Monrovia- As part of its media law reform effort in Liberia, USAID Media Activity managed by Internews, and a consortium of local media partners seem to be well on course to ensure a national policy instrument is developed for the governance of Liberia fast growing community radio sector. The legal environment in which the media operates is very essential to ensuring that the media is free and independent.
Many sectors of the Liberian media have no well-defined legal instrument to guide their work thereby creating hinderances in the work of these sectors.
One of the largest sectors of the Liberian media is the Community Radio Sector as Community radio stations are spread throughout the country but with no legal framework to guide the work of the sector it is becoming an impediment to the growth of the sector.
USAID Media Activity project has as one of its core objectives the development of media laws for legal reform of the media environment and it is prioritizing the Community radio sector as one of the key parts of the legal reform process of the Liberian media.
Creating the enabling environment for the media to carry out its core duty is one of the fundamental requirements for free press, freedom of expression and the right to be heard.
Without a good legal and regulatory environment characterized by friendly laws, policies, the work of the media could be undermined, and media freedom and the right to free expression suppressed.
With vast majority of the Liberian population illiterate and heavily reliant on radio for information due to poor circulation of newspapers and lack of other sources to obtain information, the Community Radio Sector is more accessible and serves as a relevant source of information for the larger portion of the population.
To jumpstart this effort, Internews with funding from USAID along with other partners including the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), Female Journalists Association of Liberia (FeJAL), Association of Community Radio (ALICOR), CEMESP and other media partners held the first public consultations for the formulation of a Community Radio Policy recently in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County.
The draft Community Radio Policy is seeking to provide the conducive environment for the Community Radio Sector to grow and develop.
Honorable Ivar K. Jones, House Standing Committee Chair on Information and Broadcasting speaking at the community radio policy consultation
A draft Community Radio Policy was first crafted in 2008 and Internews and partners have taken the lead to provide the platform for stakeholders including regulatory bodies, the Government, civil society organizations, managers and senior personnel of Community Radio stations across Liberia as well at Press Union of Liberia, FeJAL, CEMESP to discuss and make meaningful inputs into the draft policy.
From February 15, 2022, the first stakeholder’s consultation was held in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County and brought together a large number of stakeholders who discussed and proposed major changes to the Draft Community Radio Policy.
With representations from Community radio stations from the fifteen (15) counties the first stakeholders’ consultation was very interactive as it provided the Community radio personnel to discuss the policy that is expected to govern them.
Making remarks before the start of the Stakeholders’ consultation, Representative Ivar K. Jones, Chairman of the House Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting underscored the importance of radio especially Community Radio Stations in Liberia.
“I wonder what the world was like before the invention of radio? Today through the invention of Radio, our people all over the country can now have information to their government and from their government”, said Representative Jones.
He said although there is the state-owned Liberian Broadcasting System Community radio stations across the country play a key role in reaching out to the people with relevant news and information.
Representative Jones applauded Internews and partners for the initiative, saying that it is essential to maintaining peace and democracy through reliable source of information.
“We are here to find a way how Community radio stations can be regulated. The way Community Radio stations can be supported, and I urge you to work with the Law Reform Commission to have a good policy to govern the Community radio sector”, the lawmaker urged the participants at the consultation.
He pledged the support of the National Legislature in working with partners to have a policy to govern the Community radio sector of Liberia passed into law.
Said the Lawmaker, “Let me again reassure you that we from the Legislature stand ready to support your dream. I have been speaking with PUL, we are still awaiting whatever communication or bill the PUL has for us to push on the floor”.
Cllr. Boakai N. Kanneh-Chairman, Law Reform Commission
Also, the Chairman of the Law Reform Commission, Cllr. Boakai Kanneh recognized the importance of Community radio stations and the level of work they do in informing the population.
“I took time to come here because it is very important, especially when Community radio stations are getting many. There is a need for some form of regulation,” said Cllr. Kanneh.
The Law Reform Commission Chairman said although the radio sector is being regulated by MICAT and LTA there is a need for polices that will govern the activities of the Community Radio sector.
“The need for a Policy is more compelling now with many Community radio stations propping up and also political ownership,” Cllr. Kanneh added.
Internews Liberia Chief of Party, Lien Bach expressed thanks to stakeholders including the Law Reform Commission, the Liberian National Bar Association, members of the National Legislature and others for attending the first stakeholders’ consultation.
“Without policy to govern the Community radio sector, it is not good, and we really hope that this exercise will lead to developing policy that will promote our work”, said Madam Bach.
She said the first stakeholders’ consultation will be followed by other consultations in order to make the process more open and collective
“This is the start, hope we all will be engaged moving forward. No matter what is given you by donors, it is not sufficient, but it should be a local driven exercise and I hope to see you in the next round”, the Internews Chief of Party noted.
Providing an overview of the Community Radio Sector and the Draft Community Radio Policy, Jefferson T. Massah, Senior Media Advisor of Internews Media Activity said the first USAID sponsored project worked with many stakeholders and one of the major outcomes was the passage of the Kamara Abdullai Kamara Act.
He said the previous project also worked on a self-regulatory regime which led to the establishment of the Independent Media Council at the Press Union of Liberia
“Under this project, we are working for organization and sustainability of Community radio stations, the issue of getting a Policy for the Community radio sector”, he disclosed.
The Internews Senior Media Advisor said those invited should give their expert opinions as well as community radio personnel making good inputs into the draft policy.
Providing some details, he said a recent Internews assessment revealed that there are 165 radio stations across Liberia indicating that political ownership of some Community radio stations is something that is even making the need for a Policy to govern the sector a matter of urgency.
The first stakeholders’ consultation led to the participants making contributions and suggesting several changes to provisions of the Draft Community Radio Policy.
The process is expected to continue with another consultation to be followed by a validation of the draft policy before taking it to the National Legislature for legislative action.
Internews Libera with funding from USAID is supporting the initiative as part of a five-year USAID sponsored Liberia Media activity project.
The project is seeking support to media development, media law reform, capacity building, amongst others.