Germany: Global Media Forum 2011

“Five Minutes for Debate” gave audiences fast-paced interviews and brief discussions highlighting the relation between media development and freedom of expression.
Interviewees included decision-makers, media representatives and development experts from around the world. The debates were held during the conference breaks and lasted five minutes. Listeners could then informally approach the interviewees for further details.

DW-AKADEMIE Project Development head, Patrick Leusch, hosted the debates. “It’s an effective way to quickly awaken people’s interest in projects or viewpoints they might otherwise not be aware of,” he says.

The DW-AKADEMIE Project Development division also organized the presentation of “Freedom Fone” – a Zimbabwe initiative receiving DW-AKADEMIE support. Mobile phones are widespread in Africa whereas telephone landlines and Internet access are often limited. Developed in Harare by the non-governmental organization Kubatana, mobile phone users can call organizations using Freedom Fone software and be connected to an audio voice menu giving them short, uncensored, recorded reports. Unlicensed community radio stations in Zimbabwe, for example, are already using the system.

Freedom Fone is effective in countries with insufficient communication structures or where press freedoms are constrained, says Brenda Burrell, Technical Director for Freedom Fone. “Unlike radio broadcasts, the recorded reports are available 24 hours a day and can be easily updated.” Journalists and citizen reporters can also file their own audio reports in this two-way communication system.

DW-AKADEMIE is supporting the project with workshops for the Zimbabwean print and radio media on how to implement this new technology. “Freedom Fone is a vehicle for spreading accurate, uncensored news and audio reports,” says DW-AKADEMIE project manager, Martin Hilbert.