Radio Morobo: A welcome community asset

Xchange Perspectives (XcP) supported the GIZ Governance Programme (GovPro) to establish a Community Radio Station in Morobo County, Central Equatoria State, Republic of South Sudan. Ochan A. Hannington provides insight into the Radio Morobo project.

• Watch 'Radio Morobo: A welcome community asset', produced by Ochan A. Hannington with the support of XcP.

As part of the activities related to its Component Three (Good Local Governance), the GIZ Governance Programme South Sudan (Support to Administrative Reform and Decentralisation) supported the overall process of establishing a Community Radio Station in Morobo County, Central Equatoria State, Republic of South Sudan.
 
The radio station improves and increases access to information about good governance and decentralisation. It actively supports participatory development planning and public accountability in a gender-sensitive as well as a conflict-sensitive way. As a community based radio station, it is run by volunteer community reporters from all parts of the county and all walks of life.
 
Xchange Perspectives (XcP) supported the GIZ Governance Programme (GovPro) to prepare and conduct a three-week training for 21 community reporters in Morobo County from May 27 to June 16, 2013.
 
XcP therefore seconded four trainers (two regional and two national trainers) for the duration of the training to Morobo, who supported and conducted the training under the coordination and guidance of the GIZ Community Media Advisor.
 
The film by Ochan A. Hannington provides insight into the overall process — from the initial planning to taking the station on air. The film is realised with the support of Xchange Perspectives.

Context Morocco County

Morobo County is located in the southern part of Central Equatoria State on the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda and has great potential, especially for agricultural production. However Morobo County has not received significant assistance in post-independence humanitarian and development efforts, though the area hosts a large numbers of returnees – Morobo County's estimated returnee numbers are the 12th highest in the country, which does not entirely take into account the spontaneous returnees coming across the border from Uganda and DRC.
 
Despite the rapid population growth through the influx of returnees and the lack of basic services, Morobo County is compared to many other counties in CES and especially compared to other states in South Sudan a rather peaceful county, that needs support in consolidating democratic processes and Good Governance practices, which GIZ aims to strengthen through its Governance Programme.
 
Though the population in Morobo County is able to receive various radio stations from within South Sudan, from Uganda as well as international broadcasting stations, the county did not yet have its own community based radio station, addressing the local population’s information needs.

Outputs & Methodology

The training conducted by XcP qualified 21 trainees for a successful launch of the broadcasting programme and the daily operation of the radio station. Since most of the trainees had no experience in media production and a generally low level of formal education and relevant IT-skills, the training was only a basic foundation. The training included the following aspects: reporting skills, editorial skills, presentation skills and technical skills.

One aspect, which could not be covered within the three-week training, was to build management skills among some of the most talented trainees. For this part of the training to be carried out it was necessary to identify the trainees to later hold these essential management positions. At the time of the training this had not yet been determined. Therefore, this aspect has to be covered in the future. The three-week training therefore covered the following contents:

• 1) Media ethics and professional practice: In order for Morobo FM to play the role as a Good Governance promoting institution, it is important that managers, journalists and technical staff of the station adhere to strict guidance on media ethics and professionalism
• 2) Introduction to journalism in general and radio journalism in particular, the basics of journalistic research, basic interviewing and basic story development (news)
• 3) Working on a computer (OS Linux based Ubuntu), audio editing (audacity) and computer supported hosting/presenting a radio show
• 4) Advanced interviewing (incl. live interview), advanced story development (news production) and live hosting/presenting (talk shows, newscast and other on-air shows).

Ahead of the training, XcP developed a comprehensive training schedule and manual based on the contents and modules mentioned above. The manual was developed in close collaboration with the GIZ Advisor for Community Radio and was submitted to GIZ before the training commenced. It was handed out to all trainees upon completion of the training.
 
The methodology of the training programme combined lectures and presentations, case studies and discussions about topics covered during the training. Further it combined practical exercises and also entailed role-plays. Training material and handouts were provided to all participants for future reference and follow-up.
 
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