Media Sector Development

The media plays an important role in fostering accountable governance. It contributes to enhancing citizens participation as well as promoting the principles of good governance including: transparency, inclusiveness, rule of law, fighting corruption and injustice, to name a few. Rwanda Governance Board is mandated to promote media sector development and advise the government on its functions.

90.0%

Legal and Policy Framework

72.3%

Media Plurality and diversity

81.3%

Media as a Platform for Strengthening Governance and Democracy

60.7%

Media Development and Professional Capacity

79.1%

Information transmission and access

Overview 

In 2011 the Government of Rwanda  initiated  media sector reforms meant to create a professional, responsible, plural and economically viable Media sector. As result of these reforms,  in 2013 an new media law was enacted and created the following regulatory and instutittionalframeworks:

  1. Establishment of a media self-regulation body with the mission to to ensure compliance
    with the principles governing media, accreditation of local journalists, and regulation of the daily functioning of media and the conduct of journalists;
  2. Adoption of Access to Information law that enables journalists and other interested parties to have access to information from both public and private organization;
  3. Creation of Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA) a public broadcaster that replaced the former state owned media (ORINFOR),

Rwanda Governance Board is responsibleto coordinate and consistenty monitor the implementation of the above reforms. To achive this mission, RGB  conducts regular studies to measure the state of media  and has put in place other pograms meant to promote media sector development.

Rwanda Media Barometer 

The Rwanda Media Barometer (RMB) was established with the central goal of setting up a comprehensive framework of media development to be used for regular monitoring and assessment of the state of media in Rwanda.

It is expected that such an assessment will allow, overtime, to identify gaps in terms of media policies, laws, capacities, values and practices that need to be filled in a bid to promote a very highly performing and sustainable media industry, serving as a key driver of the country holistic development.

One of the many merits of this barometer resides both in its participatory approach and its triangulation of data sources and methods. The RMB uses both primary and secondary data based on internationally recognized media development indicators.

Downlaod the latest Rwanda Media Barometer 

Development Journalism Awards (DJA)

The Development Journalism Awards is an annual event meant to recognize outstanding journalists and media houses with the core goal of promoting excellence in media sector in Rwanda. 

The main objective of DJA is to recognise excellence and professionalism in media. Specific objectives include:

  • Motivating  practicing journalists to focus on development oriented journalism;
  • Enhancing the spirit of competition among media practitioners by always doing the best they can in their daily performance;
  • Cultivating a desire among journalists for doing their jobs in the best way they can by sending a strong message that good journalism will always reward, whether by their employer or another media stakeholder.

Media Development Support 

Rwanda Governance Board empowers media houses and organisations through providing grants to improve on the performance and equip them to be economically self-reliant in the long run. All local media houses and associations are free to apply for the grants provided they fulfil the criteria and requirements. Priority is given to struggling media Houses and Associations. To be eligible, applicants must fulfill the following criteria: