[FoME] African Media Barometer: Analysis of Malawi's media landscape 2012

[Nora Thoma]

Dear all,

 

The African Media Barometer (AMB) Malawi 2012 was conducted in 2012. Please
see this link for the full PDF:
http://www.fesmedia-africa.org/uploads/media/AMB_Malawi_2012.pdf 

 

The African Media Barometer (AMB) identifies and analyses the shortcomings
and best practices in the legal as well as practical media environment of
different African countries. Using a variety of African documents as a
benchmark, the AMB can serve as a tool to lobby for media reform.

 

The AMB Malawi revealed:

The media environment in Malawi over the past two years can best be
described as a twin tale. This because the country has experienced two
presidents with very different ideas of how the country should be run. 

Until his death in April 2012, president Bingu wa Mutharika had presided
over a country with an ailing economy and declining democratic culture whose
consequence was the attempt to limit freedom of expression and restrict
media freedom. 

This decline became pronounced in July 2011 when Malawians took to the
streets to protest but with such devastating consequence in the death of at
least twenty protestors who were shot dead by police. For the media, threats
of government advertising withdrawal, physical attack and surveillance had
to be endured, if not survived. 

Beyond April 2012, Malawi has been engulfed by a sense of hope but also
cynicism. Hope because soon after assuming office, the government of
president Joyce Banda immediately instituted key reforms which resulted in
partial restoration of donor confidence and critical aid. The media
highlight was, of course, the repeal of the draconian Section 46 of the
Penal Code which previously empowered a Minister of Information to ban any
publication as s/he saw fit.  

The cynicism - and it is growing - comes from the fact that although there
have been all these dramatic changes in Malawi, for most citizens, the earth
has not exactly moved underneath. 

This report captures both that hope and perilous uncertainty as reflected
within the media-space. However, if there is anything that stands out here,
it is the resilience of Malawian media and its impressive capability to
always rise above stubborn social, economic and political challenges - most
of which are self-inflicted - and still play its watchdog role. 

 

Enjoy the read!!!!

 

If you would like to read up on the AMBs or explore AMBs of other countries
please see our website:
<http://www.fesmedia-africa.org/home/what-we-do/africa-media-barometer-amb/>
http://www.fesmedia-africa.org/home/what-we-do/africa-media-barometer-amb/ 

 

Please do not hesitate to contact me or my colleague Helvi Elago (
<mailto:helvi at fesmedia.org> helvi at fesmedia.org) should you have any
questions.

 

Kind regards,

Nora

 

 

-------------------------------------------

Nora Thoma 

Programme Officer

Friedrich Ebert Stiftung

fesmedia Africa

 

P.O. Box 23652

Windhoek

Namibia

 

Switchboard Tel: +264-61-417500 (Number has changed)

Direct Tel.: +264-61-417527 (Number has changed)

Fax.:+264-61-237 441

 <http://www.fesmedia-africa.org> www.fesmedia-africa.org      

 <https://www.facebook.com/fesmedia.Africa>
https://www.facebook.com/fesmedia.Africa 

 

 

                                              

 

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