Comments on: Fill the GAP – Netherlands http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2008/01/11/fill-the-gap-netherlands/ EthanZ's musings on Africa, media and international development Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:45:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Fill the Gap-5 « Digital Sketches http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2008/01/11/fill-the-gap-netherlands/comment-page-1/#comment-792150 Fill the Gap-5 « Digital Sketches Sat, 19 Jan 2008 18:44:58 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2008/01/11/fill-the-gap-netherlands/#comment-792150 [...] post on the blog of Ethan [...] [...] post on the blog of Ethan [...]

]]> By: Jonathan Marks http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2008/01/11/fill-the-gap-netherlands/comment-page-1/#comment-771584 Jonathan Marks Sat, 12 Jan 2008 13:23:16 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2008/01/11/fill-the-gap-netherlands/#comment-771584 I was lucky enough to attend the Fill the Gap 5 seminar that Ethan is blogging about above. If that's a standard "stump" speech, then I wish for 2008 that all the speakers I hear this year could follow suit. Infact, folks, as usual, it was a world-class, powerful and passionate presentation. Ethan's inspiring because he is also such a good listener before and after sessions- and willing to share what he knows. There is so much competition for funds in the development aid industry, that people seem afraid to share ideas. As a result, I would guess that co-operation between NGO's in the media sector on an international scale is probably at an all-time low, totally focussed, as Ethan said yesterday, on the "shiny" new gadgets of the Internet and far less on the bigger picture. We also have a wierd situation that Ethan is brilliant at blogging about other people's contributions to the seminar, but doesn't blog when he's up on stage himself (can't of course). The trouble is that no-one matches his standard when it comes to giving a complete overview. I agree that the Ghanaian telecom guys are not yet clued in to the power of community media. They seem to be about 5 years behind the neighbouring countries. Perhaps that has to do with language. In Benin and Mali, community media specialize in the dozens of local languages and are doing deals with mobile phone companies to sell market info in those local languages. In Ghana, you can reach most of the population with, if my memory serves me correctly, with just 3 languages. Ghana's GBC and the academic community have never really recognised the value of community radio, nor have they put together a code-of-ethics. So in Cape Coast, for instance, the 2 campus stations (Valco and Atlantic FM) are struggling to break of the vicous circle of just playing DJ and relaying the VOA or BBC at certain times. But Ethan inspired me yesterday to talk to SEND and the African News guys in Haarlem to see what info I have that can help them. Safe travels in 2008 I was lucky enough to attend the Fill the Gap 5 seminar that Ethan is blogging about above. If that’s a standard “stump” speech, then I wish for 2008 that all the speakers I hear this year could follow suit. Infact, folks, as usual, it was a world-class, powerful and passionate presentation. Ethan’s inspiring because he is also such a good listener before and after sessions- and willing to share what he knows. There is so much competition for funds in the development aid industry, that people seem afraid to share ideas. As a result, I would guess that co-operation between NGO’s in the media sector on an international scale is probably at an all-time low, totally focussed, as Ethan said yesterday, on the “shiny” new gadgets of the Internet and far less on the bigger picture.

We also have a wierd situation that Ethan is brilliant at blogging about other people’s contributions to the seminar, but doesn’t blog when he’s up on stage himself (can’t of course). The trouble is that no-one matches his standard when it comes to giving a complete overview.

I agree that the Ghanaian telecom guys are not yet clued in to the power of community media. They seem to be about 5 years behind the neighbouring countries. Perhaps that has to do with language. In Benin and Mali, community media specialize in the dozens of local languages and are doing deals with mobile phone companies to sell market info in those local languages. In Ghana, you can reach most of the population with, if my memory serves me correctly, with just 3 languages. Ghana’s GBC and the academic community have never really recognised the value of community radio, nor have they put together a code-of-ethics. So in Cape Coast, for instance, the 2 campus stations (Valco and Atlantic FM) are struggling to break of the vicous circle of just playing DJ and relaying the VOA or BBC at certain times. But Ethan inspired me yesterday to talk to SEND and the African News guys in Haarlem to see what info I have that can help them. Safe travels in 2008

]]> By: Henok http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2008/01/11/fill-the-gap-netherlands/comment-page-1/#comment-769764 Henok Fri, 11 Jan 2008 17:09:01 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2008/01/11/fill-the-gap-netherlands/#comment-769764 I remember "flashing" all the time when I was in kenya. Ethan I can wait to read the book you are going to write one day about Mobile phone in African. I remember “flashing” all the time when I was in kenya. Ethan I can wait to read the book you are going to write one day about Mobile phone in African.

]]>