Reasons for differences in national media coverage national commonality and interest in Sudan?

1. Comparing African media coverage of the crisis in DarfurSouth African Mail and Guardianand Egypt’s Al Ahram Arabic daily and Al Ahram English Weekly Tamara Swenson Cari Skogberg EastmanSchool of Journalism and Mass Communication CU-Boulder

2. Reasons for differences in national media coverage • national commonality and interest in Sudan? • ownership, financing and operations of news medium?

3. South Africa: commonality with Sudan? • Both former colonies • Turbulent transitions • Multiple ethnic and religious differences

4. South African media: Large foreign investment • Rated #1 or “free” by Freedom House • Media considered watchdog of government Mail and Guardian • Started in 1985 as Weekly Mail, critic of apartheid, owned by many smallshareholders • Becomes first online daily in Africa (1994) • 87.5% ownership sold to Botswana's Trevor Ncube in 2002

5. February 2003: Start of crisis in Darfur according to Human Rights Watch July 27, 2004: AU agrees to increase monitoring force to 2,000 troops in Darfur December 26, 2004: Tsunami 30 June 30, 2004: Kofi Annan and Colin Powell visit Darfur 25 March 19, 2003: Iraq War II starts 20 15 August 2003: SLA attacks weapons storage sites; Sudanese government continues to arm Janjaweed militias Number of Articles 10 5 0 July Feb Oct Feb Aug Feb Nov Oct Dec Dec Aug Nov May May July April Sept April Sept June June March March 2005/Jan 2003/Jan 2004/Jan Coverage by Month

6. Use of Terms genocide, ethnic cleansing, oil Framing What happened / what should be done (90%) Minimal inclusion of historic background / causes Blame  Janjaweed & Sudan Gov’t (50%) Ending  Combined Int’l & Domestic Reason for Crisis (If included) Ethnic and / or racialGovernment inequity Who gets quoted? Sudanese / UN officials / Rebels / AU or African government reps Occasionally: NGOs Missing (mostly):Darfur villagers, Refugees, Janjaweed Mail & Guardian on Darfur

7. Making Sense of M&G Coverage • Agency used in article determined frame of article • Guardian news agency : More emotional, descriptive, sensational • Other Agencies: SAPA & AFP • distribution of resources or political / economic marginalization as one of the reasons • African issue with South Africa in a leadership position • Solution to Darfur to be found in the African Union

8. Moving to neighboring Egyptiannews media • Any national commonality and Egyptian interest in Sudan? • Egypt controlled both North and South Sudan before Sudanese independence: ties strained and cordial at different periods since • Primary issue: Sudan’s control of Nile waters Media control in Egypt • Law:media must uphold foundations of society, guarantee unity, social peace • 80% of publishers media state-owned, President appoints editors: news media are “voice of government”

9. February 2003: Start of crisis in Darfur (Human Rights Watch) July 27, 2004: AU agrees to increase monitoring force to 2,000 troops in Darfur December 26, 2004: Tsunami June 30, 2004: Kofi Annan and Colin Powell visit Darfur March 19, 2003: Iraq War II starts August 2003: SLA attacks weapons storage sites; Sudanese government continues to arm Janjaweed militias By Month: Al Ahram English Weekly

10. Author listed (40 of 44) Terms Focus: What happened / What should be done Cause (infrequent) Blame Responsible for ending crisis Perception of emotional intensity of articles Voices heard, unheard Al Ahram English Weekly

11. February 2003: Start of crisis in Darfur (Human Rights Watch) July 27, 2004: AU agrees to increase monitoring force to 2,000 troops in Darfur December 26, 2004: Tsunami June 30, 2004: Kofi Annan and Colin Powell visit Darfur March 19, 2003: Iraq War II starts August 2003: SLA attacks weapons storage sites; Sudanese government continues to arm Janjaweed militias By Month: Al Ahram (Arabic)

12. Terms genocide: Oil Focus: conduct and/or remedies (77%) Causes (infrequent): When identified Blame: None (74%) Responsibility for ending conflict Voices Emotional intensity of articles Al Ahram (Arabic) on Darfur

13. Al AhramWeekly Reflects conflicted history between Egypt & Sudan Presents Darfur crisis as African (and Arab) issue Pan-African framing Al Ahram (Arabic) Intellectualizes discourse Rejects international role Pan-Arab framing Contests Western view Making Sense of AA Coverage

14. Al Ahram: A single viewpoint? • Different markets: Arabic and English versions NOT identical • AA (Arabic): Frequent linkage to Iraq, Palestine • AAW (English): Minimal linkage to Iraq, Palestine • Position of Egyptian government predominates • Arab League or African Union (under Egyptian leadership) should have a leading role in solution in Darfur

15. African media coverage of an African crisis • The Mail and Guardian in more distant South Africa had more articles than either Al Ahram newspapers in neighboring Egypt; M&G had longer articles the Arabic Al Ahram • Coverage in all three media took place when a non-African global leader discussed Darfur • Voices of the Darfurian victims seldom heard • Coverage of Al Ahram Arabic and English different although both of low intensity due to Egyptian media law • Limited space in all 3 media to causes of crisis