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Media Development and Sustainability in West Africa: A Study on Media Audience Mapping and Targeting Techniques, Capacity Building Models & Ownership Patterns in West Africa

Accra: Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA); Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) (2020), ii, 70 pp.

Contains bibliogr. p. 70

"Media Audience Mapping & Targeting Techniques in West Africa: 1. Audience measurement and ratings culture: The culture of audience measurement and ratings is still very rudimentary in much of West Africa. Within the current media milieu, where new technologies are yielding new forms of content and channels, and given the trends towards multi-media, cross-media and trans-media models, audience insights need to be mainstreamed into the routines of media work by removing the skills deficits and logistics barriers to such effort [...] Media Capacity Building & Institutional Sustainability in West Africa: 1. Journalism professional training: Current journalism training activities have often not been informed by prior diagnosis of particular need, and are not designed to respond to the peculiar realities of the media in West Africa. Training models need to be more customised, coherent and comprehensive by ensuring that beneficiaries go beyond field reporters to include all actors along the value chain; combining a mix of models that are bespoke to particular circumstances; by training and renewing the skills and competences of media practitioners to respond to the digital media ecology [...] Media Ownership Patterns & Implications for Democratic Plurality in West Africa: 1. Regulation of ownership: There are growing concerns about a gradual and insidious hijacking of the media sphere by few dominant private owners and political patrons. Such an outcome raises the spectre of substituting state monopolies with private monopolies. There is a need for regulatory reforms to ensure that pluralism of ownership and diversity of interests are protected and promoted. This could include regulatory restrictions on multiple ownerships, mergers and network affiliations. There must also be transparency and equity in (especially broadcast) licensing processes, and in access to ownership and stakeholder information [...]" (Findings and recommendations, page 2-4)
A. Media Audience Mapping & Targeting Techniques in West Africa, 10
B. Media Capacity Building & Institutional Sustainability in West Africa, 22
C. Media Ownership Patterns & Implications for Democratic Plurality in West Africa, 39
Annex A: Media Development Research Instrument, 56
Annex B: Methodological Notes, 70