Kenyan Internews journalist Tole Nyatta interviews people about the violence that followed a disputed Presidential Election result in early 2008.

Founded in 1982, Internews has been empowering local media in the developing world for over two decades.  With its stated goal as that of an International Media Development Organization, Internews’ core mission is to enhance and assist in sustaining local media through its variety of programs; from staff training to the support of journalist associations.   To date, Internews has aided in the development of around 4800 independent media venues to include newspapers, radio outlets and television stations.  In addition, Internews trains between 8,000 to 10,000 people every year in management, journalism and production.

Internews’ mission has taken it to some of the most difficult environments around the world.  Presently Internews has programs in Sudan, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Chad and Rwanda; as well as Latin American, Eurasia, the Middle East and the Caribbean.

Read the rest of this entry »

Sarata Jabbi-Dibba is a powerful inspiration to us at Radio Free Africa.

On September 3, 2009, Sarata Jabbi-Dibba, vice president of the Gambia Press Union and reporter for the independent newspaper, The Point, was granted a presidential pardon and released from prison. Dibba, along with six other journalists, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for defaming President Jammeh. The sedition charges stemmed from an incident in which the GPU issued a statement criticizing the president for slandering the memory of the late Deyda Hydara, editor of The Point, who was brutally murdered in 2004.

At the time of the arrest June 15, 2009 Dibba was still nursing her 7 month old son. She was allowed to have her son with her the first three days. Prison officials took him away on the third day. Dibba and her lawyer went to the prison director. The director relented and allowed family members to bring her son to the prison for breast-feeding.

Since her release, Dibba has resumed writing her column, “She, She, She”, which addresses women’s issues. It was her late editor, Deyda Hydara, who supported Dibba when she started the column. Dibba attributes Hydara as her reason for going into journalism.

In a country where journalists are under serious threats and subject to an array of human rights abuses, the courage displayed by Dibba and her colleagues is laudable. Their fallen comrade, Deyda Hydara lost his life fighting for press freedom. Hydara was killed one day after publishing an article railing against two new Gambian laws that infringed upon freedom of expression. His killers were never found. The six journalists remain committed to his memory even if it means losing their own freedom.

What sort of news would you hear from an industry by and for the world’s poorest? This is what the Video Volunteers are about. As a non-profit organization based in New York City, the Video Volunteers envisions a “global social media network, which provides solutions-based media for marginalized and poor communities around the world.”

Their vision is shared by Radio Free Africa which aims for an independent, free media to “facilitate the free flow of information, expose criminal wrongdoing, and disseminate ideas.”

What motivates the Video Volunteers? A 2002 World Bank study asked over 60,000 people living on less than a $1.00 a day what they consider to be the single greatest hurdle to their advancement. The poor placed “lack of voice” above things like food, shelter and education.

The Video Volunteers are working to provide an alternative media landscape to thousands of people around the world.  They help those living in slums and villages to produce high quality video content that brings awareness and empowers communities.  They envision something like a BBC or CNN for the poor.

Their strategies include Community Video Model, and Community Journalism Program. Currently they have 8 Community Video Units (CVUs) across India.

Here’s an example of some of their fantastic work:

Radio Free Africa is  going to investigate the feasibility of a CVU for villages with no electricity during our trip this month to Burkina Faso.

New York, December 8, 2009—In its annual census of imprisoned journalists, released today, The Committee to Protect Journalists found a total of 136 reporters, editors, and photojournalists behind bars on December 1, an increase of 11 from the 2008 tally. A massive crackdown in Iran, where 23 journalists are now in jail, fueled the worldwide increase.

A total of 25 journalists were imprisoned in Sub-Saharan Africa in retaliation for their journalism, and nearly 90 percent of these journalists were detained without charges in secret detention facilities, according to an annual census of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Countries as wide ranging as Eritrea, Iran, and the United States were on the list of nations who had imprisoned journalists without charge.

Eritrea by far leads the list of shame of African nations that imprison journalists, with at least 19 members of the media held incommunicado in its secret prisons. Eritrea was the fourth leading jailer of journalists worldwide, trailing only China, Iran and Cuba. Eritrea’s neighbor, Ethiopia ranked second among African nations whose prisons held the most journalists.

Early this year, to take one example, the following Radio Bana journalists were banned in Eritrea:
Bereket Misguina, Radio Bana
Mulubruhan Weldegebriel, Radio Bana
Ghirmai Abraham, Radio Bana
Issak Abraham, Radio Bana
Meles Nguse, Radio Bana
Yirgalem Fesseha, Radio Bana

Detailed accounts of all imprisoned journalists and a statistical breakdown are at http://www.cpj.org/imprisoned/2009.php

Thanks to CPJ’s Mohamed Keita for forwarding this post.

Zambian journalist, Chansa Kabwela, acquitted on charges of pornography in connection with Lusaka’s nurses’ strike.   The charges were instigated by Zambian president, Rupiah Banda.

Read the full story as reported by the BBC.