There is an urgent need to involve the people in the rural areas, but also those living in towns. Special programmes for community media should be developed to involve the great majority of people who have never had the opportunity to speak out. Therefore we recommend to encourage and support community radio stations and, for a start, to encourage the ownership of radios as a first step to provide this great majority with their own means of communication. The delegation welcomes MISA's 'Open the Waves' campaign and recommends support for it. Many media workers still work in an unfavourable environment and are under constant threat.
Many governments are still hostile to independent media.
The answer lies in opening up communication lines and getting to understand the other's position, and finding ways and opportunities to work together instead of encouraging the current trend where either party is seen as an obstacle. Often this is due to years of living under colonialism, dictatorship and other undemocratic circumstances. Training at all levels should be encouraged. Emphasis should be put on training in independent thinking, investigative journalism and setting an own agenda of 'journalism in its own right'. Linking' of programmes between comparable media should be encouraged.