Africa Media Leadership Conference 2009 “ Learning from the Future: Africa’s Media Map in 2029 ” October 4-7, 2009 Accra, Ghana

October 4-7, 2009 Accra, Ghana

Media, Youth and Democracy The Tale of a Newspaper’s Quest for Transformation of Discourse (A Working Paper) October 6, 2009 Africa Media Leadership Conference 2009 Mesfin Negash Managing Editor Addis Neger Newspaper Ethiopia

Media, Youth and Democracy

The Tale of a Newspaper’s Quest for Transformation of Discourse

(A Working Paper)

October 6, 2009

General trends in Africa A Reality Check on Ethiopia The Tale of Addis Neger Newspaper Africa Media Leadership Conference 2009 Media, Youth and Democracy

General trends in Africa

A Reality Check on Ethiopia

The Tale of Addis Neger Newspaper

General Trends Waiting for freedom, democracy and prosperity after 40 years of liberation A mixed picture of desolation and gradual improvements in economic growth and democratization in Africa Africa will have 29 % of global youth by 2050 Technological revolution affecting life The Media revolution is underway Africa Media Leadership Conference 2009 Media, Youth and Democracy

Waiting for freedom, democracy and prosperity after 40 years of liberation

A mixed picture of desolation and gradual improvements in economic growth and democratization in Africa

Africa will have 29 % of global youth by 2050

Technological revolution affecting life

The Media revolution is underway

Democratic Experiments Most countries begin to have a real or semblance of constitutionalism More countries held regular elections though their credibility is contested Majority of Africans (70 %) are of the opinion that democracy is the best system for their country (see Afrobarometer survey) Africa Media Leadership Conference 2009

Most countries begin to have a real or semblance of constitutionalism

More countries held regular elections though their credibility is contested

Majority of Africans (70 %) are of the opinion that democracy is the best system for their country (see Afrobarometer survey)

Freedom in Sub-Saharan Africa Media, Youth and Democracy Africa Media Leadership Conference 2009 Source: Freedom House 2009 report

THE REALITY CHECK I - Politics Politics - highly dominated by libration/ revolution discourse Issues/agendas Leadership and organizational structure Democracy as a mere tool to continue what is left from the revolutionary struggle Who dominates politics dictate economic policy and wealth distribution

Politics - highly dominated by libration/ revolution discourse

Issues/agendas

Leadership and organizational structure

Democracy as a mere tool to continue what is left from the revolutionary struggle

Who dominates politics dictate economic policy and wealth distribution

THE REALITY CHECK II - Demography Africa is demographically shifting ETHIOPIA: 39% of the total population is between 15-39 (a typical post revolution generation) 84 % are below 39 years of age Access to Education is rapidly increasing Globalization affects the internal dynamics Media, Youth and Democracy Africa Media Leadership Conference 2009

Africa is demographically shifting

ETHIOPIA:

39% of the total population is between

15-39 (a typical post revolution generation)

84 % are below 39 years of age

Access to Education is rapidly increasing

Globalization affects the internal dynamics

THE REALITY CHECK III - Media Technological and demographic revolution Africa has more media outlets than ever Strong public demand for freedom of speech and democracy ETHIOPIA: Freedom of speech is constitutionally recognized More media outlets than ever in Ethiopia Media, Youth and Democracy Africa Media Leadership Conference 2009

Technological and demographic revolution

Africa has more media outlets than ever

Strong public demand for freedom of speech and democracy

ETHIOPIA:

Freedom of speech is constitutionally recognized

More media outlets than ever in Ethiopia

ETHIOPIA: Private Press post 1991 Ownership dominated by “The Generation” A battle ground for continued internal struggle Who set the agenda? WHO ELSE?! Polarized and divisive agenda setting No solid constituency of freedom of speech Media, Youth and Democracy Africa Media Leadership Conference 2009

Ownership dominated by “The Generation”

A battle ground for continued internal struggle

Who set the agenda? WHO ELSE?!

Polarized and divisive agenda setting

No solid constituency of freedom of speech

… The press Poor thought experiment on the role of media in the process of democratization Post-revolutionary journalists were simple reporters The “post revolution generation” has no voice on national issues Democratization of the media initiated slowly Media, Youth and Democracy Africa Media Leadership Conference 2009

Poor thought experiment on the role of media in the process of democratization

Post-revolutionary journalists were simple reporters

The “post revolution generation” has no voice on national issues

Democratization of the media initiated slowly

THE TALE OF ADDIS NEGER ADDIS NEGER? Established October 2007 Founded by 7 young journalists A weekly current affairs paper Ownership -open for new journalists based on their merit Media, Youth and Democracy Africa Media Leadership Conference 2009

ADDIS NEGER?

