Opening


their scope should at least be harmonised in
one region of the world. This harmonisation
process is something that is sorely missing in
Africa.
The round table on this theme reached the
same conclusions as the first, stressing the
need to set up supranational regulatory author-
ities to take these issues forward.

> Combating stereotypes

Chairing the round-table on the stereotype
image Europe has of Africa and vice versa,
Jean-Luc Maertens, head of Euronews, pointed
out that it was the media's responsibility for
perpetrating these stereotypes. The image of
Africa in Europe was that of an irresponsible
and incapable continent he suggested. While
the latter looks askance at Europe's perceived
egotistical and xenophobic attitudes. These
images are obviously hard to dispel but meas-
ures have to be taken to blunt the overall impact.
Examples of what can be done have included
putting strong pressure to bear on Internet sites


that convey these negative images and in lend-
ing support to initiatives to break down barriers
between the media on both sides.

> The role of local media

Chairing the debate on local media, Annie
Lenoble-Bart**, professor of information and
communications at the University of Bordeaux
III, emphasised the key role local radio broad-
casters play in the overall development proc-
ess, primarily because they are more adept at
reconciling local, regional and international
issues than other media. She also pointed to
the limitations of this type of local media, such
as their tendency to be caught up in localised,
on-the-ground issues that she referred to as
dealing with "local folklore."
Aminatou Sar, regional coordinator of 'Media
for Children', projects being carried out by the
NGO "PLAN", made one of the most memo-
rable speeches during the Forum, examining
all the issues addressed from the child's point-
of-view. She showed that they, just as much


as adults, are the victims of the restrictions
placed on a free press and why, therefore, it
was vital to support her organisation' s strategy
to allow children access to all kinds of media
across the continent.
The recommendations in this case prima-
rily involve capacity-building for local media
organizers and managers, while paying par-
ticular heed to specific groups, such as women
and children. M

* For more information on the 'road map', see article pub-
lished on Issue 8, page 23.
** 'Connatre les mdias d'Afrique subsaharienne' written
under the supervision of Annie Lenoble-Bart and Andre
Jean Tudesq.
For details of participants, discussions during the Forum,
see http://www.media-dev.eu/


 Keywords
 Media and Development Forum;
 Ouagadougou; Burkina Faso; Annie
 Lenoble-Bart; Aminatou Sar; Abdou Latif
 Coulibaly; Derge Thophile Balima; Louise
 Mushikiwabo; governance; freedom;
 democracy.