Role of media in the development process. Africa Media Leaders Forum, Yaounde, 18 November, 2010, Guy Berger

MDG challenges for Reducing extreme poverty and hunger, 2.Achieving universal primary education for all, 3.Promoting gender equality & empowering women, 4.Reducing child mortality, 5.Improving maternal health, 6.Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, 7.Ensuring environmental sustainability, 8.Developing a global partnership for development

Some progress… On track to achieve the accessible drinking- water target of 60%. Attendance rate in primary schools was 76% in 2008, compared with 58% in Rate of child mortality has decreased. BUT: we are still off-target for education & gender MDGs Least progress in maternal mortality rates

And a fundamental problem… Since the 1990s the proportion of people living in hunger has fallen from 34% to 30% — but absolute numbers have risen. There is minimal progress towards halving the proportion not getting enough food. Hardly any country is set to halve the level of child stunting seen in the early 1990s. 2 stories: some progress; not nearly enough.

How to respond to the challenge? 1.“Development” today 2.So what does media do? 3.Developing the media 4.Return of communications 5.Summing up

1. Development today State failures & top-down“development journalism” Modernisation failures (Structural Adjustment) i.e. development sans democracy doesn’t work 1990s: Windhoek 1991 milestone: Rise of private press – correctly prioritising a democratic role And emphasis on participative development: like ICT4D and “development communication” So: since 1990s, no real development role seen for mass media (excepting community media)

2. So what does media do? Yes, for development, community media is NB. But time to re-examine role of private media Yes, your role is to make money… Media business per se creates jobs; adverts and info helps to make markets work BUT you also make a democracy contribution which per se is also good for development… So you have an invaluable indirect impact on development…

Indirect help from democratic role 1.Pluralistic media improves development policy … and its implementation 2.Ethical journalism helps accountability, reduces corruption & environmental damage 3.Adds to Info Environment - essential for daily living, health, education, values etc. (Windhoek+20 Access to Info – 28 Sept 2011) 4.Your democratic role helps ensure that growth translates into development.

3. Developing the media BUT to do more, we need more media. The biggest obstacle is political control Media freedom means media-business freedom (& vice versa) Then: we need capital & capacity. But it also makes business sense to do direct impact on development: proactive coverage Eg. the Daily Sun – include news-you-can-use.

Doing journalism on development

4. Return of communications Note: mobile is growing faster than anyone! Social network comms is the future mass com Disintermediation of media monopolies, but… Mass media can now play in the ICT4D, “devt comms” and community participation space. That’s a real business opportunity – and good for democracy and development!

Grocott’s Mail mobi site: Nîche is realtime content

There is traditional news It plays the old indirect role of contributing to development via democracy But there’s also UGC comms…

And, the site can also reinvent the old role of increasing transactions by realtime “specials” Eg. before bananas go rotten, get them shifted; create instant markets.

And a new role: direct development service

Let’s imagine… Not just the stories about the politicians Not just the individual personal/social news Why not add info AND comms around: – Exams: tip of the day (incl from youth!) – Daily safe-sex tip (incl from practitioners!) – Who’s hit by flu? Help us map the spread. – Who’s polluting? Report them, talk about it. – Who’s offering jobs, who wants jobs?

5. In summary Development & democracy – two sides, one coin. Do both, consciously. Need more media, to mint more MDG coins. To get growth, we need to get the context right, plus capital, plus capacity. And to exploit new social media and ICT to really engage with development issues = Build organic business links to development

Take away – Development is good for media business – Your role in development: Indirectly, by being an info business, and by contributing to democracy Directly, by contributing to development with pro-active content … & also now by comms – And, be the change you want to see Eg. Grow gender equity, do partnerships, go green … and get interactive!