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A national conference on the future of media in Sierra Leone

Public subsidies and investment can help public interest media to survive. Sierra Leone's conference on media viability set out a national action plan.

Public interest media are vital to open, just societies. They provide citizens with reliable news and information, hold the powerful to account, provide a platform for debate and are essential to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

But in resource-poor settings, media cannot survive on commercial revenue alone. Public subsidies, tax breaks, a more encouraging environment for investors and greater transparency in government advertising distribution can all help ensure the survival of media in the public interest.

In April 2022 with the support of 大象传媒 Media Action through PRIMED, a national conference brought together government, media organisations, industry leaders and other stakeholders, to explore the options and create a national action plan to strengthen public interest media in the country.

Sierra Leone's National Media Viability and Investment Conference

When: 21-22 April

Keynote speaker: Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio

Where: Freetown International Conference Centre (Bintumani), and online

Download the agenda

Watch Day 1 on 大象传媒 Media Action Sierra Leone's (leads to third party site)

Watch Day 2 on 大象传媒 Media Action Sierra Leone's (leads to third party site)

There is no one-size-fits-all solution. But ensuring media remain viable requires a mix of systemic reform that addresses policies, laws and regulations; examining funding models that sustain public interest media without state control or co-option by private or political interests; organisational development, from optimising advertising to developing new ways to generate revenue; and ensuring media houses are connecting with audiences and responding to their needs with engaging, timely and trustworthy content.

The PRIMED (Protecting Independent Media for Effective Development) consortium, led by 大象传媒 Media Action, has been instrumental in driving reforms for the country鈥檚 regulatory authority. This national consultation has been an important next step.

Why it's time to invest in media in Sierra Leone

 

PRIMED is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

A blue flower-shaped logo sits alongside the printed words PRIMED - Protecting Independent Media for Effective Development.

Our projects in Sierra Leone

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