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The following is a from a workshop on Community Media in East and
Southern Africa, held in Nairobi,  Kenya, November 13-16, 1995, which
brought together, from 18 countries, a wide range of media
practitioners and development-oriented NGO workers. Workshop
delegates analysed the needs of community-based media for development
initiatives and agreed to a regional action plan.

STATEMENT AND REPORT ON THE COMMUNITY MEDIA WORKSHOP FOR
SOUTHERN AND EASTERN AFRICA.

Delegates from 15 different countries in the sub-region met to discuss
issue affecting community media and its existence. The workshop was opened
by the Minister of Information and Broadcasting in Kenya (Mr Johnstone
Makau).  The Minister claimed that airwaves have long been opened in Kenya.
A country where he (as the Minister) has all the powers in determining who
gets what license. He, nevertheless, mentioned the existence of a Task
Force that is investigating the restructuring of the broadcasting industry
in Kenya. The existence and effectiveness of this Task Force was questioned
by some delegates from Kenya. The Minister also warned Africans against
adopting everything called Freedom from the West.

Among other people who opened and gave inputs at the workshop were:
* Mr Kwame Karikari - Director of School of Communication Studies,
University of Ghana
* Mr Labahn Maluleke - Community Broadcasting Liason and Researcher,
Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA), South Africa
* Mr Guantai Mboroki - Director, ACCA (K) Chapter
* Mr Lumko Mtimde - AMARC Vice Pres. (Southern and Eastern Africa) and
National Co-ordinator of the National Community Radio Forum(NCRF), South
Africa.
* Mr Alymana Bathily - PANOS Institute, Senegal.
* Ms Wangu Mwangi - Econews Africa, Kenya.
Their inputs ranged from, what is Community Broadcasting, creating a Legal
and Institutional Framework for community broadcasting, challenge of local
communication structures, to sharing experiences in the development of
community radio stations in Africa.

There were workshop training sessions, which touched on using existing
community communication infrastructures, making radio work for your
community, technical issues, support structures for community radio and
other community media, how to establish and maintain a community radio
station and communication through culture.
Another exciting thing at the workshop was the demonstration of a "wind up"
radio (no batteries) by the South African delegates, which was later
donated by the NCRF to Econew (Africa).

Towards the end of the workshop, were discussions for the way forward.
Group discussions and Plenary sessions was a method used to reach at
commonly accepted resolutions. Attached is a copy of the declarations taken
and the plan of action.

DECLARATIONS AND ACTION PLAN

THE NAIROBI DECLARATION

>Media practitioners, NGO representatives and development experts from more
>than 15 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa and beyond met in Nairobi,
>Kenya from 13-16 November 1995, to formulate strategies for raising awareness
>about community broadcasting as well as other community media as key agents
>for development and social (improvement) change.

The workshop's aims were to:

>. create a regional network of community radio broadcasters and other
>community media practitioners
>. establish regional and national lobbies for the liberalisation of the
>broadcast sector and adoption of appropriate legislation . put in place
>funding and financing mechanisms for setting up and sustaining the sector that
>include, but are not limited, to private sector and donor funding.

>At the end of the deliberations and sharing of experiences, the workshop
>adopted a concrete Action Plan towards achieving the above objectives.

The gathering affirmed that:

>. community media constitute a key agent of developmental and social change in
>Eastern and Southern Africa. . in line with the African Charter on Human and
>Peoples Rights, the Universal Declaration Human Rights as well as
>internationally-accepted charters that guarantee freedom of expression, it is
>the inalienable right of all Africans to express freely their views.
>With these principles in mind, the workshop called upon governments in Eastern
>and Southern Africa to: . recognise the crucial role community media can play
>in development of the regions' countries and peoples . rapidly put in place at
>national and sub-regional levels the policies and legislation required to
>promote the growth and development of an independent and pluralistic media
>sector . guarantee that licensing procedures for community radio are fair and
>transparent, all-inclusive and free from political and other interference
>. protect the right of community radio practitioners, once licensed, to
>operate unhindered

>In particular, the gathering expressed concern at the slow pace of
>deliberations into legislation condusive to independent broadcasting in Kenya,
>Zimbabwe, Botswana, Swaziland and other countries of Eastern and Southern
>Africa where broadcasting is a state monopoly.

>The group called on such governments to shed light on ongoing policy
>deliberations, share information with the potential actors in community media
>as well the beneficiaries, and speed up processes already in train to
>deregulate broadcasting.

