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)

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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

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1

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30

9

5

3

5

29

6

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37

40

13

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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