Media Freedom: an Imperative in Postconflict Societies?

• In Event: News and Journalism in Authoritarian, Postconflict, and Emerging Democracy Regimes

Abstract

This paper sets out to examine the factors that influence media freedom in the three countries of Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Alongside a survey of the current situation, it attempts to identify the pre-conditions that may usher in democratic media structures in a transitional or post-conflict state, or not. On the basis of 68 qualitative face-to-face interviews conducted with media experts during the summer of 2014 and of a theoretical framework derived from recent comparative analysis of media systems, the present study demonstrates that the autonomy of the media in all three countries is limited on all levels by political, economic, societal, professional, and institutional influences.

Authors

• Anke Fiedler, UNIVERSITE LIBRE DE BRUXELLES

• Marie-Soleil Frère, U Libre de Bruxelles