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The Media Map Project: The Democratic Republic of the Congo. Case Study on Donor Support to Independent Media, 1990-2010
Deep Insights

Marie-Soleil Frère

Washington, DC: Internews; World Bank Institute (2012), 98 pp.

"Today, the DRC tops the African charts in the number of registered media outlets, be they print media, radio or television. In 2008, 638 publications were registered country-wide; there were 341 radio stations and 82 television stations, although TV is still an essentially urban phenomenon, given t ... he lack of access to electricity. Despite this hugely diverse media landscape, citizens in the provinces are often deprived of access to information, as the media are most concentrated in the capital city, Kinshasa. Congolese media outlets are characterized by poor content, a severe shortage of material and technical capacity, and significant sustainability problems. Journalists work in an unsafe environment, lack regular salaries and protection, and regularly struggle with threats to press freedom. The legal and regulatory framework does not provide sufficient guarantees and basic regulations to ensure that media outlets abandon their “informal” practices. The advertising market is still undeveloped and disorganized, providing little financial backing to media companies. The supposedly “public” broadcaster is the mouthpiece of the government, and the only “public service broadcaster” is Radio Okapi, a UN-based station. In such an unfavorable context, the involvement of donors has become increasingly important over the last 20 years. The reasons why donors have intervened and continue to support the media sector are tied to the country’s political situation. The media have thus been supported for a variety of reasons: from 1990 to 1997: to encourage new democratic media freedoms; from 2000 to 2004: to promote a return to peace and reconstruction during negotiations to solve the conflict; from 2004 to 2007: to enable the media to play their part during the electoral process, as the first democratic elections during the last 40 years took place in 2006; from 2007 to 2011: to establish a solid and responsible press likely to take part in the consolidation of democracy. Reaching $80 million over the past ten years, media support by donors and operators has varied, essentially covering five types of activities: the creation of “neutral” and “apolitical” media and content (a recurring strategy in post-conflict countries); direct support (funds or equipment) for a number of outlets; media staff training; strengthening of the sector’s professional organizations and associations; consolidation of public institutions to organize the sector (including regulation and legal reform). Each of these types of interventions has generated both positive impacts and negative effects on individual journalists, newsrooms, media outlets and local organizations in the media sector. Beneficiaries, donors, and INGOs have all advanced their own critiques regarding the ways in which media support initiatives have been designed, implemented and assessed so far. They also make suggestions about how to improve media support in the future, to make it more consistent with the needs of the local Congolese media." (Executive summary, page 6-7 more

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The Media Map Project: Kenya. Case Study Snapshot of Donor Support to ICTs and Media, 2011

Katharine Allen, Iginio Gagliardone

Washington, DC: Internews; World Bank Institute (2012), 39 pp.

"For the media in Kenya to improve further, the following recommendations emerge from the study: Provide clear regulation that liberates the media at all levels, including in the editorial process; invest in practical training of media professionals to cope with the dynamic media sector and the new ... more

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The Media Map Project: Cambodia. Case Study on Donor Support to Independent Media, 1990-2010

Margarette Roberts

Washington, DC: Internews; World Bank Institute (2012), 66 pp.

"Donor funded media development is a relatively new phenomenon, resulting in minimal impact. Modest gains have been made: technical improvements in television production, some better skilled journalists, development of journalists’ associations and a code of ethics, and greater citizen engagement. ... more

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The Media Map Project: Peru. Case Study on Donor Support to Independent Media, 1990-2010

Gabriela Martínez

Washington, DC: Internews; World Bank Institute (2012), 53 pp.

"Peru’s media development landscape is uniquely characterized by prolonged funding of community radios by the Catholic Church, beginning in the 1960s and continuing until today. This activity appears to redress to some degree the lack of balanced development between Lima and the provinces. The 199 ... more

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The Media Map Project: Mali. Case Study on Donor Support to Independent Media, 1990-2010

Heather Gilberds

Washington, DC: Internews; World Bank Institute (2012), 46 pp.

