saba pioneering a peer review system for african public broadcasters guy berger 4-5 december, 2006
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Saba
pioneering a peer review system for African Public Broadcasters
Guy Berger4-5 December, 2006
Maputo Bdcast Reform Initiative14 – 16 August 2006:• Attention should be given towards
establishing an African Public Broadcasting Peer Review Mechanism
(APB-PRM),
• This mechanism should be voluntary and with criteria and
review team based on consensus amongst those public broadcasters that sign up.
Maputo Bdcast Reform Initiative
• The process would, like the APRM,
proceed with a national self-assessment that
would draw in stakeholders like parliamentarians, NGOs, governments, public broadcasting bodies and journalists.
SABA AGM
September 17 -19, Maputo Endorsement of proposal.
An Opportunity to address Weaknesses & Enhance
Strengths.
= A flagship SABA project?
STAY TUNED
1. Emulating the APRM2. Why’s and wherefore’s3. How to handle4. By whom?5. Anticipating objections and risks6. So what?
1Africa
& APRM
APRM: African self-monitoring mechanism
• APRM agreed by Nepad Hds of State, 2002.
•Voluntary: Almost half Africa signed up.
•Self-assessment with stakeholders, & by emanent Africans.
• Process is independent and professional.• Produces a public report plus
recommendations for improvements.
APRM: where’s its value?
• Accepts different baselines as starting points. Not “1 size = all”.
• Identifies areas for strengthening.
• Promotes best practice.
• Good for public credibility.
• Can be used to persuade development partners to support recommendations.
• Builds African unity and pride.
Significance in context
•Transition from GBS to PBS
• Challenges of:– Commercialisation: hits & misses– Competition: Spectre of East Europe
scenario– Costs of digital migration
• Ongoing needs for PSB – democratic role (impartial), languages, health, imaging the continent.
2Why an APRM
for PBSs?
Agree on these things• A Peer Review Mechanism would set
out clear & agreed standards for PBS in African conditions.
• A technical process to assess participating broadcasters in relation to these standards.
• NOT a beauty contest to be the best.• It is not a defensive cartel by
competing players, but an honest sharing by peers seeking progress;.
3Here’s how:
•Generic points•Broadcasters•PBS•African PBS
GENERIC: Drawing from APRM
• Good Corporate Governance
principles and indicators•Quality management
standards
1- Are there job descriptions in place for all the personnel?
2- Is there a formal system in place for the yearly evaluation of performance?
3- Is the training of the personnel well adapted to the needs?
Self- Assessment ToolHuman Resources (sample)
No
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Sm
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Str
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BROADCASTING: Certimedia
• These standards do not judge actual content but what lies behind the output – i.e. a broadcaster’s systems and processes.
• How each broadcaster organises itself to meet the standards of such systems
is not prescribed = avoids one size fits all.
It measures how you meet:
•Universal access;• Audience & citizen participation;• Avoidance of one-sided reporting
and programming in regard to religion, politics, culture, race and gender.
• Existence of an editorial charter and codes for programmes, advertising & ethics.
• Etc.
TOTALSOUTH AFRICA ...
2- Quality of Information
Users Providers Experts
1- Social Relevance
6- Diversity of Contents
3- Audience Satisfaction
5- Proximity to Cultural Identities
7- Accessibility to the Media
8- Competence of Broadcaster Staff
11- Ethics & Policies
4- Independence & Transparency
13- Participation & Interactivity
9- Vision, Values, Mission
10- Creation & Innovation
12- Corporate Social Investment
59
92
15
33
17
15
8
6
29
6
7
7
6
22
22
11
9
12
8
1
0
30
9
5
3
5
29
6
7
37
40
13
3
0
7
15
6
10- Quality of Contents
7- Quality of Information
9- Diversity of Contents
8- Social Relevance
15- World Perspective
21- Quality of Equipment
17- Corporate Social Investment
20- Women Empowerment
19- Programmes Scheduling
18- Religion
16- Competence of Staff
11- Citizen Empowerment
12- Education
13- Participation & Interactivity
14- Pluralism
Some Certimedia indicators
1- Independence & Transparency
6- Innovation & Creation
3- Minority Representation & Proximity
5- Accessibility to the Media
2- Ethics & Policies
4- Audience Satisfaction
PBS: International Bench-marking (8 countries 2001-2)
• KPIs comparable across each broadcaster;
• 4 categories of benchmarks for broadcast:– Quality
– Distinctiveness – Efficiency – Universality
ABC performance irt the International Benchmarking Group.
AFRICAN PBSs
• A peer review is not: a certification system, or a benchmarking.
• But it can profitably draw from these.• Need to add African specifics:
– Contribution to languages– HiV-Aids policies– Xenophobia policies– Educative-developmental– Training and tech policies
And refer to African Standards
• African Charter on Freedom of Expression;• African Charter on Broadcasting;• SADC election standards (& Misa-SABA
declaration).---------------------
And: prioritise for a manageable system.
4By
whom?
Structures modelled on APRM
1. Participating SABA broadcasters constitute selves as PR Forum →
2. Appoint PR Panel of eminent persons.
3. → Country review teams set up by Panel
4. Secretariat5. Each broadcaster sets up a self-
assessment committee.
SABA Peer Review Forum
Peer Review Panel
Country Review Team
eg. MBC self-assessment cttee
eg. ZNBC self-assessment cttee
Secretariat
eg. BBC self-assessment cttee
Stages modelled on APRM
1. Panel appointed, drafts criteria →2. Criteria amended & adopted by
Forum.3. Panel appoints country team (CT).4. Broadcaster does self-assessment
with stakeholders, report goes to CT.5. → CT then does independent review.6. CT report goes to Panel; → Panel adds
recommendations → goes to Forum.7. Final report made public.
5“no!”
&“what
if”
Possible problems
• Objections– “this is outside interference”– “national bias is likely”– “we don’t want criticism”– “we have something to hide”
• Responses:– Good faith needed– Bona fides of SABA– Rise to an opportunity.
6 So what?
Historic chance• A unique & credible process.
• Can be global leader for transitions.
•Homegrown definitions & control.
• Help identify how to deal with challenges of new environment of pluralism, etc.
•Enabling rather than prescriptive.
• Helps mobilise resources for progress.
Headlines
1. Capitalising on the APRM.2. Value of PR irt SABA’s context.3. How: levels of criteria – generic, etc.4. 5 Structures, 7 stages.5. Concerns and fears.6. A real opportunity.
Thank you
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