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Supporting public interest media in Ethiopia

2021-05-05T08:53:36+00:00

It has been just two years since Ethiopia proudly hosted Unesco’s annual World Press Freedom Day conference, a moment of pride and hope for the country’s media landscape.

Much has changed in those two years – as it has for media around the world. Political, legal and especially economic pressures are making it more difficult for independent media everywhere to survive. Ethiopia's economy has been severely affected by the global pandemic, and both public and private media organisations are reporting significant advertising revenue losses. They are also facing additional operational costs to ensure the safety and security of their journalists.

Yet, while the pandemic has intensified media's financial struggles, it has also unleashed an infodemic of false and misleading information, which makes reliable media all the more important in ensuring people can access information they trust.

So, how do you support public interest media in a country such as Ethiopia? �鶹Լ�� Media Action is leading Protecting Independent Media for Effective Development, funded by UK Aid and working across Ethiopia, Sierra Leone and Bangladesh, to help tackle some of these challenges.

A diverse group of partners

Here in Ethiopia, PRIMED is working at several levels. We have identified several media outlets already producing valuable public interest content, and we will work with them to help them make that content even better, by helping them raise their ethical and professional standards, and helping them engage more strongly with their audiences so they understand and serve them better. We will also work with them to develop effective and sustainable business models, and strengthen their management skills, so they can become more financially viable and better able to resist shocks and pressures, while still remaining independent and impartial in their content.

Our partners so far range from well-known TV stations to a small community radio station – a diverse group whom we hope will, in turn, go on to inspire others to follow suit, and even encourage the next generation of journalists. These have been validated through careful audience research, which has demonstrated that Ethiopian readers, viewers and listeners already consider them more trusted than other local media outlets, and that they make a positive contribution to public discourse. And we have found that many journalists, media and internet platforms already show real commitment to high ethical and professional standards. The hope is that by helping these partners to become more successful, the bar will be raised for all media outlets.

PRIMED is also working at the sector level, strengthening institutions and organisations that can help improve the operating environment for media: advocating for legal reforms, helping raise ethical standards, and developing effective mechanisms for self-regulation. Organisations such as the Ethiopian Media Authority (EMA), the Editors Guild of Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Community Radio Association and the Ethiopian Media Council all have a role to play in professionalising robust, independent, impartial media.

All of our partners in PRIMED share the hope and conviction that shoring up the foundations of independent, impartial, trusted media in Ethiopia is possible, and fundamental to the country’s growth and development. Solid institutions are not built overnight, but in time, through strong partnerships. On this World Press Freedom Day, we have celebrated these first steps toward stronger public interest media in Ethiopia.

Mihret Aschalew is project manager in Ethiopia for Protecting Independent Media for Effective Development, a consortium led by �鶹Լ�� Media Action and funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. This blog is based on her presentation to a World Press Freedom Day webinar hosted by International Observatory of Human Rights.

World Press Freedom Day 2019: Our youth delegates take Addis Ababa by storm!

2019-05-23T15:37:42+00:00

Bwale Mutanuka and Kefa Hussein at WPFD2019

For 20 years, �鶹Լ�� Media Action has been supporting media freedom and providing training and mentoring to journalists in developing countries to produce free, independent journalism that provides space for constructive public debate.

For the recent UNESCO World Press Freedom Day conference (WPFD2019) in Ethiopia, we sponsored two youth delegates – Bwale Mutanuka from Zambia and Kefa Hussein from Tanzania – to take part in the Youth Newsroom initiative, which gives young journalists from around the world the chance to report on the conference and improve their journalism skills.

Bwale (left), from Zambia, is currently Chief Producer of a youth-focussed radio show called Ishiwi, supported by �鶹Լ�� Media Action. Kefa (right) is a Film and Television student from Tanzania who works as a ‘Young Professional’ for our vibrant youth radio programme, Niambie. They both kindly spoke to me about their experiences in Addis, what they learned whilst there, and why media freedom is important to them. Read on to find out more!

So, when did you both first know that you wanted to be journalists?

Bwale: For me, I’ve known since I was very young – maybe since fourth grade in school. I always thought I should be on TV reading the news or reporting from the field! I used to go around my school pretending to interview students, and took part in both press and debate club. My dad actually wanted me to study something completely different, but my mum and I convinced him that journalism was the course for me.

