changes in public participation and
accountability of government and the lack of planned monitoring mechanisms
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Internal reform agenda falters (Nigeria, Ethiopia) and scale of proposed reform
of media and communications sector is too politically sensitive
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No appetite from African policy makers and bodies to embrace or promote
politically highly charged tinkering with control of means of information
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Lack of ambition, focus and unwillingness of ICD ‘sector’ to engage multiple
players means nothing substantial happens and opportunity is missed
Overview of African Media Development Initiative Project
• Commission for Africa Report recommendation called for:
“independent media institutions, public service broadcasters, civil
society and the private sector, with support from governments, should
form a consortium of partners, in Africa and outside, to provide funds
and expertise to create an African media development facility.”
• DFID supports research in 17 countries through three African
universities that would map developments and inform priorities (ABU,
Dar, Rhodes)
• World Bank (IFC) to support companion study of private sector media
investment
• Gates Foundation supports Media Forum to discuss outcomes of
research and options for future
Advisory Committee
– Luckson Chipare, Director of Media Institute of
Southern Africa, Namibia
– Edetean Ojo, Media Rights Agenda, Nigeria
– Muthoni Wanyeki, Director, FEMNET, Kenya
– Wilfred Kiboro, CEO of Nation Group, Kenya
– Moeletsi Mbeki – Chair, Endemol Productions, South
Africa
– Arlindo Lopes, Former CEO, Mozambique TV
Others being approached to provide additional
geographical balance and sector perspectives
AMDI Countries and Researchers
Eastern Africa
University of
Dar-es-Salaam:
Dr Mwajabu Possi,
Kenya – Lucy Wangui Maina, Lecturer at Kenyatta University in Nairobi, Kenya
Ethiopia – Dr Gebremedhin Simon Gebretsadik, Professor at Addis Ababa University,
Institute of Language Studies
Democratic Republic of Congo –
Professor Dominque Mweze, Professor at
Catholic University of Kinshasa, DRC
Somalia – Jamal Abdi Ismail, Independent Consultant
Uganda –
Dr John Khamalwa, Senior Lecturer and Co-ordinator, Social Anthorpology
and Religion, Institute of Languages, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
Tanzania – Simon Shayo, Senior Research Executive, BBC WS Trust
AMDI Countries and Researchers
Western Africa
Ahmadu Bello - University
(Dr Mohammed Umar-Buratai, Senior Lecturer, Ahmadu Bello University,
Zaria Nigeria)
Nigeria –
Dr. Jenkeri Zakari Okwori, Associate Professor of Development
communication, Faculty of Arts, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Nigeria Sola
Adeyanju, Lecturer at Department of Mass Communication, Ahmadu Bello
University, Zaria, Nigeria
Ghana – Dr Samuel Kefewo, Visiting Lecturer at University of Cape Coast, Ghana
Cameroon –
Dr Charles Alobwede, Lecturer at Department of English Modern
Letters and Department of Bilingual Studies at University of Yaoundé
Senegal- Dr Ibrahima Seck, Assistant Professor at History Department, Cheikh Anta
Diop Unviersity, Dakar, Senegal, Secretary General of the African Branch of the West
African Research Association
Sierra Leone – Dr David Tam-Baryo, Executive Director, Centre for Media
Education and Technology
AMDI Countries and Researchers
Southern Africa
Rhodes University
(Prof. Guy Berger, Head of School of Journalism and Media Studies, Rhodes
University)
Angola – Mario DePaiva, Media Consultant and Freelance Journalist
Botswana – Sechele Sechele, Independent Media Consultant
Mozambique – Fernando Gonzales Andre, Editor, Savana (weekly news
publication)
Zimbabwe –
Rashweat Mukundu, Zimbabwean Journalist and freedom-ofexpression activist
South Africa – Anne Taylor, Independent Media Consultant
Zambia – Professor Fackson Banda, SAB Miller Chair of Democracy and Media,
School of Journalism and Media Studies, Rhodes University
Question 1
• Key development in the media sector of your country
over the last five years
– Media sector comprises of
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TV stations pop. can or could receive
Radio stations pop. can or could receive
Press – newspapers
ICT
– Five years= 2000-present
– Key development is
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Growth in number of stations, licenses, liberalisation, etc
Diversity of genre
Ownership & control
Softer opinion analysis of sector- govt response/freedom
Question 2
• How have media development activities
contributed to the media sector during this time?
– Media development activities: Internally or externally
funded activities which contribute to the development
of independent and pluralistic media including
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Government policy and regulation
Change management – for organisations
University curriculum development
Creating new media outlets
Technology transfer incl. ICT
Media training/capacity building
Media literacy
Audience research and monitoring
Question 3
• What contributions are likely to make the
greatest impact on the development of the
media within Sub-Saharan Africa in the future?
Work Plan
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JAN
FEB
Team Briefing
Protocol Development
Planning Briefing
Recruitment of Researchers
Methodology briefing
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MAR
Question 1 data gathering by Country Researchers
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APR
Reports completed – Question 1
Question 2 and 3 data gathering
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MAY
Reports completed – Question 2 and Question 3
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JUN
Reports completed (Case Studies)
Technical Review (Advisory Group and others)
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JULY/AUG
SEPT
OCT - DEC
Analysis of findings for Forum
Media Forum, Johannesburg, 27/28 September
Dissemination of reports: (17 country,
and 1 overall report with findings and conclusions with case
studies)