THE KENYAN CAUCUS DECLARATION

>The Kenyan Caucus of the Community Media Workshop for East and Southern Africa
>is glad to announce the formation of the Kenya Community Media Network,
>KCOMNET.

>KCOMNET groups together communications, training and research institutions,
>NGOs involved in community development, other civil society groups, interested
>individuals and media practitioners.

>The immediate and pressing objectives of KCOMNET are:

>1. To encourage the recognition and use of community-based
mmedia for community participation, not only in the media, but also in the
decision-making processes of development.

>2. To lobby for an enabling legal and policy environment for
tthe formation and unhindered operation of community media.

>3. To lobby for the recognition and development of community
mmedia within a coherent cultural policy in the country.

>4. To undertake specific activities to develop community media
iin the country

>Community media thrives best in a legal environment that allows for
>pluralistic media. In East and Southern Africa, Kenya is among the few
>countries that has neither a comprehensive information and communications
>policy, nor legal statutes and policies in support of media pluralism.

>To this end, KCOMNET will champion the need for policies and legal processes
>that recognise and support the development of community radio stations
>alongside private, commercial radio stations and other independent
>broadcasters.

>KCOMNET also recognises that community media and participatory media in
>general, draws heavily on cultural resources within local communities.
>Community media thrives when people are not only the consumers, but also the
>performers and the producers. In the absence of a comprehensive cultural
>policy, it will be difficult to apportion a role for community media.

>KCOMNET will therefore undertake activities to develop the capacity of
>community based groups to communicate more effectively. Towards this end,
>KCOMNET will provide training for community groups in the production and
>distribution of programmes and any other assistance required to achieve this
>objective. KCOMNET will also network with members, affiliates, government and
>international bodies to ensure that community media resources are tapped for
>the benefit of the communities themselves.

>KCOMNET further plans to respond to the challenge made by the Minister for
>Information and Broadcasting at the opening of this workshop, when he stated
>that of the 19 television and 32 radio license applications awaiting approval,
>none is community-based.

>We are encouraged that the government acknowledges the crucial role community
>media can play in the development of Kenyan people. We therefore urge the
>government to institute processes that will lead to the development of
>community media devoid of economic, political and legal bottlenecks. We
>particularly urge the government to implement the 1991 Kericho proposals
>contained in the document `Information Policy for Kenya', the final draft of
>which was prepared by UNESCO.

ACTION PLAN

>The emergence of more democratic political systems in Africa is providing new
>opportunities for community-based media. Community radio, in particular, has
>been the focus of several initiatives in East and Southern Africa. The growth
>of electronic media presents new challenges and opportunities for
>community-based and cultural organizations, as well as development-oriented
>NGOs.

>The workshop on Community Media in East and Southern Africa, held in Nairobi,
>Kenya, November 13-16, 1995, brought together, from 18 countries, a wide range
>of media practitioners and development-oriented NGO workers. Workshop
>delegates analysed the needs of community-based media for development
>initiatives and agreed to a regional action plan.

The purpose of the regional action plan is to develop a co- ordinated
response to the opportunities for new media in East and Southern Africa.

Goals
>. to promote the opening up of the airwaves . to promote the growth and
>development of community media

Needs

>. comprehensive and conducive legislative and policy environment to ensure
>community radio stations are licensed and allowed to operate unhindered
>. awareness about and for media and development . research into all aspects
>relating to the above goals using participatory methodology
>. training to develop skills and resources for community media . funding from
>both traditional and alternative sources . international support for community
>media in the region, including information and personnel exchanges and
>solidarity . equipment which is appropriate, adaptable and affordable which
>draws on and strengthens African technological development

Actions

1. Support for national lobbying initiatives .
>. as the broadcasting sectors in some countries in the region are still
>monopolized by the state, the aim is to lobby for changes in any legislation
>either specifically or implicitly disallowing independent broadcasting,
>whether commercial and community in nature
>. as a variety of state policies--on regulatory bodies for the broadcasting
>sector, on frequency allocation, on import taxes on relevant equipment,
>etc--can work to impede independent broadcasting, the aim is also to lobby for
>changes in these policies
>. the starting point will be to convene national networks of stakeholders in
>the broadcasting sector
>. as the lobbying processes will be non-confrontational, the national
>networks' stakeholders will include media practitioners, those wishing to
>begin independent broadcasting initiatives, state representatives, opposition
>representatives, civic society representatives, NGOs working in media for
>development, etc . the national networks will determine and present
>alternatives to the broadcasting sector models in their countries, identifying
>relevant legislation and policies which currently impede the growth of
>independent broadcasters
>. the national networks will also ensure its representation at any relevant
>discussions to ensure the continual promotion of independent broadcasting, and
>specifically, of community broadcasting
>. the national networks will be able to draw on the sub-regional network,
>continental and international organizations for support- -thus, the research
>and lobbying will be initiated and occur primarily at the national level, but
>also at the sub-regional, continental and international levels
>. the sub-regional network will start its work in Kenya, in collaboration with
>the newly formed Kenya Community Media Network [KCOMNET]