Kefa: My dream started when I was around 11 years old watching a Tanzanian kids’ news show on Independent TV – I wanted to be just like the young presenters! I auditioned for the show but sadly didn’t get through – however it sparked a passion in me and I took on every presenting opportunity I could find at school until I chose to study film and TV at university.

Bwale recording segments for youth radio show Ishiwi with Kokoliko FM, Zambia

What’s the best story you’ve reported on?

Bwale: Where I’m based in Chingola, we’re right in the middle of the Zambian copperbelt – so I find that I cover a lot of stories about the mining sector. Recently we had some peaceful demos by citizens who felt their water was becoming polluted due to mining activity, and some of their houses were getting cracks. The government had promised to support these communities – so it was interesting reporting on both sides to see how the citizens’ concerns were being handled by their leaders.

Kefa: My best story was when I shared the experience of a young girl living just outside of Dar Es Salaam and the difficult journey she faces every day to get to school. We followed her from the moment she wakes up (at 4am) and gets ready, through to her dangerous journey walking to school all alone along a very dark and busy road. The road is full of drunkards and ‘fataki’ (sugar daddies) who try to talk to the girls. There is a bus, but the conductors often refuse to let too many students board as they have to charge a lower fare. We also interviewed her teacher, and the piece really opened my eyes to the extra challenges girls in my country face just to get to school.

Kefa recording content for radio show, Niambie, in Tanzania

How did you get involved with �鶹Լ�� Media Action?

Bwale: I first heard about Media Action when I worked for Radio Icengelo, as the charity had previously helped the station run some audience debate shows. Then I started at Kokoliko FM and heard that we were starting a partnership with Media Action – I was really happy! Now I’m the Chief Producer of a youth radio show called Ishiwi, supported by the charity, which broadcasts every Saturday. I work with fellow young people to discuss and debate the important governance issues affecting young Zambians so they can know what’s going on and hold leaders to account. Media Action’s mentor, Vanessa, travels out to us from Lusaka to deliver all kinds of training – from editorial and production through to responsible social media usage, to make sure we’re properly verifying all our sources. She’s really helped me when it comes to objectivity, impartiality and transparency – and has helped me ensure I’m striking a good balance between female and male voices on the show.

Kefa: Well firstly, I was aware of �鶹Լ�� News and World Service. �鶹Լ�� Swahili is very popular here in Tanzania. I remember one day in my first year of studies, a friend ran up to me with an advert for Niambie he’d seen on Instagram. I’d never heard of the charity before but was curious to learn more, so did some research and applied! I was quite nervous at first that my English wouldn’t be good enough, as it’s my second language, but I got accepted! I started as a ‘Young Professional’ with Niambie in July 2017. My job is to help gather content from the field to include on the show, including creating some digital content for Niambie’s social media channels. When I started with Niambie I had no editing skills, but they’ve really grown a lot from working on the show. I enjoy it very much – more than university! When it comes to Niambie, this is the reality of what I want to do, you know? Meet real people, tell real stories, put my training into action.

Kefa arriving at the conference in Addis Ababa (can you tell he was excited?)

Tell us about your experiences at World Press Freedom Day!

Bwale: There was so much! I was so grateful and humbled to be there. I learned a lot about development and the media reform process Ethiopia is currently going through – it made me think a lot about the state of media reforms in my own country. A big theme of the conference was ‘elections in times of disinformation’ – and with Zambia’s elections coming up in 2021, it reinforced how important it is for me to report in a responsible manner. Zambia has been a beacon of peace in Africa since its independence, and I want this to continue. So I need to report factually and recognise, and be sensitive to, the potential influence I have over my listeners. I also learned a lot from Kefa and really enjoyed hearing about his work with youth radio in Tanzania and the political situation there.

Kefa: Going to Addis was my first ever international visit! I have to say I initially found little things very confusing – such as the currency and the language – but the trip really exposed me to new people and new cultures. My favourite session was with the organisation Cartooning for Peace who produce satirical cartoons with political messages. It’s rare to find this kind of cartoon in Tanzania – not many people have the courage to draw cartoons that go beyond making people laugh to help people learn or address sensitive issues. I also really enjoyed the session on how to spot real versus fake news, and learnt useful techniques such as checking the author’s background and finding alternative sources. I learnt a lot of things for sure, and it was great to meet Bwale and discover the work she is doing with Media Action in Zambia.

