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Mass media in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are nationally and internationally state-owned and operated.
| Part of a series on the |
| Culture of the Democratic Republic of the Congo |
|---|
| |
| History |
| People |
| Languages |
| Cuisine |
| Religion |
| Music |
| Sport |
Mass media in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are nationally and internationally state-owned and operated.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has had a rocky road with its media due to government conflicts. Since gaining independence from Belgium in 1960, the country has struggled with democracy. Instead, autocratic leaders have often held power.
Mobutu's rule, which began in the 1960s, was marked by his personal control and the weakening of democratic institutions. This lasted for over thirty years until he was removed from power in 1997 amid rising dissatisfaction. Despite hopes for democracy under Laurent-Desire Kabila, who took over, his time in office was marked by conflict and a decline in freedoms, including those related to the press. Joseph Kabila's leadership also faced criticism for similar issues.
Throughout these changes, the media landscape in the DRC reflected the country's political shifts. Sometimes, there was more openness, but at other times, dissent was suppressed, and the government controlled the narrative. Despite these challenges, there were some positive steps, like the establishment of independent electoral commissions. [1]
Constitution
The DRC's constitution was established in 1964 to bolster the presidency post-independence. It underwent revisions during the country's transition to Zaire in 1971 under President Mobutu. Further changes followed until a transitional constitution was adopted in 2003, as part of the 2002 Global and Inclusive Agreement in Sun City, South Africa. The current constitution took effect in 2006, with amendments made in 2011.
Ensuring the safety and protection of journalists and press freedom has been a longstanding challenge for the DRC. However, recent constitutional revisions have aimed to safeguard freedom of expression and the right to information. Article 23 grants individuals the freedom to express themselves through speech, print, and images, provided it adheres to the law and public morals. Article 24 focuses on the right to information, allowing the press to broadcast via radio and television within legal and moral boundaries.
In March 2023, the DRC introduced Ordinance Law 23/009, impacting Articles 23 and 24 of the constitution. This law replaced the stringent 1996 ordinance that severely restricted press freedom and expression. However, the new laws carry harsh penalties for disseminating false information, particularly targeting figures in authority, potentially empowering authorities rather than protecting journalists. [2]
Media coverage in the DRC often prioritizes current political affairs over economic, social, and developmental news. Many outlets and organizations exhibit bias towards certain political candidates, and corruption remains a prevalent issue. [3]
While the constitution provides for freedom of speech and the press, the government has restricted this right in practice. Arrests, murders and other harassment of journalists is frequently reported.
In 2009, the freedom of the press global ranking released each year by Reporters Without Borders ranked the Democratic Republic of the Congo at 146 out of 175 countries. [4] [5]
There are several organizations monitoring freedom of the press in the Democratic Republic of the Congo:
Many journalists in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are subjected to the practise of coupage (in English: cutting), where journalists are paid to write articles on behalf of persons who are the article's actual subject. [6] [7] Press independence remains stifled. There are two significant impacts from this practise:
Haute Autorité des Médias & Efforts
The Haute Autorité des Médias (HAM), established in 2004, aims to promote responsible media practices while preventing the spread of hate speech and incitement to violence, especially regarding ethnic and tribal issues. However, the HAM faces challenges in asserting its regulatory authority across the Congo. [1] [8]
In 2016, Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) organized training sessions for journalists covering politics, leading to government acknowledgment of malpractice and a formal apology, enhancing journalist protection. [9]
Ordinance Law 23/009
While the new ordinance law 23/009 is an improvement over the previous one, critics from Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and Journaliste en Danger (JED) have criticized its lack of specificity regarding press independence and source confidentiality. Organizations like RSF and Free Press Limited are advocating for further measures to protect journalists and media channels. [10]
The DRC's press freedom ranking is currently ranked 124th in the 2023 Reporters Without Borders index. [11]
approaches
There is currently 540 newspapers in the country. Major newspapers are only nominally privately owned. Journalists must be members of the state-controlled union to practise their profession. The press today is firmly under MPR control. The largest dailies were Elima, Courrier d’Afrique, and Salongo (fr) (10,000).
