Survey on Media Sector in Sub-Saharan Africa Cites Growth and Difficulties

A recent study found that the media sector is growing in sub-Saharan Africa, fuelled by democratic reform, globalization, economic growth and the availability of new technologies. Despite the good news, reform is still needed.

In January 2007 the African Media Development Initiative (AMDI) rolled out the most comprehensive survey to date, on the state of the media in Sub-Saharan Africa and the ways in which media outlets could be strengthened. Findings revealed that while outlets such as radio and print media have proliferated through the countries in the last 5 years, reporters still lacked the necessary skills and expertise required to act as “the fourth estate” in challenging
the power of their governments.

Great obstacles remain, such as the lack of technical expertise and journalistic training, low standards in ethics and management, poor salaries and continued governmental control of key media sources. Research has shown however, that there is widespread consensus that the media could be potentially beneficial in affecting development and governance in Africa. “Fostering a stronger media in Africa is an indispensable part of tackling poverty and enabling Africa to attain its development goals,” stated Wilfred Kiboro, formerly CEO of the Nation Group and a member of The African Media Development Initiative Advisory Group. “This study provides a unique template showing how donors, investors, media and media development organizations can collaborate in supporting and strengthening Africa’s media sector.”

Despite such obstacles the media are still seen as a platform for change and continued growth and “the AMDI study provides an invaluable set of insights on the media landscape in sub-Saharan Africa,” says Stephen King, Director of the BBC World Trust Service. “It tells us that the sector is weak, but there are grounds for optimism. With this information, a consortium of partners can now begin in earnest to translate into reality the stated desire for a Pan-African media development facility by the Commission for Africa (a group formed by UK Prime Minister Tony Blair with the aim of taking a look at Africa’s past and present and the international community’s role in its development path).”

King further states that the media sector is moving in a positive direction with the growth of religion broadcasting and venues for creativity opening up in Nigeria such as Nollywood, the third biggest film industry in the world.

The survey spans 17 countries and was conducted by Ahmadu Bello University in Nigeria, BBC World Service Trust and Rhodes University in South Africa. Funding came from the International Finance Corporation, Irish Aid, the UK Department for International Development and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

For more information on the BBC Trust World Service or The African Media Development Initiative Summary Report, please visit www.bbcworldservicetrust.org/amdi.

Helping Lessen the Burden of Student Loans After College

The Pew Charitable Trusts recently announced a $3 million grant to the Institute for College Access and Success in Berkeley, California, for their Project on Student Debt. The grant, aimed at expanding Pew’s work to advance nonpartisan policy solutions to reduce student debt burden, will focus on initiatives to reform student loan repayment policies, ensure counseling for those receiving loans, simplify the federal financial aid application process and highlight inefficiencies in student loan policies.

The program is part of a wider Pew portfolio of projects promoting financial security for families around the country. Student loan debt has far-reaching implications for young people. Many are deterred from pursing valuable jobs in the public sector after gradua-tion; others risk dropping out due to the many hours of work necessary to pay for tuition, or forgo college completely in an attempt to avoid debt. Those who do borrow heavily may remain at financial risk after graduation, which can result in delayed home ownership and saving for retirement.

“Education is crucial to the future of our young people and the nation’s economic competitiveness, yet record student debt levels are creating financial straightjackets for many college grads and dissuading others from pursuing college at all,” said Pew president and CEO Rebecca W. Rimel.

Rare Books Made Available through Digitization

Rare and fragile books in the Library of Congress’ collection just became a little safer. The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, which makes grants in science, technology and quality of American life, recently gave a $2 million grant to the Library of Congress for a campaign to digitize some of the more vulnerable “brittle” books in their collections. The project called “Digitizing American Imprints at the Library of Congress” will include basic scanning of the volumes but also development of suitable page-turn display technology, capability to scan foldouts, and the ability to capture tables of contents, chapters and indexes, that will be accessible to thousands of people worldwide.

The project is two fold, acting to preserve some of the rare collections such as: the Benjamin Franklin Collection, the Confederate States of America Collection, and U.S genealogy and regimental histories, as well as a pilot program for future practices in scanning high risk and vulnerable works. The works include many useful county, state and regional histories, diaries, memoirs from the Civil War.

“Digitizing American Imprints will make a major contribution to the collective body of knowledge that is accessible worldwide, further democratizing the information that is key to functional societies and economies,” said librarian of Congress James. H. Billington.

A good number of works will now be available to anyone in the world, “in an open, non-exclusive and non-profit setting, thus bringing the ideal of a universal digital library closer to reality,” stated Doron Weber, who is program director at the Sloan Foundation for the Library of Congress project.

