Africa and Press Freedom

Africa and Press Freedom Where access to information can mean life or death.

Colonialism to war lords, democracy, anarchy….

African countries

From more free than the U.S. to … Namibia—more free Ghana—more free Somalia—less free Democratic Republic of Congo—more free What are the consequences of such a range of freedoms? How could one country affect another? Kenya—more free—shares a border with Somalia—very restrictive

External issues facing African media • Lack of interest from the world—despite a combined population of almost 1 billion with natural resources of gold, oil, diamonds, etc. • War, poverty, disease tend to take the headlines • Focus shifts quickly when a new war, famine, disease spreads • One bureau—often located in Johannesburg, South Africa is the only outpost of Western media in Africa • Coverage is too often “superficial and cliched” in the words of Laura Pawson, who worked as the BBC’s Angola correspondent in the 1990s.

Internal issues facing Africa’s press • Each country has a different set of laws governing the media—ranging from South Africa with its Western-style media to Zimbabwe where broadcasters are state-controlled and reporters are jailed and harassed. • Use of “hate media” has forced discussion of how much control a government should have over media. In Rwanda, journalists have been found guilty of inciting violence. • While most countries have enshrined press freedom as a right in their constitutions—as well as signing on to the UN Charter—how press freedom is practiced is driven by social, cultural, and historical imperatives • Lack of funding for the press is a major issue with only a few countries such as Kenya and South Africa having a middle class that will support an advertising-based model of the press

Kenya—Moving toward a more democratic press

Kenyan press freedom…or? • President MwaiKibaki refuses to sign media legislation that included a requirement for journalists to name their sources • Onerous media legislation has been voted against… • Kibaki appears to support a more open media system with few controls by gov’t. • But following his election there was a media blackout ostensibly to keep election violence from getting out of control—but news got out through SMS messages • But jail sentences and fines still remain for defamation • But the government told public sector groups not to advertise in the papers of the Standard Group. This followed stories that a government minister had had discussion with Armenian crime syndicates to have the former president’s son murdered

Somalia—from international news story to deadliest place for journalists outside Iraq

Somalia—press battleground Seven journalists killed in 2008, second only to Iraq Journalists die in crossfire covering the fighting, but also are targeted specifically by the various factions 60 journalists arrested, many with no formal charges Often are subject of attacks after reporting on human rights abuses on both sides of the conflict

Somalia—can anarchy uphold press freedom? • No effective government—ruled by transitional government backed by Ethiopia—but the capital and country often raided by Islamic militants and various militias • Declaration of martial law has caused the shutdown of numerous television and radio stations • Journalists often caught in the crossfire between militant groups. Also have been kidnapped and held for ranson • Stations were allowed to start broadcasting again…if they would “protect national security interests and to cooperate with the government.” • Al-Jazeera has been targeted, told to shut down not long after it had requested a debate between a person who was against Ethiopia’s intervention and the chairman of the ousted Islamic group that had held sway in Mogadishu

But Somalia—and by extension Africa—is the place that needs an independent press • The competing interests in the region make it difficult to make sense of—who is right, who is wrong? • Access to independent, neutral information could help Somalis determine what government would be good for them. • Access to information can help get drugs, food, and clean water to people • But in 2007, RSF painted a dismal picture of Africa. Even countries that had been models of press freedom have backed away from support of an independent media. • The idea of an independent media as benefit may be slipping away as leaders see advantage in controlling the press.

Sources International Press Institute http://www.freemedia.at/cms/ipi/freedom.html?country=/KW0001/KW0006/ Committee to Protect Journalists http://www.cpj.org/2008/02/attacks-on-the-press-2007-somalia.php

The final question Is access to information a basic human right? (particularly in a region where information can keep you safe and keep you alive)

Next two weeks • On Wednesday, April 8, we will continue discussing Africa and press freedom in a lecture. I hope to leave time for blogging, but I'd also like to discuss the stories that you have chosen to blog on about Africa so you may need to blog outside the class time. This will be our final blog of the semester. • April 8, handout for requirements for the final essay. Final essay due in class April 20. • Please be prepared on Wednesday by reading Joseph Lelyveld's piece "Forced Busing" in the Granta Book of Reportage. • Next week, we turn our attention to the coverage of the Mumbai attacks and their significance in how technology is changing the way we cover events and affecting the free flow of information around the world--as part of a segue into the discussion on the final question: "Is access to information a basic human right?"

Africa and Press Freedom