By Saio Marrah
Kenyan Media Consultant, Dr. Haron Mwangi, is currently in Sierra Leone to support the government of Sierra Leone in the implementation of the seven recommendations from the National Media Viability and Investment Conference for a national action plan.
According to a press statement from the Ministry of Information and Communication dated Tuesday 30th August 2022, the media consultant is said to have worked in nine African countries in developing media reforms.
The Consultant will start working with media stakeholders across the country next week to map out the strategies that speak to enhancing viable media and to give technical support to the Multi-stakeholder Board and the Technical Working Groups.
He was quoted saying “In Sierra Leone, what I notice is that there is a common agenda drive in developing the media landscape. With that spirit, the growth of the media is assured."
Dr. Mwangi commended the Minister of Information and Communication, Mohamed Rahman Swaray for his bold step and the progressive steps in advancing the growth of Sierra Leone media.
While hosting the consultant at the Ministry of Information and Communication, Swaray highlighted the major media reforms that the Government of Sierra Leone has implemented in ensuring open and independent media in Sierra Leone and that the government is very keen on advancing the media landscape in the country.
He also talked about the repealed part five of the 1965 Public Order which he said was a setback to the progress of journalism in Sierra Leone.
Swaray also highlighted the progress made in the accession to the Global media Coalition, which seeks to promote and protect the work of journalists.
He said the government is supporting the media through subvention to the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists and among others, which he described as reforms geared towards enhancing an open and professional media sector.
The seven recommendations include the Government of Sierra Leone continue to show the political will necessary to drive media market reforms, the need for the existing legal and regulatory framework for the media to be reviewed, and the media to commit to re-engineering the industry in order to boost the potential for attracting private-sector investment and public subsidies.
A national policy on advertising to be introduced, government and development partners to commit to a national fund for public interest media and the need for government to take affirmative action to promote community media and the public service broadcaster, the Sierra Leona Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) is also among the recommendations.
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