"Mali’s media remain significantly underdeveloped in terms of business management, audience research and long-term sustainability. Many media organizations remain dependent on donor funding and have done little to develop business models to attract other sources of revenue. There are more than 50 ... more

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The Media Map Project: Ukraine. Case Study on Donor Support to Independent Media, 1990-2010

Katerina Tsetsura, Anastasia Grynko, Anna Klyueva

Washington, DC: Internews; World Bank Institute (2012), 61 pp.

"Western donor interventions to establish and develop an independent media landscape in Ukraine have been successful overall. Multiple Western donors have helped to support the development of civil society in Ukraine and the development of its independent media system. The political landscape, speci ... more

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An Analysis of the Somali Media Environment

Sonia Whitehead, Chris Larkin, Jamal Abdi, Hodan Ibrahim, Samuel Otieno

London: BBC World Service Trust (2011), 138 pp.

"In 2006 the BBC World Service Trust (BBC WST), funded by the UK Department for International Development, conducted research into media in 17 countries across sub-Saharan Africa in order to identify priorities for future media development initiatives. A series of African Media Development Initiativ ... more

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"That's where the hope is": Eine qualitative Studie über Ausprägungen und Potenziale internationaler Medienentwicklungszusammenarbeit in Kambodscha

Tobias Zacher

Dortmund: Technische Universität Dortmund, Diplomarbeit (2010), 119 pp.

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Afghanistan Media Assessment: Opportunities and Challenges for Peacebuilding

Eran Fraenkel, Emrys Shoemaker, Sheldon Himelfarb

Washington, DC: United States Institute of Peace (USIP) (2010), 40 pp.

"[...] International donor support for Afghanistan's media has had two primary goals. The short-term goal has been to counteract the effects of insurgent communications in order to win the hearts and minds of the Afghan people. The long-term goal has been to create a free and independent media secto ... r that will continue to function after donor support has ended. Although millions of dollars have been invested in the development of the Afghan media sector and the growth of private media since 2001 is considered one of Afghanistan's greatest success stories, neither of these donor goals is being met. Donor support for Afghan media has led to the growth of radio and television outlets that are almost entirely dependent on foreign funding - direct and indirect. Recent strategic communications policies have neither diminished nor adequately countered the presence of extremist voices in Afghanistan. Despite some examples to the contrary, Taliban communications continue to affect the lives of ordinary Afghans, whereas many communications by and from Western sources do not. Neither short- nor mid-term analysis of the Afghan economy - ranked the third poorest in the world by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) - foresees the growth of a market able to sustain Afghanistan's domestic media sector without foreign financing. The limited impact of Western communications endeavors, in conjunction with the predicted continued weakness of the Afghan economy, reveals an urgent need for a dramatic shift in the media strategies and goals pursued by the United States and its allies. First and foremost, donors should invest primarily in the Afghan media's production and dissemination of socially constructive contents rather than in building media institutions or infrastructure that the Afghan economy cannot support. For these contents to be received as authentic and credible, they must reflect the vulnerabilities and priorities that Afghans themselves have identified as vital. Donors should make a multiyear funding commitment to the media in Afghanistan. Support should be allocated to both terrestrial and wireless media through a transparent and competitive process developed jointly by donors and Afghan media experts. Aggressively supporting the dissemination of socially constructive contents through new outlets will permit access to both geographic and demographic segments of the population not adequately served by current media outlets." (Summary, page 3) more

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Liberia Media Assistance Strategy: A Strategy for Support to the Independent Media Within the Framework of Liberia's Poverty Reduction Strategy

Lanre Arogundade, Lawrence Randall

Monrovia: Liberia Media Center; Media Technical Working Group (2009), 50 pp.

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Medienhilfe als Instrument der Außen- und Sicherheitspolitik: Ziele, Motive und Implementierungswege internationaler Akteure in Bosnien-Herzegowina und Kosovo

Friederike von Franqué

Berlin: Wissenschaftlicher Verlag Berlin (wvb) (2008), 363 pp.

