Africa Media and ICTs for Development

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Thursday 8 January 2004 by Brenda Zulu

ICTs are not on the news agenda in the African Media while women are grievously under-represented in the field of Information Communication Technology (ICT) journalism

Releasing a baseline study on the state of the media reporting on ICT and information society issues in Africa at the World Summit Information Society (WSIS), Roland Stanbridge, Director of MA in Global Journalism, Department of Media studies, Orebro University, Sweden, said ICTs reporting was not on the agenda in African media.

"You cannot have an information society without the media playing a role," said Stanbridge. He pointed out that the concept of the information society was absent in the African media.

He added that in the more than 950 articles submitted for the baseline study there was almost nothing written on women and no mention of a rural project. Stanbridge however pointed out that there are very few women in ICT journalism.

He observed that after examining all print and broadcast material gathered for the study, nearly all of the substantial reports that deal with ICT issues were written or produced by men.

He however pointed out that there is of course good writing and broadcasting around ICT and information society issues in the African media but emphasized that if the media are to play their supposed role in creating tomorrow’s knowledge-based society, there was a need for many more journalistic spotlights along Africa’s information highways.

The study was carried out in nine countries for representation of Arabic, English, French and Portuguese language media. The countries that were selected were Egypt, Ethiopia, Camera, Ghana, Malawi, Morocco, Mozambique, Rwanda and Senegal.

Commissioned by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) through the Development Information Services Division (DISD) the monitoring period covered eight successive weeks during early 2003, starting on 3 March and ending on 27 April 2003.

On the role of the media in building an information society Aida Opoku-Mensah, Team leader of the African Information Society Initiative (AISI) work programme of the UNECA observed that journalists themselves have not been pro-active.

She said that there was need for a debate for the media to recognize that there is this gap. "The media are developers of content and an essential means for information dissemination. The mass media should be playing a critical role in spreading awareness of the benefits that can be obtained from the effective use of ICTs," said Mensah.

Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) Executive Director Kakuna Kerina said that the study which provides documentary evidence for the 2003 WSIS should encourage improvement with respect to media and ICT4D issues, come the next round of the Summit scheduled for Tunisia in 2005.

Kakuna hoped that the study would provide all those with interest in ICT4D issues in Africa with food for thought and will open a window of opportunity for greater intervention and further research with research with respect to media and icts in Africa.

The study was funded by OSIWA, which is part of a global network of 32 autonomous foundations founded and supported by George Soros, committed to the advancement of an open society.

The study was to undertake a needs assessment of African Media practitioners so as to enable them to report effectively on ICT and information society issues. It was also to commission baseline surveys among various media, once the instruments and methodology had developed, to gather data and determine the level of reporting on information society issues among media practitioners in Africa-including, radio and television stations, as well as internet-based media.

The objectives of the survey was to provide the basis for African media practitioners to specialize in these issues and give greater coverage to promoting and stimulating debate on the information society and provide a resource for media practioners and institutions on the continent and contribute to the goals of AISI.

ICT gender issues

The media is one of the most important yet challenging areas of work for advancing gender equality. As formal or legislated discrimination against women falls away, the key challenge confronting us is how to change mindsets hardened by centuries of socialization and cemented by custom, culture and religion.

Women in the media should be encouraged to write stories on ICT stories.

Forum

> Africa Media and ICTs for Development
9 January 2005, by Matongo Maumbi from Chikuni

Good to find provoking thoughts from Brenda. One thing we are overlooking, especially us who are in the ICT4D business is that we think our colleagues understand what ICTs are. The best is to have sensitisation on what ICTs really are. Some would think they are only the latest technology. Phones, the radio are an example of ICTs, this is no new technology. Of course the internet is among the latest and now becoming the most widely used. How can we use them for development especially in rural settings? Tell me, what are ICTs??
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> Africa Media and ICTs for Development
14 June 2004, by Mwiika Malindima

Brenda brings in issues of impotance to the realm of development with ICTs. But we have to be careful as journalits when we discuss gender in all respects. With ICTs we could possibly say that the gender that deal much with them is that of men, because gender has to do with both men and women. We must also find out just why women have little representation in ICT issues. Could it be that they are not pro active or that they are left out? Africa is embracing the ideas of ICT4D very well but stiking a balancing on how both men and women participate remains to us. Women must shape up to the occurances and be heard or else things will remain the same. What Aida Opoku-Mensah noted is very important as well, as journalists we help in setting the developmental agenda, so what we write about goes a long way in influencing policy and developmental changes. What we can do to help set the agenda of equal representation in ICT4D with regards gender aspects and bringing out the fact that women are left is just that. That women are left out and would need greater participation, but women must stand up on their on and push for what is right, then can they only recieve support. Mwiika Malindima
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> Africa Media and ICTs for Development
11 June 2004, by FLOLICS KASUMBALESA

Brenda Let us continue with this noble thing.l feel we should mainstream ict and take development to rural areas.We really need to fight for Afriacn media let us keep the fire burning. As you may be aware man is selfish most positions are field with greedy men who do not want to share power and this has led them to be more corrupt. Let us see to it that women encouraged to contribute to ict for development. Women and men in the media should also work hard by writing on gender and ict So as to document issues in Africa.
http://www.mg.za

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> Africa Media and ICTs for Development
8 June 2004, by Douglas Hampande-Zambia

The article by Brenda has stimulated my interest in wrting on ICT, because I see how one can use this tool to help achieve change in society, be it politcal, social, economic etc. Sad women are not contributing as much, but one hopes the same stimulation got will spread to our colleagues of the opposite sex, for development needs the ful eforts of every being. This is more true in our world, thethird world, which has a lot of catching up to. hat an opportunity ICts present. And, by the way, I think Brenda’s article is good for its clarity and simplicity. Keep it up Lady.
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> Africa Media and ICTs for Development
3 June 2004, by Kiss Brian Abrahams (Cartoonist)

In my opinion, ICT’s in Africa are still a mysterious subject at all levels but for a very few exceptions. First, the areas that one has to consider when monitoring gender and ICT’s is the education system, the Curriculum in schools does not embrace ICT’s in the first place, at Tertiary level, the presence of females is very low, and their presence in the Media field is almost unexpected because of the challenges they face vis a vis culture and tradition.

It is against this background that we evaluate the participation of women in ICT, reporting, they are in a field they consider lucky and priviledged to be in, a concept like ICT’s is a step towards the unknown so to speak.

As a cartoonist in Zambia, drawing a cartoon on gender and ICT’s never at all crossed my mind until I was challenged to do so.

I wonder how many other media practitioners have done a piece on the subject, I dont think too many, because even the male journalists that I know have very little knowledge with regards to ICT’s.

I loved the story, let’s have more, we need to discuss these issues If we are to exist as a continent worthy of being considered civillised in this day and age where technology rules the world.

http://http://www.socialrights.org/...

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> Africa Media and ICTs for Development
15 April 2004, by

I certainainly agree with Brenda Zulu.

There are very few stories on ict’s in the media in Africa basically because most of the stories are over run by polictical stories. I suggest that alternative media be introduced in Africa so that the community also involves it self in what they want to read a the end of the day.

Africa Media and ICTs for Development

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- > Africa Media and ICTs for Development
  8 June 2004, by Andrew Phiri
  
  There is very little activity concerning icts especially with women who have very little participation in whatever programmes are being undertaken in a country. In rural areas it is even worse because there is no sensitisation on the use of icts. At Chikaya Community Radio station in Lundazi in the Eastern province of Zambia, journalist have not received any sensitisation on icts.

ENAWA Media Coverage for WSIS 2003

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