In Africa, where radio is the most important, and for many people, the only source of news and information, a gradual liberalisation of laws governing the media has led to a substantial increase in the number of independent radio stations over the last several decades. In 1995, in order to provide support to these stations, Radio Nederland Wereldomroep (Radio Netherlands) set up an African bureau in Cotonou, the largest city in West African Benin. According to its director, Soulé Issiaka, Radio Netherlands Africa Office (officially Bureau Afrique de Radio Nederland or BARN) works with more than 330 radio stations throughout Africa and the Indian Ocean with the mission of supporting radio pluralism and promoting development and the democratic process in the continent. In part, Benin was chosen as the site for BARN because of the relative freedom of the press and plurality of mass communications in Benin.
BARN's chief activities are radio production and co-production, and training and reinforcement of professional skills (including on-site training sessions). It is also involved in consultancy with its partners, and works together with them on special projects. The BARN activities also address such issues as financial and personnel management and technical support.
Providing this sort of generalised technical assistance to African broadcasters may not seem, at first glance, to have much to do with peacebuilding and conflict resolution. But there are strong arguments to be made in support of such activities. Abiodun Onadipe and David Lord open their thoughtful paper entitled African Media and Conflict by noting: "In deeply divided societies, the media can shape opinions and decisions related to the nature and scope of conflicts, as well as how to constructively handle actual and potential conflict. Where social, political and economic conflicts have degenerated into widespread violence, the role of information in mitigating the effects of violence or in presenting alternatives can be crucial. There is little doubt that information is a key component of power - power to change social, political and economic conditions for good or ill. Robert Karl Manoff, executive director of the Centre for War, Peace and the News Media, has pointed out, 'Overall, media influence is significant, and increasingly so ... As a result, the media constitute a major human resource whose potential to help prevent and moderate social violence begs to be discussed, evaluated, and where appropriate, mobilised."
Onadipe and Lord also cite Johannes Botes, a journalism and conflict resolution trainer, who points out that in some ways, journalists function quite similarly to mediators - as intermediaries who provide and interpret information, engage in discussions about the risks of escalation or the potential for resolution, and attempt, in many cases, to provide an objective view and to distinguish fact from propaganda. Therefore, they write: "It is self-evident that both journalists and third-party mediators can have substantial influence on conflict and conflict resolution processes through their action or inaction. In a proactive role, which is essentially different from reporting the facts, journalists and mediators can provide a forum for parties to a conflict and interested third parties to express their views and alternatives; and, in some instances, bring the parties into face-to-face discussions. Both types of interveners can ask questions that shed new light on the conflict to enable those involved to examine their attitudes or motivations - what conflict resolution practitioners call the process of 'reframing' the conflict.
Onadipe and Lord further argue that "better-informed and trained communicators can do a lot to increase the amount of factual information and analysis available to policy makers and mediators. Better information can also help ordinary people understand and probably influence conflicts around them, as well as to consider what their options are."
They acknowledge, citing the examples of Rwanda, DR Congo, and the former Yugoslavia that media can also be used to stir up hatred and encourage violence, but argue nonetheless that, "used creatively and constructively, the media is a potent instrument for describing and analysing the events affecting peoples' lives and reporting or generating constructive alternatives to violence and despair." And therefore, precisely on account of the weakness of African media, they conclude, "There is a tremendous need for a consistent and sustained effort to improve the mass media's ability to understand and communicate the underlying causes of conflict and the contributing factors for its escalation by providing for a for public dialogue on strategies for social, political and economic change. That need is even more urgent, and the obstacles that much greater, in African societies wracked by widespread social violence or civil war."
In short, Onadipe and Lord offer persuasive arguments for wide-ranging support for the development of a pluralistic media environment as a strategy to build peace, democracy and stability in Africa (and by extension, in other areas of conflict, as well).
Production and co-production
BARN's assistance in the area of production and co-production extends to thematic
programmes such as Rencontres & Profils (Encounters and Profiles) and Exclusivement
Féminin (For Women Only) and music programmes such as Paradiso, Europarade and
World Music recordings, which are dispatched to the BARN partner radio stations.
The thematic programmes aim basically to disseminate positive African ideas and opinions on progress and development. A broad range of topics are addressed, including democracy, education, health, media and communication, the environment, conflict resolution on the continent, information and communication technology, energy, culture, music, gender issues, freedom of the press, and war child protection. BARN offers partner stations a selection of about 100 programmes a year from its Rencontres et Profils series. The series consists of features, round table discussions, and interviews, and is provided to partner stations free of charge. According to Soulé Issiaka, these programmes act as a catalyst in encouraging debate at all levels of society and they are a source of inspiration for similar debate programmes in local languages in each of the partner stations.
Training and capacity building
As noted, the development of professional skills at all levels (among reporters,
technicians, and managers) is important for the development and success of all
media in Africa, and radio media in particular. In addition to developing journalistic
and production skills, there needs to be a focus on financial and human resources
management; and the technical maintenance of equipment used in radio transmissions.
Therefore, a second important focus of BARN's activities is training and capacity
building. On request, BARN will analyse a radio station's operating methods
and advise the institution on the best ways of taking best advantage of its
investments and assets to operate profitably.
In the Netherlands, Radio Nederland, the mother organisation in Hilversum, operates a highly successful training programme at its Radio Nederland Training Centre (RNTC). Drawing on the experience and knowledge of this centre, BARN has adapted the RNTC methodologies to provide training modules, often on-site, as required by individual stations.
Before any training takes place, BARN carries out an assessment of the target station's needs. "If you want to reach the needs of the people," notes Soulé Issiaka, "you need to know what they expect." Thus, after, having identified the strengths and weaknesses of a target station, as well as determining what expectations they may have, BARN's team of trainers proposes a series of modules to enhance the professional capacities of the station's personnel. The workshops and training courses aim not only to improve the quality of the programmes and management, but also to improve the abilities of managers to identify listener needs, and consequently to better adapt productions to the demands of the public.
Resources
Poverty vs. Conflict: Understanding Africa's Wars, DFID, 21 Nov. 2001 report:
www.bureauafrique.nl
www.bbc.com
www.state.gov
www.oneworld.org
www.tvradioworld.com
www.ijnet.org
Abiodun Onadipe and David Lord, African Media and Conflict, Conciliation Resources. http://www.c-r.org/occ_papers/af_media/contents.htm
International Press Institute. World Press Freedom Review, International Press Institute: 1999. www.freemedia.at/archive97/benin.htm
Jensen, Mike. Information and Communication Infrastructure in Africa, Updated October 3, 1999. http://www2.sn.apc.org/africa/countdet.CFM?countries__ISO_Code=BJ
Committee to Protect Journalists Country Report: Benin, 1999, www.cpj.org/attacks99/pages_att99/country_frame_att99.html
Boko, Michie. Media-Benin: Journalists Warned Against Raving, Inter Press Service: February 8, 1999 www.oneworld.org/ips2/feb99/10_34_022.html
Directory of Advanced Training Opportunities in the ACP Countries Republic of Benin: Media., Directory of Advanced Training Opportunities in the ACP Countries: June 1998. http://dtoacp.kub.nl/benin.htm
Karatnycky, Adrian, ed. Freedom in the World: 1998/99, Freedom House: 1999. www.freedomhouse.org/survey99/country/benin.html
U.S. Department of State 1999 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor/U.S. Department of State: February 25, 2000. www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1999_hrp_report/benin.html
Mumford Jerding, Christy Free Press Emerged From Repression In Benin, Ivory Coast, Author Says, The Freedom Forum/World Center: November 12, 1998. www.freedomforum.org/international/1998/11/12africa.asp