Established October 2007

Founded by 7 young journalists

A weekly current affairs paper

Ownership -open for new journalists based on their merit

Transforming the discourse? The revolutionary discourse need to be transformed The powerless and voiceless post-revolution generation should be listened Rethinking and appreciating the past Media, Youth and Democracy Africa Media Leadership Conference 2009

The revolutionary discourse need to be transformed

The powerless and voiceless post-revolution generation should be listened

Rethinking and appreciating the past

Rethinking and appreciating the past The question of collective guilt instead of criminalization of history The apolitical legacy of former leaders and generations The relevance of western ideologies to Ethiopia, where to start? Scientific enquiry instead of conspiracy theory Media, Youth and Democracy Africa Media Leadership Conference 2009

The question of collective guilt instead of criminalization of history

The apolitical legacy of former leaders and generations

The relevance of western ideologies to Ethiopia, where to start?

Scientific enquiry instead of conspiracy theory

Since the past has ceased to throw its light upon the future, the mind of man wanders in obscurity Tocqueville Media, Youth and Democracy Africa Media Leadership Conference 2009

Since the past has ceased to throw its light upon the future, the mind of man wanders in obscurity

Tocqueville

A Quest for Public Reason Appreciating new experiments and ideas The question of democracy, and economic & social justice at the center Intergenerational dialogue, instead of rejection Inter-ethnic dialogue, instead of mutual suspicion/mistrust A new culture of critical dialogue based on “Public Reason” Media, Youth and Democracy Africa Media Leadership Conference 2009

Appreciating new experiments and ideas

The question of democracy, and economic & social justice at the center

Intergenerational dialogue, instead of rejection

Inter-ethnic dialogue, instead of mutual suspicion/mistrust

A new culture of critical dialogue based on “Public Reason”

Challenges Ahead Political, economic, social constraints Restrictive laws and bureaucracy (discriminatory licensing, blocking websites...) Mistrust and polarization Political and economic crisis Independent enterprise Vs conspiracy theory/politicization of life Lack of capacity within the media (professional, knowledge, economic...) Media, Youth and Democracy Africa Media Leadership Conference 2009

Political, economic, social constraints

Restrictive laws and bureaucracy (discriminatory licensing, blocking websites...)

Mistrust and polarization

Political and economic crisis

Independent enterprise Vs conspiracy theory/politicization of life

Lack of capacity within the media (professional, knowledge, economic...)

THANK YOU Media, Youth and Democracy Africa Media Leadership Conference 2009 “ Yes you can. Because in this moment, history is on the move!!!” YES WE CAN

THANK YOU

Public reason is not one political value among others. It envelops all the different elements that make up the ideal of a constitutional democracy, for it governs “the political relation” in which we ought to stand to one another as citizens ( CP , p. 574). Public reason involves more than just the idea that the principles of political association should be an object of public knowledge. Its concern is the very basis of our collectively binding decisions. We honor public reason when we bring our own reason into accord with the reason of others, espousing a common point of view for settling the terms of our political life….This spirit of reciprocity is the foundation of a democratic society. Media, Youth and Democracy Africa Media Leadership Conference 2009

Public reason is not one political value among others. It envelops all the different elements that make up the ideal of a constitutional democracy, for it governs “the political relation” in which we ought to stand to one another as citizens ( CP , p. 574). Public reason involves more than just the idea that the principles of political association should be an object of public knowledge. Its concern is the very basis of our collectively binding decisions. We honor public reason when we bring our own reason into accord with the reason of others, espousing a common point of view for settling the terms of our political life….This spirit of reciprocity is the foundation of a democratic society.

John Rawls “ Persons engaged in a just, or fair, practice can face one another openly and should their respective positions, should they appear questionable, by reference to principles which it is reasonable to expect each to accept….Only if such acknowledgement is possible can there be true community between persons in their common practices; otherwise their relations will appear to them as founded to some extent on force.”

“ Persons engaged in a just, or fair, practice can face one another openly and should their respective positions, should they appear questionable, by reference to principles which it is reasonable to expect each to accept….Only if such acknowledgement is possible can there be true community between persons in their common practices; otherwise their relations will appear to them as founded to some extent on force.”