When the tables were turned! Kefa being interviewed about the importance of media freedom

Why do you both think media freedom is important?

Bwale: For me, media freedom is important because it means I can dig into a story without any interference from the government. I have no fear – I know I have the freedom to report and write what is right. I was really inspired at the conference by the journalists from Myanmar who won the Press Freedom prize – they encouraged me to be fearless in my reporting.

Kefa: I think media freedom is important in Tanzania so that people can consume news from lots of different sources and in lots of different ways – be it newspapers, radio or social media. We’re heading towards an election next year, and I think media freedom plays an important role in informing people and helping them to figure out for themselves which candidate is right for them. As a developing country, free media is also something we really need to be an informed society – media plays an important role in the development of my country.

What did you learn at the conference that will help you in your career? And what is your dream job in media?

Bwale: This whole experience has really encouraged me to have confidence in my ability as a journalist and to persevere in my career, even in the face of challenges. I always have more to learn! And my dream? I would love to be a news anchor on TV – I’m confident that if I continue working as a reporter I will get there one day!

Kefa: Well, I really now want to encourage all of my friends studying graphics and design to try including important messages into their cartoons! My dream? I want to be an influential person in my country – in fact, just like Salim Kikeke from �鶹Լ�� Swahili! He’s one of the most influential people in Tanzania and young people really appreciate what he is doing – the way he presents the show, his social media activity. He stands out from other journalists. And I want to keep supporting young people to participate in society through media. Young people make up almost 60% of Tanzania’s population. If you exclude them, you have no nation.

Bwale and Kefa posing up a storm at WPFD2019 (in coordinated colours, no less!)

To find out more about our work supporting media freedom and strengthening the capacity of journalists like Bwale and Kefa around the world, check out the media development section of our website.

Whose voice counts and how do we count them?

2012-05-09T05:53:45+00:00

Nobel Peace prize laureate Tawakkol Karman (left) and Kirsty Cockburn (right)

World Press Freedom Day: A snapshot of UNESCO's three-day conference on 'New Voices: Media Freedom to Transform Societies'.

Riding a wave of Tunisian pride, Tawakkol Karman, the Yemeni Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, instantly captured our attention when she began her keynote speech in song. In my headphones the translator stopped in his tracks, and then, recovering, explained:

"She is singing the Tunisian national anthem. She is saying 'Bondage can be broken. Destiny must respond. Darkness can only go away'." In a voice cracking with emotion he added: "She is singing over and over, 'Bondage can be broken'."

Around us Tunisians were getting to their feet and joining in. Karman explained that, during her flight to Tunis she had kept repeating this song. It was, she said, the anthem of the Arab Spring. The people had spoken and had worked together to make the change.

At 33, journalist and activist Tawakkol Karman is the youngest ever Nobel Peace Laureate, awarded jointly in 2011 to Karman, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Leymah Gbowee. Her work has promoted the safety of women and of women's rights to full participation in peace-building in Yemen. Hers was one of many stories of journalists speaking truth to power.

Yet the past year has been an especially deadly one for journalists around the world – 62 have died as a result of their work. Posters and petitions in support of several young imprisoned Syrian bloggers were visibly on show around the conference. And the proliferation and significance of new media – a growing 'netizenship' – has of course been a central theme.

Vivienne Walt of Time magazine, was optimistic about the power of social media, but cautious:

"The last time I flew into Tunis, it was under a cloud of tear gas, and the shutters were coming down at the airport. I was able to alert my editors to the fact that something big was going on. With social media we have a direct line to the people, we can get a sense of who is doing what and what people think. But don't overstate social media – we do have a tendency to be self-congratulatory. Internet penetration is low and self-selective."

Irina Bakova, UNESCO Director-General spoke of: "Humanity moving into a time of social media and the internet… but one in five people on the planet is illiterate. How can we generate plurality of access to information? It can only happen when countries have adequate legislation."

Other challenges were highlighted elsewhere. At �鶹Լ�� Media Action's panel event 'Media and Public Engagement: Understanding and Engaging 21st Century Societies', panel member Diana Senghor, Director-General of Panos Institute, West Africa, concentrated on inequality of access and the ongoing challenge of ensuring space for the voices of the most disenfranchised.