For more information on this project at the Library of Congress please visit, www.loc.gov

Carnegie Endowment Becomes First Global Think Tank

The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace recently re-defined itself as the first truly multi-national, and ultimately global, think tank. By opening three new centers in Beirut, Beijing,
and Brussels, in addition to its longstanding offices in Moscow and Washington, D.C., the En-dow-ment is pioneering the idea that in today’s world a think tank, whose mission is to contri-bute to global security, stability, and prosperity, requires a permanent international presence and multinational outlook.

“We are undertaking a fundamental redefinition of our role and mission,” said Jessica Matthews, president of Carnegie Endowment. Carnegie’s “New Vision” reflects the urgent need for the United States—as the sole superpower—to understand the interests of others in pursuing its own agenda. By creating a global network of scholars and first rate policy research, the Endowment hopes to create collaborative links that can serve as a model for U.S. international relations, and demonstrate how other institutions can contribute to the strengthening of their governments and societies.

The Endowment’s offices in Moscow, Beijing and Beirut are host to local scholars and experts, conducting research and events in their native languages on such topics as political change, economic and security issues, energy, the environment, trade policy, and legal reform. The primary mission of the Brussels office will be to establish and nurture contacts with influential European policymakers and government officials, while amplifying the European component of Carnegie’s efforts through workshops, seminars, and consultations.

Ford Marks Halfway Point of International Initiative to Strengthen Philanthropy

Independent foundations around the world are being supported by the Ford Foundation’s International Initiatives to Strengthen Philanthropy fund. The initiative aims to help independent foundations that support grassroots solutions to poverty and injustice. The Foundation committed $100 million to the program, which began in 2005 and is expected to run through 2008. Currently the initiative supports 18 international organizations spanning 13 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, South Asia and Northern Africa.

Ford began the program in an effort to boost the role philanthropy can play in collaborative efforts among governments, civil society organizations and community groups to fight poverty and promote human rights. The organizations use funds from the program to enhance their own governance structures, augment their endowments and attract new funders to their work.

“Our work around the world is guided by the belief that solutions to the world’s most complex problems need to engage the people and the communities living closest to them, “ stated Susan V. Berresford, president of the Ford Foundation.

Through the initiative, Ford is supporting organizations such as TrustAfrica, an independent foundation governed by Africans that helps African institutions build consensus and work toward common goals. Ford has also supported The Dalit Foundation, the first grant-making organization in South Asia to serve the Dalit community, the most socioeconomically disadvantaged population segment in the subcontinent.

For more information on the Ford foundation or the Inter-na-tional Initiative to Strengthen Philanthropy please visit www.fordfound.org/news/more/IISP.

Gates Foundation Launches Global Libraries Initiative in Three New Countries

Today, nearly 5 billion people do not have access to the Internet. Increasingly, those on the wrong side of the digital divide do not have the opportunity to access the
valuable health care, education and government information that would improve their lives. In November 2006, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation launched the Global Libraries initiative with partnerships in three new countries: Botswana, Latvia and Lithuania. The initiative is expected to grow over the next seven years to support computers and Internet access in public libraries.

The $17.5 million in grants dispersed among the three countries will ensure that the latest training and technologies will make it possible for public libraries to provide open and free access to the Internet for all. People will be able to access information on job and business opportunities and health issues that concern them and simply communicate with others around the world. “Everyone should have access to the benefits of the digital age, no matter their age, gender, ethnicity, income level, or where they happen to live. Public libraries, with their history as centers of information and knowledge, are the ideal partner in this effort,” stated Martha Choe, director of the Global Libraries Initiative.

The initiative partners with countries that are selected based on several criteria: national commitment to building a knowledge society and providing equal access to technology, demonstrated need, a strong library system and sustainability of critical services. Country partners provide significant matching funds to support public libraries and sustain no-cost access to information technology and training.

In Botswana, the foundation invested $1.1 million to support planning for a nation-wide program and up to five test sites where computers with Internet connectivity will be put in public libraries and village reading rooms. The government’s goal is to provide equal access to information on the Internet for the majority of people in Botswanaand to help connect all of its citizens nationally.

Latvia received $16.2 million from the foundation for computers and broadband Internet connections in 874 public libraries, a wi-fi network for library users and three computers per library to keep up with demand. Basic computer training courses will also be given to patrons and personnel.

In Lithuania, funds from the Gates Foundation will go towards helping plan for no-cost access to computers and the Internet in all 1,382 public libraries.

This initiative builds on past successful collaborations. In Chile, for instance, the foundation worked with the national and local governments to provide no-cost access to computers, Internet access and training in some public libraries. Now all of the libraries in Chile have such services. Three years after the program started 75,000 people in Chile have gotten computer training from their local library.

For more information on the Global Libraries Initiative or the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, please visit:www.gatesfoundation.org

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