EVENTS

Forthcoming AMARC national networks representatives meeting:

The meeting will the first forum for community
radio network representatives from Western,
Central, Eastern and Southern Africa and will
seek to initiate knowledge sharing and exchanges
between community radio networks in a sustainable
manner.
The final objective is to increase the social impact
of community radio in achieving development
objectives through the development of a more
organized, cohesive community radio sector, with
a common ethic of community mobilization and
assistance, independence from government as well
as from commercial pressure.

Exact date and venue of the meeting will be

communicated later.
October 16: World Food Day AMARC Africa is still
involved
World Food Days is held this year in a context
characterized by the precarious food situation
of millions of people throughout the world due
to the international economic and financial crisis
aggravated by the dramatic effects of the climate
changes.
The World Association of Community Broadcasters
(AMARC) which ensures since many years the

participation of community radios over the world

to the FAO yearly campaign on the occasion of
the World Food Day, calls on community radios
to produce programs on Food Security in Time of
Crisis in order to sensitize local communities as well
as national governments on the necessity develop
agriculture while protecting natural resources.
The programs produced by AMARC members will be
broadcasted on the AMARC Internet Site for local
communities and for audiences all over the world.

After the 4th Pan African Conference

The 4th AMARC Africa Pan
African Conference (the previous ones were in Nairobi,
Kenya in 2005, Johannesburg, South Africa in 1997
and Dakar, Senegal in 2001)
was held in Grand Bassam,
Cote dIvoire from April 27 to
30, 2009.
The theme of the conference
this year was:

Ref : http://www.amarc.org/index.php?p=World_
Food_Day_2009

CTA Seminary on the role of media on rural and agricultural

development in ACP countries in Brussels, Belgium, on
October, 12 to 15, 2009
The Technical Cooperation on Rural and Agricultural
Development in ACP countries the ACP countries
(Eastern, Western, Southern and Central African,
Caribbean and Countries of the Pacific region) CTA,
holds an international seminar on the role of media
in rural and agricultural development to contribute
to contribute to the preparation of strategies for

media capacity building with regard to access and

dissemination of information on key issues for the
ACP agricultural sector; strengthen communication
links between the media and the agricultural sector;
Contribute to the identification of media support
programmes
The meeting is expected to bring together over

120 experts representing the main professions at

the interface of media, agriculture, rural development and decision making. .. drawn from the six
ACP regions, EU national institutions and regional
and international organizations.
Ref : www.cta.com/annualseminar2009.cta.int/

The AMARC Africa Board elected by the 4th Pan Africa Conference;

The 16 Days Campaign against violence on women

From November 25 to December 10th, the Womens
International Network of the World Association of
Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC-WIN)will
actively participate in the 16 days of activism
against gender violence with an Internet campaign to Denounce Gender violence in the media
and transform media into a catalyst to end violence
against women.

Violence Against Women; it continue on November

29th with the International Womens Human Rights
Defenders Day; followed by December 1: World
AIDS Day; December 6: Commemoration day of
the Montreal (Canada) Massacre in 1989 and ended
with the commemoration of sixty years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December
10th for the International Human rights Day.

The audio documents and other information will be

available on www.amarc.org/16jours

Community radio producers from Asia-Pacific, Middle East, Africa, Europe, North America and Latin
America and the Caribbean will dedicat these 16
days campaign to highlight the effort of women
and men working to put an end to gender violence. The audio files of some of the participating
community radios and production groups in the 16

This year international theme is Commit - Act Demand: We CAN End Violence Against Women! .
The 16 days campaign starte on November 25th
with the International Day for the Elimination of

Days AMARC-WIN will be available at www.amarc.

org/16jours .
The programs featured will include documentaries,
interviews, debates, poetry, music and much more.
This multilingual broadcast campaign mobilizes
community radios around a global issue and encourages them to use new communication technologies
such as the Internet to extend the reach of their
voices.
For the history of the INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR
THE ELIMINATION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN Check out: ASSASSINATION OF THE MIRABAL
SISTERS OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Radio Waves Festival of Bamako, Mali :

the 7th Edition from November 3 to 5, 2009
200 delegates from community radios, urban
and rural, are expected from all over Africa to
this event which is organized every 2 years in
the Malian capital with the objective of con-

tributing to the development of the diversity of

the African radio landscape, the reinforcement
of the freedom of expression and to the creativity of all radio

As with every edition, many prizes will be awarded again this year.

