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Problematizing media development. Guy Berger Rhodes University South Africa. Covering: . Context Concepts What & who Foreign policy Development-democracy assumptions Old media & nation-state assumptions . 1. Context. Unesco 2007 “indicators” GFMD Center for National Media Assistance
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Problematizing media development Guy Berger Rhodes University South Africa
Covering: • Context • Concepts • What & who • Foreign policy • Development-democracy assumptions • Old media & nation-state assumptions
1. Context • Unesco 2007 “indicators” • GFMD • Center for National Media Assistance • MDLF • African Media Initiative
2. Concepts • Not “media and/for development” (though linked) • Not “ICT4D” • Not so much organic development, or indirect subsidy (eg. US post & dereg) but interventions. • An activity/process AND a destination • “Media assistance” less loaded
2.1 Skirting the issues • UNESCO 5 categories: • Conducive legal environment • Plural ownership • Democratic performance • Capacity (skill & organisations) • Public access • Circular: 5= “MD” and “MD” = 5
2.2 Pinpointing the problem • Need an over-arching logic • Akin to equating vote + rule of law + free press to “democracy” • Eg. of the problem - would cellphone penetration count as MD? • We need more abstract definition of MD • And to rise above the normative of eg.UNESCO approach.
2.3 Pinpointing the problem • Else, do we say a country falls short of MD because it lacks PBS or Community media? • UNESCO: can have MGrowth sans MD • Need a common currency for minimum elements – eg. journalists per 1000. • Normative then comes later • “Media density” is a better concept
2.3 Avoiding relativism Otherwise, MD means whatever you want, even in regard to a democratic role: • French: state involvement NB; • British: public broadcasting; • Canadians: mixed model; • US: privately-owned press - Francis Kasoma
3. Interventions: what and who? • Normatively driven • Focus is on Journalism devt, more than Media devt. • Various inputs (money, info, training,kit) • Range of players: govt bodies, foundations, religious groups, universities, consultancies, NGOs, INGOs, local bodies.
4. Foreign policy • Export of media norms, plus.. • Assumed means to political end • “Foreign policy of media space” • Cold War and “war on terror” • Marginalising of media role in development ends. • Rising awareness of media and conflict • Fads, fashions, fluctuations…
5. Democracy & devt assumptions • Media effects are presumed, not much evaluation. • Democratic media correllated with reduced corruption, although not necessarily. • Democracy – for elites, or participatory makes a difference re: type of media. • Devt: famine correllation; but HIV?
6. Old media thinking • Media as hypodermic effects. • Media as professional institutions. • Media with a classic business model. But… New Media up-ends this: • Telecoms critical … or are they? • Convergence vis-a-vis old media. • Mediatisation of groups & individuals. • Transnational characteristics...
7. Conclusion • Media Development a growing issue. • Conceptual circularity, normativity. • Media Assistance and Media Density. • Who does what. • “MD industry” and foreign policy • Media effects problematisation. • New media problematisation. • Does “journalism” itself get problematised?
Thank you G.Berger@ru.ac.za
