The programme of research sought to identify the strategic priorities for developing an initiative to strengthen the media within Sub-Saharan Africa.

In general, we measure "strengthening" against the implementation of benchmark standards set out in the Windhoek Declaration, and the broader values set out in the African Charter for Human and Peoples' Rights, while recognising the need for diversity in the way in which these standards and values are applied in practice.

Research questions

To answer the overarching research objective, a number of core research questions were identified which formed the basis of the overall research design and methodology, the research protocols, the sample design and the analyses.

These questions were as follows:

1. What are the key changes/developments in the media sector (in each country sampled) over the last five years?
2. How have media development activities contributed to the development of the media sector during this time?
3. What contributions are likely to make the greatest impact on the strengthening of the media within Sub-Saharan Africa in the future?

Research parameters

It was important to establish a number of parameters and definitions about the scope of the research and these are set out below:

a.) Media sector: This is primarily television, radio, press, and ICT [including Internet and mobile telephony].

b.) Media development activities: In the context of this research media development activities refer to internally or externally funded activities which contribute to the development of a private, public and/ or state media which is both independent and pluralistic.

The stages of the research

The research questions were addressed in two key stages:

Stage one

Core research question: What are the key changes/developments in the media sector (in each country sampled) over the last five years?

Subsidiary question: How have media development activities contributed to the media sector during this time?

Stage one of the research concentrated on collecting data and statistics which provided the context within which - in each country - media development can be understood.

Information was gathered about the growth/proliferation of media within each country during the last five years.

The key questions focused on numbers, reach, ownership etc of the key media, but questions were also asked to gauge media health and independence.

There was a section to capture the growth of internationally funded media development activities in each country over the last five years.

Finally, the researchers compiled a bibliography and review of the current literature which examines the state of media in each country.

The analysis of the data was then gathered and compiled into individual country reports.

Stage two

Core research questions: How have media development activities contributed to the media sector during this time? What contributions are likely to make the greatest impact on the development of media within Sub-Saharan Africa in the future?

The focus in Stage two was to explore in-depth (by country and across regions) the ways in which media development activities have contributed towards an independent and pluralistic media within each of the sampled countries; whether these activities have been sustained and why some activities have thrived while others have not.

Media development embraces a broad range of activities or programmes, including:

- developing or influencing legislative and regulatory frameworks to support media/support transitioning of state media to public media etc.
- change management within media organisations.
- training and curriculum development for media practitioners across all media.
- content development.
- audience research and media monitoring.
- establishing or support of media enterprises/development of independent or alternative media outlets.

The researchers canvassed opinions from a range of 'experts' in each of the sample countries - which included practitioners and educators, policy makers and analysts - all of whom have experience and knowledge and hold a range of views about the issues under discussion.

Each participating country was asked to write a brief case study of a media development initiative which has impacted on the media in the country concerned and which is regarded as a particularly good example of an initiative of its kind.