41th International Francophone Press Meeting

The 41st International Francophone Press Meeting will be held in Yaounde,
Cameroon from November 17 to 22, 2009.
The meeting will concern The professional ethics at the age of the Inter-

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Increasing Effectiveness of
Community Radio in Poverty
Reduction, Good Governance
and Climate Change Adaptation .

net and the overall topic of the freedom and responsibility of journalists.
Ref to : UPF Web Site for registration forms.

From left to right :

Benilde Nhalevilo : Women Representative from Eastern and Southern Africa (FORCOM Mozambique); Kofy Larweh; Training officer, (GCRN, Ghana); Zara Yacoub; Institutional development, (DJA
FM, Tchad); Franklin Huizies; Vice-president from Eastern and Southern Africa (NCRF, South Africa); Karamoko Bamba; Treasurer, (URPCI, Cte divoire); Oumar Seck Ndiaye; President and vice
president for west and central Africa, (URAC, Sngal); Habby Diallo; Women representative from west and central Africa, (Radio Blkan, Mali); Jimmy Okello; ICT officer, (Radio APAC, Uganda)

The participants were 120 representatives of 521 radios coming

from 32 countries and more than
30 delegates of international development and media support organizations.
Workshops have allowed AMARC members

and partners to discuss the various challenges that community radios are facing
today.
AMARC Africa has also elected a new Board
of Directors, adopted amendments to its
Constitution and its strategic plan for the
2009-2012 period.
Following up on the directions of the 4th

Pan African Conference, the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee and the
AMARC Africa Coordinator, with the contribution of the International Secretariat,
have initiated the implementation of the
strategic plan with the formulation of a
comprehensive program of activities which
is now being presented for funding.

RADIO NEWS IN AFRICA :

Search For Common Ground:

For Peace Building Africa 2009

Prizes

The Great Lakes Waves

Network

The award singles out the radio programs which contribute to decrease
tensions within groups and communities, encourage and support the
search for common grounds, question stereotypes and showcases positive models

The network was launched on August 2009 by the Burundi Broadcasters

Association (A.B.R), The East RDC Comunity Radios and Televisions
Network (RATECO) and the Rwanda Press Center (M.P.R) with the
objective of supporting the media stakeholders network by
encouraging cross borders dialogue on sensitive and common
issues.

There are five prize categories: the Community Radio Award, the
Gender Award, the Children Award and the Special Award.
The awards will be attributed in November 2009 for each category.
The first prize receives 250 Euros, the second 100 Euros and the third
50 Euros
Registration were to due before September 30, 2009.

The network is made of 12 radios stations from Burundi, Rwanda

and the Democratic Republic of Congo and is supported by the Panos
Institute Paris in partnership with CORDAID.
(Source : RadioSansFrontieres#org).

Published by Office AMARC Africa

Person in charge of the publication: Alymana Bathily, Coordonnateur Amarc Afrique alymanab@yahoo.fr
Writers: Alymana Bathily, Franklin Huizes, Grace Githaiga, Haby Diallo, Jimmy Okello, Marcelo Solervicens.

Developments on the media and the AMARC Africa network:

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING FOR 25 COMMUNITY

AND RURAL RADIO JOURNALISTS.

Central African Republic

Creation of the Association of Community Radio (A.R.C)

The A.R.C was set up on June 13, 2009.
Members of the Executive Committee are :
- Vincent Mambachaka, Radio Linga Fm (Bangui) : Vice-prsident
- Apostle Robert Kpko, Radio Evangile Nhmie (Bangui) Trsorier
- Minister Boniface Banga, Radio ESCA Voix de la Grce (Bangui)
- Priest Barthlemy Balmanga, Radio Be oko (Bambari)
- Priest Fulbert Poghola, Radio Zoukpana (Berberati)
- Mr. Paul Ziki, Radio Magaro (Bouar)
- David Bikuakis, Radio Kuli Ndunga (Nola)
Contact : arc.centrafrique@yahoo.fr

Senegal :

General Assembly of the Union des Radios Associatives et Communautaires du Senegal, URAC (Associative and Community Radio
Union of Senegal).
Following its launch on July1, 2006 the August 12, 2009, the August 12,
2009 General Assembly elected a new Board of Directors and Executive
Committee. Mr Souleymane Ba, of Radio Afia was elected president with
mandate to : position community radios in the pluralistic media landscape
of Senegal with innovative sensitizing programs
Contact :julesbaa@yahoo.fr

South Africa :

The Intermedia/CESTI 2008-2009 Class of Rural and Community Radio journalists.

