The Role of Development Institutions and Policymakers in Promoting Broadcasting for Development: ECA's Vision

Presentation by Max Bankole Jarrett
7 April 2003

"CHAMPIONS"

It is fair to say that there is now a clear consensus that broadcasting can play a key role in shaping development outcomes in Africa. What is still not very clear is how exactly this is most effectively done. What is lacking is synergy around a shared vision. The challenge now is to get all the incredibly committed people and institutions working in this area together around a common strategy and agenda. Essentially, what we are proposing is the establishment of a new network of "CHAMPIONS" of broadcasting for development. This is envisaged as a critical mass of influential individuals and organizations that will work together consistently to ensure that the role of broadcasting in development is more effectively promoted. Of course, they would each continue to play a particular role that complements and supports that of other Champions in the network. What will be new is that they will all now have a clearer idea of where their actions fit into the bigger picture.

Operationalising the Network

We, at ECA, believe that our organization and other development institutions must seek to help create such a network. One significant role that we and other development institutions should be playing in promoting broadcasting for development is to leverage our comparative advantage as one of the leading development-focused institutions on the continent in order to catalyse, galvanise support, and advocate for this Network. This workshop is an important first step. We therefore welcome immediate discussion with anyone who may want to partner us on this, to quickly devise a possible framework for monitoring the activities of this proposed network, for targeting and addressing capacity gaps and for setting up a mechanism for regular contact and exchange of views.

Content Production and Dissemination Partnerships

As a broadcaster working on news and current affairs at the BBC World Service for 11 years, I was constantly hunting for "good and interesting and gripping" stories to broadcast on the programmes I produced. Sadly, I have to admit that development items didn't figure as much as they probably should have in those programmes. One reason is that the cut and thrust of political intrigue and civil conflict is simply easier to report on.

Another could be that those working day-to-day on development are not making these issues accessible to journalists. These development stories are interesting and can be told in compelling ways, if broadcasters approach them in the right way. However they need help in seeing the wood from the trees. Development institutions must therefore be more proactive in pushing these stories and issues onto the agenda and running orders of broadcasters in clear, concise and compelling ways. Broadcasters must be seen not simply as tellers of the story, but as important activists who can influence development outcomes in favour of Africa's people. This calls for closer contact between development institutions and the media, and the encouragement of an ongoing dialogue on these issues. Development institutions might therefore want to consider entering into issues-based partnerships with broadcasters to address key development issues. And they could also consider creating a new system whereby several institutions could serve as hubs for content generation, aggregation, and dissemination. ECA could for example propose to be the East Africa hub in this network.

Let me illustrate how content partnerships could work with another example.

Some of you may be aware of the project that ECA has been undertaking across the continent to monitor and measure good governance in Africa. You may also be aware about the plans to set up a NEPAD African Peer Review Mechanism. However, I won't be surprised if you haven't got a clue about any of this. Chances are you are in the majority!! Well, given the loud criticism that not much is known about the NEPAD initiative and its plans at the grassroots, it seems like the time may be very ripe for the commissioning of a radio and TV documentary series on Governance in Africa- linked to the vision of the NEPAD project. Again, we at ECA would welcome further discussion with interested parties on this idea to see how we can make this series happen in the coming months. We have a wealth of content about the governance project and NEPAD, as well as contacts on the ground that we can share with interested programme makers.

Capacity building

As you've read, the responses to our survey of 2002 show a clear desire among broadcasters to produce development related broadcast material. However, many are hindered by major capacity constraints. In our view, it should be the role of development institutions to help them overcome these hurdles as soon as possible. There simply needs to be more and better training for programme editors and journalists on development issues so that they are better able to cover the development agenda. Attention needs to be paid to the setting up of an integrated framework for the comprehensive training of broadcasters in this area.

For example, we need to discuss how we can set up and finance a system of internships or fellowships that places African broadcasters for a short period in development institutions or with media houses and universities, in Africa and overseas, specialising in development. We also need to explore how we can regularly link programme producers with development practitioners and policy makers so they can benefit from hands-on exposure to the issues and also collect material for their productions. Additionally, we need to tap into the work of the multitude of existing training institutions in Africa, and encourage them to work with us on creation of specific training programmes for broadcasters covering development issues.

Funding.

I would like to end with a few proposals regarding one overriding issue: how all this could be financed. Let's focus on the production of a hypothetical series for radio. Firstly, a donor or development agency might be able to put up the all funds for this and others might pledge to disseminate the final project through their networks. Secondly, organizations with an interest in generating programming on priority issues could engage with potential funders to generate the financial resources required for conceptualisation, production, and dissemination of the programming, as well as for engagement of stakeholders. ECA could as an example, discuss with the Open Society Institute on the best avenues of raising funds and pooling revenue for a series on governance. Thirdly, private sector organizations with corporate responsibility programmes could also be solicited for support on an issues-specific basis. For example, the Shell Oil company has committed resources to the fight against HIV/AIDS and ECA is working with them on a major scenario-building project. We could therefore approach them with Voice of Nigeria and discuss how they could sponsor a small 4-part series addressing the issues for broadcast on VON and other partner stations in our network. The same overall approach can be adopted to find funding support for all necessary capacity building initiatives.

Way forward

These are just a few ideas to throw into the ring. We at ECA now look forward to detailed discussions with you on them, particularly in the breakout sessions so that we can move towards achieving some quick wins in key areas in the near future.