🚀 go-pugleaf

Kim writes:

	>It is my opinion that, since independence, African governments have
	>sought to dominate the airwaves, some more than others.  State-run
	>broadcast companies have presented only the governments' views and have
	>stifled any criticism.

True, some states have stifled criticism.  However, lets not forget that
state media systems in Africa were established in the pre-independence
period as a means of maintaining contacts with the "motherland" and of
"educating" the indigenous populations.

	>Independent companies have not been given licenses to operate.
	>This has changed since 1989, but sadly freedom of the press is not
	>a reality in many African countries.

In the U.S. there seems to be an implicit assumption that
corporate ownership of media systems is more "democratic" than state
ownership.  My own feeling is that private ownership does not, in and of
itself, insure either public access or diversity of opinion.  In Africa,
as in other parts of the world, economic power and political power often
go hand in hand.  Control of media content does not necessarily change
with the name.

	>Now for some suggestions for your independent study.  If your school
	>library (I assume you're in school)...

All good sources! But, if you want to put educational media developments
in Africa in there historical context you are going to have to research
colonial patterns of media development (British, French, Portuguese, and
South African)

	>I believe a recent issue of the "Journal of Opinion," published
	>by the African Studies Association,  was devoted entirely to the
	>media in Africa.  I'm not exactly sure on the title.

*Issue: A Journal of Opinion* The News Media in Africa, Vol.XXII/1
Spring 1994

Good luck from me too.
Let me know how it goes.

	paul

Paul van der Veur
Assistant Professor of Communications
Division of Humanities and Social Sciences
Montana Tech of the University of Montana
Butte, MT 59701
pvanderveur@mtvms2.mtech.edu