Activism

Following a recent article in the The Standard newspaper (Zimbabwe) we thought it appropriate to put the record straight regarding the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) and their attempt to censor the use of Freedom Fone in Zimbabwe. 

Democratic governance and political accountability are defined by the very nature of information and communication. Transparency in any organisation, state or enterprise, is often obscured by bureaucracies that still rely on hierarchical structures to control the access and delivery of information.

Despite huge advances in new communication technologies and the widening reach of the internet, few mediums have survived the tectonic shifts in current media landscapes the way radio has. Not only has radio remained culturally significant in the developed world, it continues to transform the way information is shared with remote and marginalised communities on the other side of the digital divide.

This is why, on the 13th of February, we celebrate for the first time World Radio Day. 

Old hopes are still alive in some quarters that Information Technologies (IT) are the magic bullet for development and social change. This sentiment has been most obvious amongst commentators who suggest that the successes of the 2011 Arab Spring were built upon new media in the form of Twitter and Facebook. Hard working grassroots activists in Egypt and Tunisia have been quick to challenge these assumptions.

As an information activist working in Zimbabwe, I've found the role of digital technologies in Egypt's revolution fascinating. Here are some observations surrounding the 18 days of protest, which successfully challenged President Hosni Mubarak's nearly 30 years of rule.

1. People at the heart.

Firstly what is “new media”? What is new today is old by tomorrow and as Firoze Manji, founder of Pambuzuka News, questioned at the New Media: Alternative Politics conference held at Cambridge University during October – is it even new or is it just old wine repackaged in new bottles?

With the dramatic uptake of new media tools – such as mobile applications, digital media, blogging, social networking and video activism – do citizens, citizen groups and service organisations, have the power to challenge the state and mobilize political change?  

Global examples

Kenya is now walking the route to greater democracy and more transparent governance – after the recent referendum on the constitution held in the first week of August – when the yes vote received almost 70% of the votes.

In a recent interview by the Guardian UK, CEO of 2020 Social, Gaurav Mishra argues that there are two main paradigms of digital activism: empowering people with information and engaging with inspiration.

Mishra lists Freedom Fone as a good example of a simple-to-use technology which empowers disadvantaged communities mainly in Africa and Asia, with access to basic information and with a voice to tell their stories firsthand.

A guide to getting SMS campaigns up-and-running in the shortest possible time and with the minimum of fuss. Read the article