The training program has been organized by an NGO, Intermedia Consultant supported by
The Swiss Cooperation, in partnership with the Dakar Universite Cheikh Anta Diop CESTI School of Journalism and was
held in Senegal from August 26 to September 19, 2009.

he 25 participants came from 13 Central and West African countries:

Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote dIvoire, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry,
Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Congo and
the Central African Republic.
The objective was to train managers capable of ensuring of the social,
technical and financial sustainability of their radio stations.
Training content included topics such as the MARP Participatory Research
Method, human resource management, technological migration,

management and leadership, communication for social change.

Training is organized in 2 phases of 3 weeks each over 2 years and is
completed a diploma based on a research document.
The 2008-2009 class is the third of its kind after those of 2004-2005 and
2006-2007.
The month long session completed the training which first phase was held
a year earlier.
Diplomas were awarded to students after they had successfully presented
a research paper.

Uganda :

Closure of radio stations and violence against journalists.

According to a press release of the Ugandan
Journalists Union (U.J.U), the Government of
Uganda has closed down 4 independent radio
stations after violent clashes between the
security forces and supporters of King Ronald
Muwenda Mutebi II of the Baganda rocked the
capital Kampala on September 10 and 11.
This concerned the Central Broadcasting Service
(CBS), Independent Radio Two, Ssuubi FM and
the catholic radio Radio Sapiensa.
According to the President of the Ugandan

Broadcasting Council, these radios breached all

the standards set up by Electronic Media Act
and have contributed in promoting sectarism
and have encouraged hatred against the
Government.
Besides the closure of the four radio stations,
Human Rights Watch indicates that a journalist
Robert Kalundi Sserumaga was abducted on
September 11 and held for hours at Kampalas
Kireka district, accused of sedition before being
freed on bail.

Referenced Organizations Links :

AfricaAdapt : Guide on Climate Change : http://www.africa-adapt.net/AA/
FAO : Summit on Food Security : http://www.fao.org/wsfs/sommet-mondial/fr/?no_cache=1
Human Rights Watch : www.hrw.org
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) : http://www.ifj.org/fr
The West Association of Journalists (WAJA): http://www.ujaowaja.org/
Media Institute for Southern Africa : http://www.misa.org/

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Human Rights organizations pointed out to

the fact that press freedom and freedom of
expression are guaranteed by Article 19 of
the International Convenant on political and
civic rights, Article 9 of the African Charter on
Human and Peoples Rights and Article 29 of
the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda and
that if restrictions to guaranteed freedoms for
the sake of maintaining peace and stability are
admissible they cannot be arbitrary and against
the freedom and security of citizens.
Source : Human Rights Watch).

The Executive Committee of the National Community Radio Forum

meets with the Communication Minister, General Siphiwe Nyanda
on July 16, 2009. Contact : www.ncrf.org.za>
The meeting has allowed the NCRF representatives to present the situation
of Community radios in South Africa, particularly its social, institutional and
financial viability and to advocate for future legislations and regulations to take
into account that situation.
NCRF pointed out the fact that over 150 community radios have been licensed
over the past 15 years representing an audience of about 7,2 millions which
represents about 22% of total listenership in South Africa while receiving only
10% of the total advertising budget spent on radio.
The Communication Minister promised to take into account the NCRF arguments to reinforce the social, institutional and financial sustainability of community radios in South Africa.

