"As the manuscript treasures in the libraries of Timbuktu and throughout the northwestern quarter of Africa become known, many questions are raised. How did a manuscript culture flourish in the Sahara and in Muslim Africa more generally? Under what conditions did African intellectuals thrive, and ho
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w did they acquire scholarly works and the writing paper necessary to contribute to knowledge? By exploring the history of the trans-Saharan book and paper trades, the scholarly production and teaching curriculae of African Muslims and the formation, preservation and codicology of library collections, the authors of this original volume provide a variety of answers. The select number of invited contributions represents current research in the material, technological, economic, and cultural dimensions of manuscript production, circulation, and preservation, and the development of specific scholarly and intellectual traditions in Saharan and Sudanic Africa." (Publisher description)
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"This study assesses the impact of the African Charter on Broadcasting, a blueprint for broadcasting reform in Africa, approved in 2001 at a conference of media practitioners and freedom of expression advocates held in Windhoek, Namibia. The geographical focus of this study is five countries in West
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Africa - Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal. The purpose of the study is to contribute to the strengthening of pluralistic media and the democratization of communication in countries in transition in West Africa. Its observations and recommendations are also of relevance to those engaged more widely in media reform advocacy and democracy promotion as well as scholars of broadcasting law and policy." (Introduction, page 13)
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"Evaluation data gathered between 1975 and 2000 demonstrated that Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI) had improved learning outcomes in conventional classrooms by between 10% and 20% when compared with control classrooms not using IRI. These programs often had relatively well-funded evaluation compo
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nents, often taught a single subject, and focused almost entirely on improving quality. This study focuses on the use of IRI in more taxing circumstances and the outcomes it achieved as well as children learning in conventional school settings. It looks at the use of radio to teach children who are not in school, who are affected by conflict, who are orphans, who live in countries where most social systems have broken down or never existed – the poorest, least supported and most remote learners to whom access to education has traditionally been denied. It also looks at IRI operating in systems of huge scale, such as the 20+ million learners in India. The projects documented in this study were largely carried out since 2000 (although reference is made to earlier projects also) and addressed early childhood education, mathematics and language instruction and teacher training. They were not research projects, and their circumstances challenged data collection and student testing. Nevertheless, the data demonstrate that these IRI programs have had a positive impact on learning outcomes and on the behavior of teachers. Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI) delivers daily 30-minute radio broadcasts that promote active learning and are designed to improve educational quality and teaching practices in schools and to deliver a complete basic education to learners not in school. This paper uses student assessment data collected on recent EDC IRI projects to determine the impact of IRI on student achievement and to highlight general patterns that emerged from the review. In all, 15 projects provided 37 records (grade-year combinations e.g. grade 1 in 2007) containing student learning data which served as the basis of this report." (Executive summary)
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"This publication provides examples of the way in which media can be used for the non-violent management of regional conflicts. Practitioners from radio initiatives in Chad, Niger, Mali and the Democratic Republic of Congo report their experiences regarding the function and perception of the media i
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n both conflict management and the promotion of peace. The publication also shows the different contexts in which radio may be used to supply the largely illiterate population with basic information (in Niger) or as a platform for political debate (Southern Chad). The reports from the field are complemented by conceptual considerations on media in conflict-prone societies." (CAMECO Update 4-2009)
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This report documents the scant attention that agriculture and women agriculturalists have received from news media.
"This study reviews and analyses what has already been documented on the links between radio-based communication strategies and rural development outcomes, particularly with regards to smallholder farming and food security outcomes. The report explores best radio practices, including issues related
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to optimal formats, schedules, production qualities, and station management, based on 17 case studies from India, the Philippines, Tanzania, Mali, Malawi, Mozambique, Ghana, and South Africa. The key findings include: testimonials and jingles facilitate the best recall and comprehension of messages (Philippines); radio forums strengthen rural decision-making structures (Tanzania); radio programmes created by communities attract high listenership (Malawi); and farm radio is more effective when linked with new information and communication technologies (Ghana). The research also identified some knowledge gaps: the lack of evaluation as an integrated element in radio campaign planning; the need to conduct regular audience surveys; the limited use of non-participatory effectiveness studies and the limited scope of evaluations focusing on the impact of just one or two programmes." (CAMECO Update 5-2008)
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"This study claims to be one of the first attempts to explore the field of radio economics in rural Africa. Based on in-depth questionnaires filled in by 15 radio stations in Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Ghana and Mali, it found that the costs vary widely according to the type of ownership, i.e. public
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, commercial or community radio. The average start-up costs fluctuate between $50,000 and 100,000. The annual operating costs range between $20,000 to $540,000 for public broadcasters, $2,500 to $930,000 for commercial stations and $2,500 to $286,000 for community stations. The costs of programming are largely dependant on the level of interactivity of the programme format, the accessibility of additional resources to produce specialised programmes, and the type of station producing the programme. The study found that community stations tended to invest more resources in interactive programming with community involvement and less on in-studio formats. The sale of airtime is important revenue for most stations. There is no shortage of investment for starting up radio stations (in particular community radios), but the common challenge remains the sustainability beyond the initial investment." (CAMECO Update 1-2009)
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