The power of the past Journalistic culture bypasses ownership form in Namibia and Tanzania Ullamaija Kivikuru University of Helsinki, Finland Copehagen, November 6, 2008 The Nordic Network on Media, Communication and Popular Culture in Africa

Strong democracy rhetoric, scarce changes Windhoek Declaration (1991) Multipartyism -> ”independent” media, liberation of the airwaves  commercial radio stations, private papers & news/picture agencies Distribution limited (towns alone), situation in the countryside often worse than before Slowly changed legislation in most sub-Saharan countries (not a smooth process) Community media perhaps the most radical change (South Africa, Mozambique, Ghana)

Regards from the 1970s Dominance & dependence (Boyd-Barrett, Golding, Hamelink) Mainstreaming, syncronization: standards set by the dominant media culture Senghaas: ”autocentric development”, partial isolation, strictly selective cultural exchange Galtung: ”spillover” of culture

Firstborn right & first definition First definition in journalistic textx defines the perspective of a news story; it has a tendency to become ”legalised” even when more is known about the issue First definition in journalism ”legalises” the style of approach, the style of addressing the public and the use of sources The ”public connection” (Couldry & al) in the journalistic practice is a complicated process If the firstborn rights refer to elites (colonialists, power elites), it is not easy to change the orientation New media adapt easily to the dominant orientation in order to gain legitimacy and markets This is the legacy of African media, and this is why changes are slow

Namibian mediascape The mediascape well developed and relatively diversified Newspaper readership largest on the continent but class differences among the public are great Apartheid times: radio a propaganda medium, newspaper advocacy allowed (focus on urban people) No written media policies, SWAPO grip stronger in the past 10 years The Namibian (private, 1985): the flagbearer during the liberation struggle; follows western journalistic ideals German and Afrikaans press: regards from the past, but important business voices also (community construction) ”People’s Parliament” in radio, TV (NBC) a propaganda medium for Swapo The New Era (government paper, 1992  daily, 2001) Windhoek Observer (private, odd combination)

Tanzanian mediascape The mediascape underdeveloped; number of media grown very fast in the past years; circulations still small and urban; conglomerates such as the IPP group Fine policies since the 1970s, not much implementatation of them Since the mid-1990s, the Swahili media dominate RTD plus private local stations in radio, 7 private TV stations plus the public TVT (2001) Daily News (former The Standard, established in 1950s, private paper that was nationalised in 1968) The Guardian (IPP): largest circulation, multiple resources

Studied papers, Namibia: The Namibian, The New Era Sample period: February 25- March 2, 2007 One-source reporting in both (stronger in New Era) Discussing tone in both, though scarce opinion pages Front pages quite similar Both report and address mainly decision-makers & elite groups The Namibian had more entertainment New Era more from regions Differences: reporting and commenting on Robert Mugabe’s visit and an power plant attached to it Foreign news: few, non-systematic, focus on Africa; business from South Africa, sports from UK, entertainment from US (signs of the isolated past)

Studied papers in Tanzania: Daily News and the Guardian Sample period December 11-16, 2006 Focus the same: domestic politics and economy (power plant scandal), much attention to delivery Ritualistic style but big headlines, one-sourcer stories dominate (DN worse) Much more politics than in the Namibian papers, the president receives gigantic attention Difference: reporting on the new media law (DN says more between the lines), but the sources the same Foreign news coverage wider than in Namibia, still haphazard, sports from UK, entertainment from US

First definition The Namibian papers resemble more each other than the Tanzanian ones, and vice versa Namibia: more debate, Tanzania: more reliance on official sources, HIV/AIDS reporting Tanzanian papers more poltiical though the society is less so, Namibian papers not openly political though contradictions are great Still focus on elite groups strong in all, ”public connection” missing Professional education of journalists haphazard in both, PR more popular Herbert Gans: ”small-town pastoralism” persistent – old values remain although circumstances change Deuze, Boyd-.Barrett (on South African media): more reflexivity to meet the critical masses