Description

This qualitative study builds on theories of development communication, gender and feminism to create and explore a model for gender focused development journalism that empowers and engages ordinary men and women in development plans and processes for their advancement. The Tanzanian mainstream broadcasting media (especially radio) were used as a case study. Given its advantages of immediacy and ability to cross literacy barriers, radio in Tanzania is the most accessed medium by ordinary men and women. The case study employed a combination of interviews with former and current development- oriented journalists, journalism trainers, gender and development/media activists as well as a content analysis of selected broadcasting programmes. In-depth interviews with journalists demonstrated that the understanding and practice of development journalism during the socialistic era was undisputed among practitioners. Meanwhile, in the liberal era, the essence of the practice remained the same but the concept has been given different journalistic names and practical implementation. Retired female journalists were unanimous in their understanding of a gender focus in their reporting. In contemporary times, however, despite the fact that most journalists (men and women) are now trained on gender issues, their understanding of the concept varies. Their application of the concept in practice also seems to be diminishing. While development journalism was mainly a top-down form of communication (authoritative) during the socialistic era, in the liberal era the development-oriented journalists draw on both the Social Responsibility and Libertarian Theories of the media. The ‘state–public service’ broadcasters reflect more of the former while commercial broadcasters employ more of the latter. The programme analysis showed that a gender focused development- oriented journalism is more likely to be practiced in the ‘state–public service’ than in commercial broadcasting. Theoretically (as demonstrated in the interviews), journalists seemed to prefer a participatory stance and some even showed a critical stance; practically (as reflected in their programmes), they performed a more neutral and objective stance while leaning on sources and contributors for the critical role. This contradiction between what journalists say and what they do revolves around three major interrelated influences: political, economic and professional practice. These dimensions have and continue to change the media scene in Tanzania. Nevertheless, most respondents regarded development journalism practice as relevant in contemporary Tanzania. The broadcasting media (radio especially) were recommended as an appropriate outlet for the practice. In particular, some respondents recommended that Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) is an effective model that could set standards for other media to emulate.

Project Details

Project Type

Dissertation

Subject Group

Law, Economics and Social Sciences

Subject Classification

Media and Communication Studies

End

2014

Organization

Faculty/Central Institute

Political and Social Sciences

Institute/Seminar

Institute for Media and Communication Studies

Field/Work Area

Journalism

Project Team

Director

Dr. Eva Salomon

Keywords

Broadcasting, radio, Africa, qualitative research, journalism, gender, development

Publications

https://refubium.fu-berlin.de/handle/fub188/3639