The majority of print press publications are in French, an official language of the country. Despite their ambitions of national news coverage, it is difficult for these publications to attain broad coverage, both due to challenges in gathering information, and in physically distributing the publications. Many journalists are therefore tied to a city or a region, essentially Kinshasa.
Several daily newspapers are published, of which the majority have a pro-government bias. Some newspapers are published irregularly.
| Name | Circulation |
|---|---|
| Alerte Plus | ? |
| L'Avenir (RDC) | 3,000 |
| Demain le Congo | ? |
| Elima (RDC) [12] | 1,000 |
| L'Éveil (RDC) | 1,000 |
| Forum des As | ? |
| Le Messager Africain | ? |
| L'Observateur | ? |
| Le Palmarès (RDC) | 1,000 |
| Le Phare (RDC) [12] | 2,500 |
| Le Potentiel [12] | 2,500 |
| La Prospérité | ? |
| La Référence Plus (RDC) | 5,000 |
| La République (Congo-Kinshasa) | ? |
| Le Soft international | ? |
| La Tempête des tropiques | ? |
| UHURU | 550 |
| Journal Congopress | ? |
| Name | Circulation |
|---|---|
| La Cité africaine (RDC) | 1,000 |
| La Manchette | ? |
| Le Climat Tempéré (RDC) | 1,200 |
| Le Révélateur | 1,000 |
| Salongo | 1,000 |
| Journal Congopress | 1,000 |
| Name | Circulation |
|---|---|
| L’Alerte | ? |
| Le Collimateur | ? |
| La Conscience | ? |
| L'Éveil (RDC) | ? |
| La Flamme du Congo | ? |
| La Libre Afrique | ? |
| Kin Telegraph | ? |
| Mukuba | ? |
| Le Peuple | ? |
| Umoja | ? |
The postal, telephone, and telegraph services are owned and operated by the government. In 2002 there were an estimated 10,000 mainline phones in use nationwide. In 2003 there were an estimated 19 cell phones in use for every 1,000 people. State-controlled radio and television transmissions, operated under Radio-Television Nationale Congolaise (RTNC), are the prominent broadcasting stations, reaching the largest number of citizens. The RTNC radio broadcast of La Voix du Congo, is available in French, Swahili, Lingala, Tshiluba, and Kikongo. There are also many privately run broadcasting stations. In 2001, there were 3 AM and 11 FM radio stations and 4 television stations. In 2003, there were an estimated 385 radios and 2 television sets for every 1,000 people.
Since 1990 many television stations have been broadcasting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 2006, 58 television channels were available. Of these, 38 are in Kinshasa. [13]
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has many radio stations, the majority of which are based in Kinshasa. The transitional Constitution installed an entity called Haute autorité des Medias (HAM), which oversees media activity, including radio broadcasting.
It is estimated that 60% of broadcasts are in the four national languages: (Kikongo, Lingala, Swahili, Tshiluba). The rest are in French and, rarely, in English. [14]
International broadcasting entities from countries like Britain, France, and Switzerland operate in the DRC, but challenges such as censorship and language barriers limit their reach beyond major cities. Broadcasting stations like the BBC, RFI, and Fondation Hirondelle are accessible via radio in many urban cities.
Broadcasting Stations:
Telecommunications in the Democratic Republic of the Congo include radio, television, fixed and mobile telephones, and the Internet.
Ground transport in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has always been difficult. The terrain and climate of the Congo Basin present serious barriers to road and rail construction, and the distances are enormous across this vast country. Furthermore, chronic economic mismanagement and internal conflict has led to serious under-investment over many years.
Kongo Central, formerly Bas-Congo, is one of the 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its capital is Matadi.
