Twenty years after the Windhoek Declaration on press freedom

200 radio stations, 23 TV channels,
five daily newspapers, 33 weekly
newspapers and 42 magazines.
Contrast that with <strong>the</strong> neighbouring
countries of Rwanda and Burundi
where government control remains
strong, state media outlets dominate
<strong>the</strong> media scene and private media
are discouraged.
In West Africa, <strong>the</strong> media scenes
in Nigeria and Ghana are vibrant.
Nigeria now boasts 140 television
channels, but <strong>the</strong> Sahel countries
to <strong>the</strong> north are still living in very
media dark times with extremely
low levels of access to media and
technology.
This enormous disparity of access
and diversity of choice is reflected
in Africa’s media consumption patterns.
Generally, however, traditional
media (radio, TV and print) still
dominate <strong>the</strong> media landscape. Radio
remains <strong>the</strong> universal medium
and <strong>the</strong> medium of choice for most
people, television is still a more urban
and more up-market medium,
while newspapers in <strong>the</strong>ir many
forms (national, local, daily, weekly,
one page leaflet types) are still read
by <strong>the</strong> more educated people who
tend to live in urban areas.
Television continues to grow in popularity
largely due to infrastructure
developments and <strong>the</strong> relatively recent
investment in local programming
and local movies, which can
attract very large audiences. Nollywood
is possibly <strong>the</strong> third largest
film producer in <strong>the</strong> world and
perhaps <strong>the</strong> world’s largest video
producer. Its films attract wide audiences
throughout <strong>the</strong> continent.
Technology will inevitably drive
media use and access in <strong>the</strong>
future. People will consume and
create media content on multiple
platforms and in many forms and
formats. It is highly likely that
mobile telephony will become <strong>the</strong>
dominant media platform across
Africa enabling people to ‘leap frog’
176 | Media in Africa - 2011
and close <strong>the</strong> digital divide. Already
<strong>the</strong>re is survey-based evidence that
people are listening to <strong>the</strong> radio,
watching television, accessing <strong>the</strong>
Internet and interacting with social
media sites through <strong>the</strong>ir mobile
phones.
“Broadband will
change our world as
citizens increasingly
become content
creators and start to
act like media – which
will inevitably blur <strong>the</strong>
existing distinction
between information
producers and
consumers.”
Looking into <strong>the</strong> future, two
technological developments will
change media across <strong>the</strong> continent.
Broadband will change our world as
citizens increasingly become content
creators and start to act like
media — which will inevitably blur
<strong>the</strong> existing distinction between information
producers and consumers.
Media production is likely to
become more democratic as costs
continue to reduce.
Everyone will become a media node,
and <strong>the</strong>re will be co-ownership of
content and media brands. Access
to <strong>the</strong> Internet will make it easier
to find and form communities. The
process of creating and sharing
information will lead to a greater
sense of engagement that will
lead to less dependence on media
organisations who will need to find
<strong>the</strong>ir way into online networks and
communities.
Social networking has brought subsurface
activities in people’s lives to
<strong>the</strong> surface. We will be able increasingly
to watch what people are saying
and doing as never before. Already,
people outside <strong>the</strong> media are
building <strong>the</strong>ir own audiences. A major
shift in trust is underway from
big institutions to each individual’s
own network, and information consumption
is increasingly in <strong>the</strong> form
of interactive conversation. Media
organisations will need to become
active participants in people’s personal
networks.
Media content providers will need
to get ever closer to <strong>the</strong>ir users
and understand how to engage and
involve with <strong>the</strong>m. Many advertisers
are ahead of media owners in
<strong>the</strong>ir understanding of how best
to do this. The traditional media
measurement metrics of reach and
share will no longer be relevant in a
world where dialogue, engagement
and <strong>the</strong> involvement of users will be
of paramount importance.