'THE IMPACT OF INTERNATIONAL /CROSS BORDER COMMUNICATION ON THE DEVELOPING ECONOMIES OF AFRICA:
PROSPECTS, REALITIES, AND FUTURES.'

By: Mongameli Jabavu

Prospects:

I would like to start by stating the obvious and that is digital broadcasting systems are well equipped to facilitate service delivery over large geographical areas. In mountaneous areas for example, and where terrestrial networks cannot be economically viable, digital satellite broadcasting systems can deliver unlimited access to services that would otherwise not be provided.

Furthermore, international/cross border communication must be shared for it to be economically viable. To me shared communication is that kind of communication that cuts across class, or social origin. This kind of communication is for all of mankind, and is for men and women of all races, and of all ages.

Shared communication automatically leads to shared expectations, shared beliefs, and more important, shared communication results in a shared vision and ultimately this is what development is about. A vision needs to be constructed before a particular social action can be deemed feasible. For example the BBC's main aim is to make the "BBC the world's best known and most respected voice in international broadcasting and thereby bringing benefit to Britain."

It is my opinion that a pan-African media network to promote Africa's development and enhance world understanding becomes essential. The need does not arise because African issues are given less attention by the current news and current affairs networks, but because Africa wants to play a role in formulating international public opinion and thus influence international discourse.

Africa's pan-African media network must distinguish itself from the rest by emphasising or promoting communication/broadcasting to advance Africa's development in order to harness the potential of the new broadcasting and communication/information technologies to generate wealth.

Broadcasting for development in Africa and elsewhere, can play a representational and advocacy role by 'fostering mutual understanding across international borders and cultural divides.' That is why, it would not be prudent to include services that have a local focus because they simply take-up capacity that could be used for sub-continental or international services.

The digital multimedia technologies will also leapfrog Africa into the information economy and thus play a meaningful role in local/international 'developments'. Our involvement in this first phase of digitisation will make sure that a large section of the population is not excluded from the information economy.

Our intervention at this earliest stage would also make sure that Africa becomes a leader in the information sector not a follower. For information leads to knowledge. And knowledge is a condition for development. An information literate populace has higher chances of increasing its standard of living than one that is not.

A knowledgeable society makes informed choices and arrives at informed decisions with little loss of time and resources. Communicating across borders can lead to larger markets and increased access to global supply chains.

My optimism therefore, is that ICTs will facilitate and even enhance African social and economic development. Moreover, the knowledge society is largely dependent on the delivery of data and text messages, and access to up-to-date information will in my view empower a country and its people to compete in the global markets.

The digital multimedia services of the future will definately be delivered by digital technologies and that would help to mobilise a country and its people in the information age.

Realities:

I started the process of developing partnerships in 1997 and since then it has been an uphill battle to send and receive programmes. It is not an exaggeration to say that basically the problems have been associated with inter-connectivity. For example, we courrier tapes to broadcasters in the nieghbouring countries, but we receive nothing in return. The aim is to send and receive programmes.

I then went to speak with ABN who offered me their platform to deliver audio programmes to their affiliates in Africa and overseas destinations. An offer I will take up as soon as I have dealt with the bureaucracy back at home. In fact I thought by now I would have started. But so far we incur the costs to deliver these programmes to broadcasters in the neighbouring in countries. We spend up to R150 000-00 a month just to courrier tapes.

Furthermore, the reality is that the digital technologies are too expensive for the average African consumer. That is why other digital networks operating in Africa require their payments 6 months in advance. The cost of production will only go down when the technologies are produced in large numbers.

There is also general agreement that the current regulatory environment is not favourable to the growth of the digital economy sector in Africa. Bottlenecks to stifle technological innovation and satellite related business ventures in Africa continue to discourage direct investment in the digital satellite technologies.

Africa is currently seen as a mere business opportunity whose reluctance and resistance to digitisation is to be conquered in what can only be called an intended process of 'electronic colonisation.'

The superior technologies of CNN, BBC, Sky Tv etc, does not make things any easier for Africa's emerging media entrepreneurs. A lot more cajoling and convincing is needed to move the process efficiently, faster and with little financial loss. Because the risks are very high.

Future Digital Partnerships.

The benefit of digital partnerships is that they would lead to the sharing of information and knowledge by scores of people.

Africa's digital partnerships will therefore help to:

- Extend the benefits of the information and communication initiatives to all.

- Find a shared understanding and to raise awareness of the information and communication society and close the widening information and knowledge gap.

- Promote ICTs as instruments for poverty eradication. Important areas to be considered for sustainable growth include gender equality, removing information trade barriers and 'liberalising' the broadcasting sector.

- Speed up the reduction of broadcasting tariffs to facilitate international/cross border communication.

- Take full advantage of the opportunities offered by the African Union and NEPAD to provide high quality public service programmes to stakeholders in Africa and overseas destinations.

- Help to promote tele-education, tele-health, e-commerce, and e-trade, etc.

- Develop training programmes for capacity building to increase media business skills in Africa.

- Promote regional co-operation amongst broadcasters to access content from international sources and other broadcasting services throughout the world using the internet.

I am already working with AMARC-Africa in South Africa to:

- Assist community broadcasting services in getting on-line and improving content delivery.

- Investigate and analyse training options for African broadcasters and to identify areas for development and improvement-also the purpose of this seminar.

- Support African broadcasters in producing content to share with one another and with broadcasters and audiences elsewhere in the world.

- Build capacity amongst African journalists to report on issues of international concern.

At this I would like to urge African broadcasters to work together and develop the enthusiasm in our people so that we can expand the information infrastructure. Co-operation amongst African broadcasters would even ensure that receivers may be produced in higher volumes(and lower cost, considering information centres, and public informatoin institutions that can emerge.)

Conclusion:

Access to information and knowledge about goods and services will be the yardstick by which a country's ability to influence global trends will be measured. Those that have access to up to date information on product demands and tenders are most likely to be first in line to make an offer and win the deal.

In my view digital broadcast networks are uniquely positioned to deliver asymmetrical information flows of data, and will be able to provide this access to information at a lower cost than what other conventional technologies have to offer.

Taking myself as an example, well educated, information literate persons participate in the economy as creative entrepreneurs. These men and women work to create new products and services. They also possess a deep knowledge of market signals and work to develop products that the markets want. Information literate persons are also in a better position to develop new business models which lead to job creation, increased income and increased savings.

It would simply be suicidal to view digital broadcasting as somewhat "elitist" or a "rich nation luxury."

(Presentation made to the United Nations Economic Commission on Africa titled:Media for Development:The role of Radio)