Press Freedom and Globalisation - International Press Institute

Press Freedom and Globalisation
Chapter 5: Scandinavia and East Africa Compared
The regions of Scandinavia and East Africa illustrate different practices of press freedom.
The two regions have similarities and differences and still they interact.
Contexts and Aspects of Press Freedom
Growth of Press Freedom
Among the similarities between the regions, is that each has some kind of press freedom.
In both places, newspapers have spearheaded development of press freedom. Broadcasting
has been more controlled, by regulations or as public broadcasters. Some liberalisation of
the airwaves has taken place in all countries. In both regions, numerous organisations have
emerged to advocate different interests, and these have big capacities in lobbying and
international networking. Self censorship exists at different levels in both regions, and the
influence of global media is felt in both regions.
There are also differences. Scandinavia’s democratisation processes started almost
200 years earlier than that in East Africa and the levels of press freedom are different. In
Scandinavia, the media’s role as a democratic actor is highly recognised at all levels of
government. Scandinavia, in particular Sweden, is the place of origin of codes of conduct
and self-regulating systems within the press. Norway is the first place where the whole
industry committed itself to regard the editor as the guarantor for editorial independence
towards owners as well as other departments of the company. These Scandinavian
arrangements have subsequently become universal models. The level and capacity of
media education have grown properly in Scandinavia.
East Africa, with its colonial history, still has laws constructed by colonial masters.
Such laws have survived because these are useful tools for the ruling elite to control the
media. However, East Africa is going through changes that increase press freedom.
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