Working with Media Literacy Project for the past seven weeks on issues of media justice in the US has given me the opportunity to reflect on the situation in my home, Sierra Leone. Compared to Sierra Leone, media infrastructure in the US is very developed, and what has struck me the most here is the consistent call for media justice—especially for the rural poor and people of color. It seems to me that with the superior infrastructure and the diverse media tools in this country, everyone should be able to have access to and afford the different media channels. However, I have found out that this is not true. As the days go by, I have reflected deeply on the importance of pursuing campaigns on media justice here and at home. An informed electorate, engaged communities and a sophisticated workforce are desirable outcomes for my country, however our immediate media justice objective is to establish a comprehensive information infrastructure that connects every individual in a society in order to make these outcomes a reality.
In the small West African country of Sierra Leone, the media infrastructure is weak, urban based and biased, but with a potential for growth. Access to media opportunities is not a priority for the 5 million people in my country and is not considered a “right” by the majority of citizens or by the government.
The literacy rate in my country is 35.1%. This low literacy rate is why there is such heavy reliance on the radio, with 85% of people listening to radio as their main source of information and only 11 percent reading newspapers. However, even with the heavy reliance on radio by the majority of the population, accessing public information and formatting continues to be a very serious challenge.
For instance:
• As of June 2011, Sierra Leone had 40,480 internet users, comprising less than 1% of the population
• Only 16% of the population have access to national TV
• Satellite TV is only affordable to a few thousand people
• Mobile phone communication is expensive and services are erratic and, most importantly,
• There is currently no law to require that the government make information public to its citizens. Therefore there is not incentive for the government to expand infrastructure.
Because access to media is not framed in a rights approach and not a priority for our government, millions of people miss out on knowledge that could change their reality for the better simply through awareness. The injustice is that access to this information, that could literally save lives, is a privilege of some and not all of the people of my country.
Unlike the US where campaigns exists for affordable Internet and cell phone ownership, civil society in Sierra Leone has been struggling for more than eight years on a Freedom of Information bill. This bill would allow citizens to access information for the public good and strengthen them to make informed choices and critique government operations and policies. For us, this is the first step before even talking or thinking about affordability.
One of the reasons for increased growth in knowledge in the US and other developed countries is the right to affordably access information and media. That is why campaign and advocacy groups such as Media Literacy Project continue to pressure their governments and corporations to ensure everyone has access to these rights. It is only when citizens have equal opportunities and access to information that they begin to realize their potential and make meaningful contributions to society.
I feel discouraged as to how far our government and citizens of Sierra Leone are from even internalizing the concept of media justice, because the lack of it will continue to be an obstacle to our growth and development as a nation. With my current engagement in these campaigns in the US, I surely have an idea of what the future issues will be and this provides a perfect opportunity to work with other media justice groups in Sierra Leone to begin flagging them as early as possible and strengthen our media foundation as we move forward.
Truthout Is Preparing to Meet Trump’s Agenda With Resistance at Every Turn
Dear Truthout Community,
If you feel rage, despondency, confusion and deep fear today, you are not alone. We’re feeling it too. We are heartsick. Facing down Trump’s fascist agenda, we are desperately worried about the most vulnerable people among us, including our loved ones and everyone in the Truthout community, and our minds are racing a million miles a minute to try to map out all that needs to be done.
We must give ourselves space to grieve and feel our fear, feel our rage, and keep in the forefront of our mind the stark truth that millions of real human lives are on the line. And simultaneously, we’ve got to get to work, take stock of our resources, and prepare to throw ourselves full force into the movement.
Journalism is a linchpin of that movement. Even as we are reeling, we’re summoning up all the energy we can to face down what’s coming, because we know that one of the sharpest weapons against fascism is publishing the truth.
There are many terrifying planks to the Trump agenda, and we plan to devote ourselves to reporting thoroughly on each one and, crucially, covering the movements resisting them. We also recognize that Trump is a dire threat to journalism itself, and that we must take this seriously from the outset.
Last week, the four of us sat down to have some hard but necessary conversations about Truthout under a Trump presidency. How would we defend our publication from an avalanche of far right lawsuits that seek to bankrupt us? How would we keep our reporters safe if they need to cover outbreaks of political violence, or if they are targeted by authorities? How will we urgently produce the practical analysis, tools and movement coverage that you need right now — breaking through our normal routines to meet a terrifying moment in ways that best serve you?
It will be a tough, scary four years to produce social justice-driven journalism. We need to deliver news, strategy, liberatory ideas, tools and movement-sparking solutions with a force that we never have had to before. And at the same time, we desperately need to protect our ability to do so.
We know this is such a painful moment and donations may understandably be the last thing on your mind. But we must ask for your support, which is needed in a new and urgent way.
We promise we will kick into an even higher gear to give you truthful news that cuts against the disinformation and vitriol and hate and violence. We promise to publish analyses that will serve the needs of the movements we all rely on to survive the next four years, and even build for the future. We promise to be responsive, to recognize you as members of our community with a vital stake and voice in this work.
Please dig deep if you can, but a donation of any amount will be a truly meaningful and tangible action in this cataclysmic historical moment.
We’re with you. Let’s do all we can to move forward together.
With love, rage, and solidarity,
Maya, Negin, Saima, and Ziggy