Boma is a port town on the Congo River, some 100 kilometres (62 mi) upstream from the Atlantic Ocean, in the Kongo Central Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), adjacent to the border with Angola. It had an estimated population of 162,521 in 2012.
Mbanza-Ngungu, formerly known as Thysville or Thysstad, named after Albert Thys, is a city and territory in Kongo Central Province in the western part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, lying on a short branch off the Matadi-Kinshasa Railway. It has a population of nearly 100,000 people.
The Matadi–Kinshasa Railway is a railway line in Kongo Central province between Kinshasa, the capital of Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the port of Matadi.
Articles related to the Democratic Republic of the Congo include:
Rail transport is provided in the Democratic Republic of the Congo by the Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer du Congo (SNCC), the Société commerciale des transports et des ports (SCTP) (previously Office National des Transports until 2011), and the Office des Chemins de fer des Ueles (CFU).
The National Assembly is the lower house and main legislative political body of the Parliament of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is one of the two legislative bodies along with the Senate. The National Assembly is composed of deputies who are elected by the citizens of the DRC. The deputies serve as the voice of the people and are responsible for enacting legislation, representing their constituents' interests, and overseeing the executive branch of government. The National Assembly is responsible for deliberating and passing laws that impact the nation and its citizens. It was established by the 2006 constitution, which provided for a bicameral parliament consisting of the National Assembly and the Senate. It is located at the People's Palace in Kinshasa.
Bundu dia Kongo, known as BDK, is a new religious movement with a political and cultural agenda that is associated with the Kongo ethnic group. It was founded in June 1969 but officially in 1986 by Ne Muanda Nsemi, who was the group's current leader until his death and is mainly based in the Kongo Central (Bas-Congo) province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Radio Okapi is a radio network that operates in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. On an annual budget of USD$4.5 million, a staff of 200 provide news and information to the entire urban population of the DRC. Radio Okapi provides programming in French and in the four national languages of Congo: Lingala, Kituba, Swahili and Tshiluba,
Radio Télévision nationale congolaise (RTNC) is the national broadcaster of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is government controlled in a country with a poor record on press freedom. Radio-Télévision Nationale Congolaise currently broadcasts in Lingala, French, and English.
The Republican Guard of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly known as the Special Presidential Security Group, is maintained by President Félix Tshisekedi. Military of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) military officials state that the Garde Républicaine is not the responsibility of FARDC, but the Head of State. Apart from Article 140 of the Law on the Army and Defence, no legal stipulation on the DRC's Armed Forces makes provision for the GR as a distinct unit within the national army. In February 2005, President Joseph Kabila passed a decree which appointed the GR's commanding officer and 'repealed any previous provisions contrary' to that decree. The GR is more than 10,000 strong, and formerly consisted of three brigades, the 10th, at Kinshasa, the 15th, and the 16th, at Lubumbashi. It has better working conditions and is paid regularly, but still commits numerous crimes near their bases, including against United Nations officials.
Trust Merchant Bank or TMB, is a commercial bank based in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with its headquarters located in Lubumbashi. The bank began operations in 2004. TMB operates in all sectors of the local banking market, including in retail banking, SME banking, corporate banking, and mobile banking.
Freddy Mulongo, is a Congolese journalist living in France and is noted as one of the great defenders of associative and community radios in the Congo. Freddy is also co-organizer, along with his colleague Roger Bongos, of the "First International Forum on Freedom of the Press, Human Rights and Against Impunity". The first conference occurred on March 27, 2013 at the Press Club of France in Paris.
The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Paul Joseph Mukungubila Mutombo is a Congolese religious and political figure. He is the leader of the "Church of the Lord Jesus Christ", established in Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, Kolwezi, Kalemie, Brussels, Paris and Washington DC area. He declared himself "prophet of the Lord" for "the Ministry of Restoration from Sub-Saharan Africa".
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