The Channel | 2003 | September

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the channel | 25
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massive potential of television as
development communications
medium. They recently wrote to me
that the development of television
was not a recipient of development
funds because “most Africans are
rural and do not have access to TV”.
The evidence from Graham Mytton
and others suggest that is at best
only partly true and that the picture
is changing fast.
Of course, as things stand at the
moment, the extremely poor do not
– except in urban areas – have the
chance to watch television
(although even in small villages
there are often communal viewing
areas). But those who do watch are
precisely the sections of society
who have the power to change it,
from senior politicians to petty
bureaucrats.
Good public service broadcasting
– covering topics such as conflict
resolution, sustainable economic
development and health - will give
them the ideas and the knowledge
to affect that change. Those that
will ultimately benefit most live in
rural areas.
Zambia National data shows that 35% of homes have a
television set and 40% tune in at some point in the week.
Nigeria. In some cities and towns access to television is as
high as 90%. In other areas it is 30% and in rural areas, between
10-15% of all households. In outlying rural areas it is between
10% and 15%, though the reach is double that at 30%.
Niger In the capital city, the weekly reach of both radio and
television is more or less the same - at around 90%.
Malawi Although television was introduced only five years ago,
it is estimated that it already reaches 20% of the population and
is growing fast.
Angola Because of the security situation, accurate data are
available for only the main cities. In Luanda over 80% of homes
have television, in Benguela 40%, and Lubango, 90%. This shows
that television in Africa is often a communal activity - with people
watching on other people’s sets or at bars, cafes etc.
Mozambique In the main cities there is a similar pattern as in
Angola. in Maputo, the weekly reach of television is over 90%.
Kenya TV Africa, the broadcasting company, has estimated that
the number of sets had grown from 550,000 in 1995 to more than
2.5m now, suggesting a reach of in excess of 50% of the entire
population of 31.6m (on an average of six viewers per set).
Overall Asurvey commissionedby theEU in 19961 suggested that
by then, the total number of television receivers had grown to 67m.
No recent equivalent figures are available, but it is fair to assume, on
the basis of the growth in Kenya, that the total has reached at least
100m, with many sets viewed on a community basis.
1 p5.Television and Democracy in Africa, by Professor George Weddell of Manchester University, and Professor
Jean Andre Tudesq, of the University of Bordeaux.
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