2. Research

>. into the specific legislative and policy environment of countries in the
>sub-region where independent broadcasting has yet to be developed so as to
>present alternative broadcasting sector models for change which draw on
>experiences across the continent
>. into potential sources and costs of necessary technology and equipment,
>including maintenance costs and means of cost-sharing at a sub-regional level,
>with the goal of promoting and utilizing local technologies in as far as that
>is possible . into participatory methodology for media which will draw on and
>utilize local/traditional knowledge systems . into participatory audience
>research methods, which includes the groundwork necessary before project
>initiation as well as on- going review and evaluation
>. the documentation and dissemination of sub-regional and continental
>experiences in community media

3. Training for local and national producers, technicians and trainers

>. that all training be locally and regionally-based, making use of existing
>organizations and resources, with a particular focus on `in situ' training
>. that all training is to include socio-cultural training for development with
>a particular emphasis on participatory methodology in media
>. that all training is to recognize the need for training of specific `target
>groups'--such as youth, women, the elderly--and the relevant curricula be
>developed for such training . that all `in situ' training attempt to draw on
>and develop local human resources and local/traditional knowledge systems .
>that models for participatory training review and evaluation be developed and
>used

4. Fund raising

>. for the initial set-up of community media projects, which may draw on
>`traditional' sources eg. donors . for continued viability, which must rely on
>alternative financing sources and mechanisms eg. community-based strategies

5. Networking

>. to facilitate the exchange of experiences and strategies among community
>media groups
>. to exchange information in the form of programmes, newsletters, etc
>. to work as a unified body on relevant issues eg. lobbying, training, etc
>. to make full use of Internet for networking [IPS, MISA] . to also use
>bulletins/newsletters [ENA, IPS, MISA, PANOS]

6. Awareness raising

>. about the potential uses and benefits of community media for all stakeholders
>. about sub-regional and continental experiences in community media

Organization

>. national contact points from each country represented were identified with
>the responsibilities of promoting national community media networks where none
>already exist . sub-regional organizations in attendance were assigned the
>task of implementation, each with a specific focus according to their specific
>work
>. EcoNews Africa was mandated to co-ordinate the network . the network will
>collaborate with relevant international organizations

Responsibilities:

EcoNews Africa [ENA] (Kenya)
* to coordinate the network's activities

PANOS Institute (Senegal)
* to expand its research activities from West Africa into East and Southern
Africa and to assist with fundraising and information dissemination

Inter Presse Service [IPS] (Zimbabwe)
* to assist with networking, information dissemination and training

Media Institute of Southern Africa [MISA] (Namibia)
* to assist with networking and information dissemination

National Community Radio Forum [NCRF] (South Africa)
* to carry out documentation and its dissemination

World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters [AMARC] (East and
Southern Africa & Europe)
* to mobilize funds for the sub-regional network's research in relation to
community radio and to assist with training

African Council for Communication Education [ACCE-Continental Body and
Kenya Chapter]
* will look into their organisations' contribution to the network.

Immediate Follow-Up

>. the Nairobi Declaration, this Action Plan and the Kenyan Declaration are to
>be posted on Internet [ENA, IPS, MISA] . the workshop's report will be
>completed by ENA and circulated to all participants by the end of November
>1995 . the network's organizations will draft and submit a plan of action for
>the next year for their specific responsibilities (outlined above) to ENA by
>the end of January 1996 .
> ENA will compile a complete plan of action based on the above submissions and
>distribute it for feedback for all network members by the end of February
>1996/a planning meeting will take place by the end of February 1996 to prepare
>a comprehensive plan of action based on the above submissions and network
>members feedback.

REPORT BY :
Lumko Mtimde (AMARC - Southern and Eastern Africa vice president and
National Co-ordinator of the NCRF -S.A.)



________________________________________________________
Bruce Girard                 PULSAR: IMPULSO INFORMATIVO
Email: bgirard@pulsar.org.ec
Tel: +(593-2) 525-521    Fax: +(593-2) 542-818
Avenida America 3584, Casilla 17-01-1171, Quito, Ecuador