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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-GB link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dear all,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='color:black'>Please be alert that the attached AMB is also in French!!!<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='color:black'>AMB DRC 2012 </span></b><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-autospace:none'><span style='color:black'>The constitution of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) protects freedom of expression. However, there are no strong provisions to guarantee access to information and a 1996 law makes certain media offenses punishable under the penal code. These legal threats and strong pressures and occasionally serious consequences make journalists exercise the right to freedom of expression with apprehension and investigative reporting is rare. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-autospace:none'><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-autospace:none'><span style='color:black'>The state uses its intelligence agents to filter internet and mobile phone content, especially during election times. During elections signals for international radio and television stations are sometimes cut and international newspapers banned.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-autospace:none'><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='color:black'>Congolese National Radio Television is state controlled. It broadcasts some local and diverse cultural content but news broadcasts are partisan favouring the government.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='color:black'>Journalism in the DRC is strongly partisan and split between media close to the ruling power and those close to the opposition. Some media owners interfere significantly in editorial independence.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-autospace:none'><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-autospace:none'><span style='color:black'>The DRC does not have electricity throughout the country, which makes access to broadcasting services, the Internet and to mobile phone services difficult. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-autospace:none'><span style='color:black'>The bribing of journalists known as “brown envelope journalism” or “<i>coupage</i>” is wide spread as is corruption throughout Congolese society. The precarious working conditions of journalists are partly to blame as journalists rarely have work contracts and some are not paid at all. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>Please find attached the AMB Uganda or check it out on our website where you can find more AMBs! (<a href="http://www.fesmedia-africa.org/home/what-we-do/africa-media-barometer-amb/amb-country-reports/">http://www.fesmedia-africa.org/home/what-we-do/africa-media-barometer-amb/amb-country-reports/</a> )<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='color:black'>Please be alert that the attached AMB is also in French!!!<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Enjoy the read!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Kind regards,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Nora<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=DE style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#17365D;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'>-------------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=DE style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#17365D;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'>Nora Thoma <i><o:p></o:p></i></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=DE style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'>Programme Officer<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=DE style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'>Friedrich Ebert Stiftung<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=PT style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'>fesmedia Africa<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=PT style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=PT style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'>P.O. Box 23652<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-ZA style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'>Windhoek<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-ZA style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'>Namibia<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-ZA style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-ZA style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'>Switchboard Tel: +264-61-</span><span lang=EN-ZA style='font-size:10.0pt;color:red;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'>417500 (Number has changed)</span><span lang=EN-ZA style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-ZA style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'>Direct Tel.: +264-61-</span><span lang=EN-ZA style='font-size:10.0pt;color:red;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'>417527 (Number has changed)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=FR style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'>Fax.:+264-61-237 441<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-ZA style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'><a href="http://www.fesmedia-africa.org"><span lang=FR>www.fesmedia-africa.org</span></a></span><u><span lang=FR style='font-size:10.0pt;color:blue;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'> <o:p></o:p></span></u></p><p class=MsoNormal><u><span lang=EN-ZA style='font-size:10.0pt;color:blue;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'><a href="https://www.facebook.com/fesmedia.Africa"><span lang=FR>https://www.facebook.com/fesmedia.Africa</span></a> </span></u><u><span lang=FR style='font-size:10.0pt;color:blue;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><p class=MsoNormal><u><span lang=FR style='font-size:10.0pt;color:blue;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'><o:p><span style='text-decoration:none'> </span></o:p></span></u></p><p class=MsoNormal><u><span lang=FR style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'><o:p><span style='text-decoration:none'> </span></o:p></span></u></p><p class=MsoNormal><u><span lang=FR style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'> <o:p></o:p></span></u></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=FR><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>