The Foundation has been firmly endorsed by 15 of the
continent’s main national broadcasters, ranging from
SABC in South Africa through to the Nigerian Television
Authority. Broadcasters, who have thus far endorsed
the Foundation and its objectives, represent more than
half of Africa current population of some 700m people.
ABN and APBF are now working under the umbrella of
the Pan African Audio Visual Partnership (PAAVAP)
model.
The PAAVAP model aims to tap two primary stream
of revenue towards the goal of improving all
broadcast services in Africa: that generated through
commercial operations such as ABN and that
available via grant aid to Africa from wealthier
countries (for initiatives related to education and
information). Without help from the latter source,
it is unlikely that there would ever be enough cash
and resources to pull the infrastructure of
broadcasting in Africa to the level where it can
match services elsewhere in the world.
With help from the international community, it is
possible to think in terms of a vibrant, self-
tunity
confident surge forward that will enrich African culture to an
unprecedented level.
The areas of programming to be covered under the PAAVAP model include
conflict resolution, governance, civic society, public health, business and
economic development and poverty reduction. These are all the areas where
Africans desperately need more information in moving through self-help
and awareness towards a more open and beneficial society.
In order to achieve the development enhancing goals of PAAVAP, the
African Public Broadcasting Foundation has developed over the past
few months, a new series of relationships on the international stage
aimed at strengthening its initiatives and generating an inward flow of
investment into public service broadcasting.
One of the most important is with the Department of Social Science
and Public Policy at King’s College London, a world leader in the area
of conflict resolution. An agreement has been reached to set up with
them the Institute of Development Communications. This will comprise
– with offices in London and Africa – a multi-disciplinary team of
academics and broadcasters, all experts in their fields, believed to be
the first of its kind in the world.
The unit will work on researching, developing and producing programme
strands that are fully focused on the needs of Africa, that will fully
engage audiences, and which at the same time will meet the highest
standards of broadcast production.
Links are also being formed with universities in the US. The goal is to
make the IDC the most innovative and important body of its kind. It will
also work on ensuring that programmes achieve maximum impact by
ensuring that projects are, wherever possible, multi-media, covering the
radio, print and internet and also involving elements of interactivity. In
this area, it is possible to take on board all the lessons learned in more
advanced markets about what works in firing the enthusiasm of viewers.
In summary, Africa is beginning to take huge steps forward into the
21st century world of television. But, emerging from a difficult and
under-funded past, it will not be an entirely smooth transition, and
broadcasters will need much help on the way. This author strongly
hopes that the PAAVAP model will open up and illuminate vividly the
path towards success. ABN and TV Africa have shown that demand for
programmes is undoubtedly and have begun to tap with vigour
commercial revenues. But grant aid – at both multi-lateral and bi-
lateral levels – is also required, and I strongly hope that the various
agencies that want to improve Africa’s sustainable development
prospects can grasp the particular importance of public service television
broadcasting in that process.
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