Media Consumption Trends of the African Union – May 2016
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Media Consumption Trends of the African Union – May 2016 Table of Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................................. 4 Methodology .......................................................................................................................... 5 Limitations of the Study ........................................................................................................... 7 Current Media Climate in Africa ............................................................................................... 9 Access to New Technology ................................................................................................... 9 The Rise of Social Media .................................................................................................... 11 Continued Media Repression ............................................................................................... 13 Key Findings ........................................................................................................................ 15 General Media Consumption Habits of African Union Officials............................................... 15 Languages ..................................................................................................................... 16 Sources for National and International News ..................................................................... 17 Preferred Sources for In-Depth News ................................................................................ 17 Recent Changes in Media Consumption ............................................................................ 17 Action As a Result of Consuming News ............................................................................ 18 Social Media ..................................................................................................................... 20 Twitter .......................................................................................................................... 20 Facebook ....................................................................................................................... 22 Other Social Media Sites ................................................................................................. 23 Traditional Media .............................................................................................................. 24 Online ........................................................................................................................... 24 Print .............................................................................................................................. 25 TV News Shows............................................................................................................. 25 Radio ............................................................................................................................ 26 Press Clippings .................................................................................................................. 27 Preparation of News Briefs and Clippings ......................................................................... 27 News Sources in the Press Clippings and Briefings ............................................................. 28 NGOs and Embassy Officials Responses .............................................................................. 30 Recommendations: ................................................................................................................ 32 Recommendation 1: Understand the importance of social media ............................................. 32 Recommendation 2: Focus on television and online news ...................................................... 32 Recommendation 3: Recognize the importance of press clippings ............................................ 32 Appendices ........................................................................................................................... 34 2 Media Consumption Trends of the African Union – May 2016 Appendix 1: Introductory Email to Online Survey Participants ................................................ 34 Appendix 2: Online Survey Questions .................................................................................. 35 Appendix 3: In-Person Interview Questions .......................................................................... 37 Appendix 4: Media Sources Mentioned by Respondents ........................................................ 39 Bibliography ......................................................................................................................... 43 3 Media Consumption Trends of the African Union – May 2016 Abstract The following report seeks to provide a better understanding of the media consumption habits of those who shape African Union (AU) policies relating to peace, security, and human rights in Africa. Desk research revealed that media repression remains a critical issue in Africa but that access to new technology and the rise of social media are transforming how Africans produce and consume media. Field research through online surveys and in-person interviews contributed to understanding the media preferences of members of the African Union, large non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and select embassies located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In total, twenty-five officials of the African Union and three officials from NGOs or embassies participated in the study. Responses were analyzed and trends in general media usage, social media, and traditional media were identified. Based on this analysis, three key recommendations to improve media outreach and advocacy campaigns were identified: 1) Understand the importance of social media, 2) Focus on television and online news, and 3) Recognize the importance of press clippings. The hope is that these findings will enable a variety of groups, including the African Union, to form better media outreach strategies. 4 Media Consumption Trends of the African Union – May 2016 Methodology The study aimed to better understand the media consumption habits of policy makers at the African Union with particular emphasis on those officials who influence policies related to peace, security, and human rights. The study was expanded to include media consumption habits of officials from large NGOs and select embassies in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where the African Union headquarters are based, in order to obtain a broader understanding of the media consumption habits of those who influence policy making at the African Union. Desk research and field research, including two online surveys and in-person interviews, were used to examine media consumption trends and habits. Before beginning the study, solicitation emails were sent to senior AU leadership in order to follow correct procedural norms and potentially garner support for the study. Madam Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union, and Jacob Enoh Eben, Chairperson of Communications at the African Union, were both sent emails informing them about the study and requesting their endorsement. However, neither solicitation email received a response. While undertaking desk research, the online surveys were launched via Survey Monkey. Two online surveys were distributed with one targeting AU officials and the other targeting officials from NGOs and embassies. Both online surveys consisted of ten questions and required less than fifteen minutes to complete. The online survey and in-person interview questions were designed to gather detailed responses while guaranteeing anonymity. Respondents for the online survey were asked to provide their name and contact information only if they were willing to be interviewed. The in-person interviewees were not asked for any identifying information during the interview. The online surveys were distributed via email to more than sixty relevant participants from the AU, NGOs, and embassies (Appendix 1: Introductory Email to Online Survey Participants). In total, there were eleven online survey respondents from the AU and three from NGOs and embassies. The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) was engaged on this study to provide contact information for relevant survey participants, share the online survey, and conduct in-person interviews at the African Union. To facilitate the in-person interviews, the ISS consultants 5 Media Consumption Trends of the African Union – May 2016 were provided with background information, copies of the online survey, and a detailed script to guide their interviews. ISS completed fourteen in-person interviews. The field data from the online surveys and in-person interviews was aggregated and analyzed. Four subcategories – general media usage, social media, traditional media, and usage of press clippings - were identified and used to draw conclusions and make recommendations. 6 Media Consumption Trends of the African Union – May 2016 Limitations of the Study Sample Size The sample size of the study was relatively small with twenty-five African Union officials and three NGO and embassy officials surveyed or interviewed. The study size was limited by both the short-time frame available for research as well as the difficulty in gaining contact information for African Union officials. It was challenging to create the survey participant list as it was hard to find current contact information online for many of the AU officials.