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| Summary Media programme Niza |
| Introduction |
Picture the arrival of a new day in Europe: youngsters bike through the streets delivering the different morning papers. When arriving at the breakfast table you pick it up as you do every other day. During breakfast you file through the paper and pick up a diversity of news, stories and opinions. On the radio in the background you hear the latest news. There is no obvious reason why you should mistrust what you read or hear. You expect the truth exposed by a capable objective journalist. He or she is just an ordinary guy or girl doing the job in full freedom. Without questioning under what circumstances this edition or programme came to light, you go of to work.
When in southern Africa, the scene is extremely different. Chances are big that you cannot afford to buy a newspaper everyday, let alone choose between them. And even if you have a radio, there is not much variety to lessen your thirst of information. Secondly, the quality is more than often low and the articles or reports only give one side of the story. And in the case that you do read a revealing exposé on a certain government official you know this article will have major repercussions for the journalist and his seniors.
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| Long-term support is needed |
Although since a decade democracy has been introduced in the whole Southern African region freedom of expression is still a new thing. It is weak in the sense of judicial protection and in the understanding of the meaning of this newly achieved freedom. Since the transition to democracy several countries experienced an abundance of small papers that, under the banner of freedom of expression, write what ever they like, disregarding its repercussions. Will the young democracies have a chance to overgrow its childhood-phase, media have an all-important task: to inform, to stimulate debate and to give citizens a voice. Only this way democracy will be more than casting your vote every four years.
NiZA opts for long-term support for this sector through the programme ‘Media and Freedom of expression.’ The main goals will be to improve the media’s diversity and access to the citizens, to enhance journalists’ and media’s freedom and quality and to strengthen the sector’s sustainability. From these goals we have derived several interventions (projects) with which we aim to achieve the above mentioned. These clusters are the following:
- research and training in order to improve journalists’ (ethical) standards and media’s sustainability;
- community media to enable people to tell their stories, to be part of the news and to make it easier for people to be involved in decision-making- processes;
- media exchange and linking will increase the platform to address issues concerning the media in Southern Africa. Until now, news about this region, and Africa in general, is very shallow and stereotype. Through exchange journalists in the South and North will expand their horizons, broaden their views and enhance their skills. Also, through linking there is more long-term commitment and support. This is especially wanted in the case of all those journalists under threat and which need all the (legal) support they can get.
- new media are necessary tools to diversify the media landscape and to give more people access to news and information. Through the new applications of ICT it is possible to overcome infrastructural barriers which until now make it impossible for people in the rural areas to be in contact with the world ‘out there’.
- gender is an often neglected issue in the media. Most journalists write and report about women in stereotypes and thereby strengthening the image of women being weak, passive and victims. In all countries there is desperate need to adjust this image and media will have to be among the firsts to change their behaviour.
- donor-coordination is particularly needed to make sure that NiZA’s activities are as effective as possible. Doubling must be avoided and efforts bundled.
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| Co-operation |
The basis for the programme lies with co-operating partners in Southern Africa. NiZA only supports projects and activities if requested by one of our partners. In all countries we have depicted one or more partners to operate with. NiZA limits its activities to the SADC-countries Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Several partners have had major input in this program. In the coming years an advisory board of Dutch and Southern experts will monitor the programme and advise on its activities. On a more frequent bases external experts will be involved and have a shared responsibility for one of the clusters
The above mentioned interventions do not stand alone. In reality the projects interact with each other. Experience between partners within the whole region is shared through active co-operation and consultation. This is stimulated and facilitated by NiZA because it makes the spin-off of the programme even bigger. For instance, ICT applications such as an internet-café have direct influence on improving the access to news and information for the average people. For journalists it means more opportunities for their research which in turn will enhance the quality of their work. In Mozambique is ample experience how to use email and faxes to reach the deserted areas in the northern part of the country. The lessons learned in Mozambique will in near future be implemented in Angola, a country with comparable difficulties in its infrastructure.
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Newsletter Media Southern Africa
No 1 (Sept. 2000)  |
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