(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is a 9 May 2001 ARTICLE 19 press release: NEW CHARTER ON AFRICAN BROADCASTING AND DEMOCRACY Last week’s World Press Freedom Day 2001 was a unique occasion – the 10th Anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration on media freedom in Africa (1). UNESCO sponsored a conference on 3 May 2001 to […]
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is a 9 May 2001 ARTICLE 19 press release:
NEW CHARTER ON AFRICAN BROADCASTING AND DEMOCRACY
Last week’s World Press Freedom Day 2001 was a unique occasion – the 10th Anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration on media freedom in Africa (1). UNESCO sponsored a conference on 3 May 2001 to review the original Declaration, and participants took the opportunity to issue a new document: the Windhoek Charter on Broadcasting in Africa, which recognizes the unique challenges faced in the development of a pluralistic and diverse broadcasting environment on the African continent (2).
The Charter calls for concrete measures to be taken by African states, including all state and government controlled broadcasters to be transformed into public service broadcasters and the introduction of independent regulators. Also addressed is the need to strengthen the
independent production sector and introduce local content through minimum quotas.
John Barker, Head of ARTICLE 19’s Africa Programme said:
“Broadcasting is intrinsic to the development of democracy in Africa. This Charter is unique in that it appreciates not only the need for the development and protection of African cultural content, but the importance of developing democratic and localized broadcasting environments. It gives us a solid basis for our work on broadcasting in the region, and we look forward to continuing the awareness-raising begun this year in Windhoek, lobbying with our colleagues to have the Charter adopted and implemented by African governments.”
The conference participants called on UNESCO to distribute the Charter and for all African media organizations to use it as their starting point in advocacy for the development of national and regional broadcasting policies.
Additional outcomes from the conference included a resolution supporting moves to appoint a Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression within the African Commission for Human and Peoples’ Rights. Calls were also made to amend or repeal all laws inconsistent with the right to freedom of expression, with particular emphasis on the need to repeal criminal laws protecting reputation and, where necessary, to replace them with civil laws.
Notes
1. The Windhoek Declaration on the Development of an Independent and Pluralistic Press.
2. The Charter is a culmination of a number of pre-conference initiatives, and discussion and lobbying at the conference itself, led by a partnership between ARTICLE 19, the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters Africa Section (AMARC-Africa) and the Southern Africa Communication for Development (SACOD).