"The media can answer the need for information, but we also need specific societal change. How do we educate – who needs the information? How do we define the need? We often ignore major differences between income, education, urban and rural, and access to information itself. And so we discriminate. Whose voices should be heard? How do you support the voices of the most marginalised?"

Training, research, and specific funding to support the most disadvantaged all help, but it's also about challenging and exploring social norms, and sharing new and alternative ways of thinking. Irina Bokova, spoke of: "New voices rising – especially young people – where they were silent before. New-found media freedom is promising to transform societies through greater transparency and accountability."

I was reminded of a recent remark about new media by Arianna Huffington of the web-based Huffington Post. Addressing the Skoll Forum in Oxford she said:

"Media helps scale up community messages and creates a sense of urgency. The key is repetition, cross-post as much as you like. It is by volume that you break through. It is not just doing one thing, it is doing it every day to explore and expose stories that are not being covered."

Back at the World Press Freedom day conference, this sentiment was echoed by Dr Moncef Marzouki, the interim President of Tunisia, who reflected on the extraordinary ripple effect of Tunisia's revolution in January 2011. And others recalled TV images from Tahrir Square, Egypt, of Egyptians holding the Tunisian flag and signs saying: 'Thank you Tunisia'.

So it was with unfortunate timing that - on World Press Freedom Day itself - a Tunisian court fined a private TV station for 'undermining morality and public order' by screening the film Persepolis, an award-winning Franco-Iranian film, which briefly showed a depiction of God. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed concern in her video address to the conference, while the Tunisian president (a former rights activist himself) said the verdict was bad for the country. The screening had provoked protests by thousands, and resulted in a government statement at the time calling for 'respect for sacred things'. It underlines the ongoing tensions between Islamists and secularists and the challenges of transition.

For Tunisia, in a change from those early tumultuous days, it's now a more gradual process of transition ahead of elections later this year. The country has already jumped 30 places up the ranks of the freedom of expression index, and there is commitment to get democratic processes enshrined in law.

The revolution happened so quickly, and access to information played such a central part, there is huge appetite for media reform, editorial support and journalism training. �鶹Լ�� Media Action's work in the country, in partnership with others, is to provide training and capacity support to Tunisian TV and radio as it moves from state-ownership towards public service broadcasting.

Education, access, openness and equity matter. Sometimes, the results are extraordinary, and a solitary voice can resonate and scale up, as Karman illustrated so eloquently and simply, when she sang a joyful anthem for us all.

Go back to �鶹Լ�� Media Action

World Press Freedom Day: New Voices

2012-05-03T15:17:51+00:00

World Press Freedom Day encourages us - as an organisation and a sector - to focus on why media matters, and why we need to protect and build responsible journalism around the world.

You’ll find many examples on our website of how we work with partners to help strengthen the media, along with the personal stories of the journalists we support. Their stories illustrate the tenacity and commitment required to be a journalist in the more fragile and hostile places in the world. Yet it is there that people's stories need to be told.

In Myanmar for example we have just launched a new youth-based radio show, Lin Yat Kyair ('Young Stars with Shining Futures'). The presenter Thang Kim expresses cautious optimism to describe a programme that he feels "responds to young people and motivates them to pursue their dreams".

Journalism training has been a part of our work for over 12 years and it is still central. We have two new films about the impact of our work in this area – one highlights Haba na Haba ('Little by Little'), a new participatory radio show in Tanzania, and another film shows how we work to support journalists around the world.

This year we are working in partnership with �鶹Լ�� Arabic and will take part in events in Tunisia to mark World Press Freedom Day (3 - 5 May). An annual conference organised by UNESCO, this year's theme is 'New Voices: Media Freedom Helping to Transform Societies'.

Over 750 journalists, non-governmental organisations and other practitioners are gathered to support and discuss issues of freedom of expression and media support.

James Deane, Director of Policy and Insight, is taking part in a panel event on Media and Public Engagement. The session will explore how media is used by citizens, and how now, more than ever, the audience actively participates in shaping content. James will be blogging from the event in the coming days.

And finally, please do read the moving blog by our colleague Amara Bangura as he reflects on the part he has played in reporting to Sierra Leoneans and Liberians the Charles Taylor trial from the Hague. Amara embodies the best of journalism – integrity, commitment, passion and skill. He has a powerful story to tell.

Go back to �鶹Լ�� Media Action website