Nigeria :

AMARC Africa supports the Civil Society advocacy for Community

Radio
AMARC has been supporting the advocacy work of Nigerian civil society organizations for the advent of Community Radio in Nigeria since 2005.
Under the banner of the Nigeria Community Radio Coalition, various activities involving the journalists, politicians and officers of the regulation authority have been undertaken.
Thus, Steve Buckley, President of AMARC International took part in a conference held on April 21, 2009 in Abuja, Nigerias capital on Policy Dialogue on Community Radio Development in Nigeria , along with Chair of the
Senate Committee on Information, Senator Ayogu Eze; Representative of
Information Minster, Mr. Emeka Mba; representative of the DG of the National Broadcasting Commission (N.B.C, the regulatory authority), Mr. Mujtaba
Sada; rep. of British Foreign and Commonwealth office, Mr. Jonathan Bacon;
President of AMARC, and Panos Director of Programmes, Pauline Bend.
Steve Buckley suggested had suggested that the govt should give a directive
to the NBC to commence licensing of at least a limited member of community radio stations to demonstrate how it would work and the social impact
it can have, to experiment with the process of making CR contribute to the
formulation of policy, legislation and regulation in Nigeria.
Buckley concluded: Let us move from policy to action. And let us focus our
talking today on persuading those who have the power to do, to take the
action necessary for community radio to commence in Nigeria.
The representatives of the Senate, the government and the regulatory
authority recognized the interest of Community radio for Nigeria and indicated that they will initiate actions for its development in Nigeria.
Contact :imesoimeso@hotmail.com

AMARC Africa national Networks

meeting being prepared.

The meeting seeks to initiate knowledge and experience sharing

exchanges between community radio networks from all parts of
Africa in a sustainable manner to increase the social impact of
community radio in achieving development objective.
The workshop will bring together 25 participants from 11 Western, Eastern, Central and Southern African countries to share their good practices
and lessons, discuss their successes, difficulties and failures and to position
themselves to provide ongoing advice and mentoring across countries.
The meeting will take place before the end of the year at the time and place
to be decided.

COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES

African Radios Connectivity

According to a study of the Panos
Institute West Africa released on
October 2008 which concerned
220 radio stations of different types
(community, private commercial
and religious), in 7 West African
countries (Ghana, Benin, Senegal,
Mali, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso
and Niger), the rate of Internet
connectivity is on average 51,8%

with a wide disparity by country.

72.2% of the private commercial
stations have an Internet connection against only 31.5% for community radios.
The study indicates also that mobile telephone high penetration
rate allows radio stations to use it
extensibility in reporting and inte-

racting with the audiences and that

these usages are very popular.
Value added services, SMS in particular which is used by no less than
83.8% of the radio stations concerned by the study, have gained considerable mass market popularity
and represent potential revenue
sources for the radios.

According to the study, satellite

connections are used more for program reception than for Internet
connectivity as is the case for 57.7
% community radios against 28.8%
private commercial ones. (Source :
Institut Panos Afrique de lOuest
www.panos.ao.org).

International Telecommunications Union (ITU): African leaders have to

develop a shared vision of the development of the ICT and communications
sector in Africa.
Mr Hamadoun Toure, General
Secretary of the ITU, declared at
a press conference held in Abuja,
Nigeria, on September 12 that

Africa has experienced the highest

mobile phone penetration rate in
the world for the past five years.
He has called on the African

countries and stakeholders to

seize the new opportunities by
exchanging with all stakeholders
at the World Telecommunications

Conference that the ITU is holding

in Geneva, Switzerland, from
October 5 to 9, 2009.
(Source : ITU)

by the the United Nations during

the Civil War. These 2 broadcasting
services will now operate under the
2009 law which created the Sierra
Leone Broadcasting Corporation.
According to SLAJ President, Mr.
Umaru Fofana, the powers that the

new law confers to the President of

the Republic not only reinforces the
control that the Executive branch
has over public broadcasting but
also infringes on the interests of
the SLAJ members employed by
the two former broadcasters.

Sierra Leone : New Broadcasting law

The Sierra Leone Association of
Journalists (SLAJ) indicated in a
communiqu published on August
11, 2009 its concern of the new law
enacted on August 6, 2009 which
gives unilateral powers to appoint
both the Director General and the

Deputy Director General of the public service radio and television.

The law brings together the former
national broadcaster Sierra Leone
Broadcasting Services and the United Nations Radio which was set up

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