"In der Debatte um die politische Wirkung von Medien wird häufig übersehen, dass internationale Akteure schon längst auf ausländische Kommunikationsräume Einfluss nehmen. Thema dieser Arbeit ist das Instrument der externen Medienhilfe, bei der mit finanzieller, materieller und beratender Unters ... more

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African Media Development Initiative: South Africa. Research Findings and Conclusions

Claire Milne, Anne Taylor

London: BBC World Service Trust (2006), 116 pp.

"Overall, South Africa has a relatively vibrant and developing media environment. The 15 interviewees were involved in 37 media development initiatives between them. These development initiatives comprise the following: 12 training initiatives; nine advocacy initiatives; five research initiatives; t ... more

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African Media Development Initiative: Ethiopia. Research Findings and Conclusions

Gebremedhin Simon Gebretsadik

London: BBC World Service Trust (2006), 82 pp.

"The following changes have taken place over the past five years: media laws have been enacted; a legal framework is in place with the Press Law and Broadcast Law, and the creation of a favourable environment for media development; the Ethiopian Broadcast Authority has been established to issue lice ... more

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African Media Development Initiative: Kenya. Research Findings and Conclusions

Lucy W. Maina

London: BBC World Service Trust (2006), 75 pp.

"The liberalisation of airwaves and emerging democratic ideals have been important variables influencing increment in FM stations, new media products, a free press and freedom of expression. Occasional problems between the government and media players arise. The recognition by government of the incr ... more

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African Media Development Initiative: Nigeria. Research Findings and Conclusions

Akeem M. Adeyanju, Jenkeri Zakari Okwori

London: BBC World Service Trust (2006), 77 pp.

"Nine of the 15 interviewees said the most important change in the media sector in the last five years has been the mix of deregulation/liberalisation/privatisation. Four interviewees said the newly democratic environment has been the key change. All interviewees agreed that media development in the ... more

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African Media Development Initiative: Zambia. Research Findings and Conclusions

Fackson Banda

London: BBC World Service Trust (2006), 77 pp.

"The past five years have seen a mushrooming of media development organisations and media outlets. The period has also seen greater and better-coordinated civic activism in support of media development. There has generally been a diversity of media content, reflecting the plurality of media outlets. ... more

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African Media Development Initiative: Mozambique. Research Findings and Conclusions

Fernando Andre

London: BBC World Service Trust (2006), 71 pp.

"While acknowledging that the situation is not entirely ideal, most of the interviewees believed a lot has been achieved in terms of the development of the media in Mozambique over the past five years. This was mainly due to relatively stable political conditions, underpinned by a liberal constituti ... more

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African Media Development Initiative: Democratic Republic of Congo. Research Findings and Conclusions

Dominique Mweze

London: BBC World Service Trust (2006), 84 pp.

"On the whole, interviewees report both a positive quantitative and qualitative change in terms of the number and content of media messages. Liberalisation and more stable political climate has facilitated the opening up of the telecommunications sector, and has led to a diversification of the media ... more

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African Media Development Initiative: Ghana. Research Findings and Conclusions

Samuel Kafewo

London: BBC World Service Trust (2006), 66 pp.

"The media sector in Ghana has witnessed some dramatic, positive changes over the past few years, made possible by the promulgation of the 1992 democratic Constitution and the election in 2000 of President Kufuor’s government. All interviewees agreed that democratisation and the repeal of the Crim ... more

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African Media Development Initiative: Uganda. Research Findings and Conclusions

John Wotsuna Khamalwa

London: BBC World Service Trust (2006), 70 pp.

"Changes have been gradual but the watershed was 1992/4 when the airwaves were liberalised, leading to the mushrooming of media institutions especially in the broadcasting area. In the past five years, the media in Uganda has become more vibrant, more liberated and there has been more freedom of exp ... more

The Media Map Project: The Democratic Republic of the Congo. Case Study on Donor Support to Independent Media, 1990-2010 Deep Insights

The Media Map Project: The Democratic Republic of the Congo. Case Study on Donor Support to Independent Media, 1990-2010
Deep Insights