edition-dw-akademie-in-the-service-of-the-public-functions-and-transformation-of-media-in-developing-countries-pdf

Part II Namibia: Multilingual Content and the Need for Organizational ChangeNBC’s recurrent problems on the way towards public servicebroadcasting remain:– NBC’s low credibility and perceived lack of trustworthinessamongst major parts of the population – which, as mostindependent interviewees noted, pose a threat to any publicservice function that the corporation would like to fulfil.– NBC’s existing governance structure constitutes a majorhindrance to further progress and would need reform inorder to improve the organization’s editorial as well asstructural independence. 74– NBC’s administrative and technical departments will haveto be more closely involved in the current change managementprocess in order to make it a success. 75Transformation ApproachesThe case study shows that much remains to be done in orderto enable NBC to tap its full potential as public service media.National as well as international stakeholders in NBC’s transformationprocess have stressed that the following measurescould be supportive:– Establishing platforms for political debate about the roleand the mandate of the national public broadcaster and itspublic service functions. 76– Enhancing advocacy work with Namibian Members ofParliament involved in the consultation process on redraftingthe outdated NBC Act.– Advocating the implementation of a multi-annual financialframework for the state broadcaster, reducing thedependency on advertising revenue. 77– Support measures targeting overall improvements of thelegal framework, in particular in the fields of access toinformation, whistleblower protection and the redraftingof the equally outdated 2009 Communication Act. 78– Improving professional skills of NBC staff in production,administration and technical departments, ranging frombasic skills training to awareness-raising interventions tospecialist training. 79– Improving professional skills of the corporation’s middlemanagement team, in particular with regard to leadershipand organizational skills. 80– Supporting the NBC’s training department in implementinga systematic career development system for NBC thatallows for competence-based recruitment and careerplanning. 81– Implementing structures that provide for long-term newsroomplanning which allows the various NBC departmentsto coordinate production needs with the use of limited productionfacilities. 82– Supporting the ongoing restructuring process of the NBCtowards multimedia content production through mentoringand ‘training on the job.’ 83– Advocacy work with the national media regulation authorityCRAN aimed at securing fair access for commercial andcommunity media to the newly established digital transmissioninfrastructure owned by NBC. 84– Raising awareness for the impact that technology-drivenchange management may have for the most vulnerable in thepopulation and developing measures to counterbalance. 8569Stanley Shanapinda, Chief ExecutiveOfficer, CommunicationRegulation Authority of Namibia(CRAN).70CIA 2014.71A trend that is particularlystressed by interviewees fromwithin NBC.72External consultants such asSwedish Radio have confirmedthat organizational irregularitiesat NBC are gradually being addressedand changed for the better.73In particular the current Headof Training at NBC, Ted Scott,has emphasised thisimprovement.74This position is similarly putforward by local stakeholdersfrom civil society as well as byinternational media experts thathave published studies for theOpen Society Foundationsin 2011 and 2013.75“The producers can’t rely onthe technical department. Itsnot a good structure and thathas to do with management.”Quote from: Ragna Wallmark,Media Consultant forSwedish Radio.76See in particular Open SocietyFoundations 2013.77See in particular Open SocietyFoundations 2013.78Natasha H. Tibinyane, NationalDirector, MISA Namibia.79Ted Scott, Head of Training atNamibian BroadcastingCorporation (NBC) andSwedish Radio consultants.80Ragna Wallmark, MediaConsultant of Swedish Radio.81Ragna Wallmark, MediaConsultant of Swedish Radio.82Ragna Wallmark, MediaConsultant of Swedish Radio.83Ted Scott, Head of Training atNamibian BroadcastingCorporation (NBC) andSwedish Radio consultants.84Stanley Shanapinda, ChiefExecutive Officer, CommunicationRegulation Authority ofNamibia (CRAN).85Phil Ya Nangoloh, ExecutiveDirector at NamRights.Edition DW Akademie In the Service of the Public 85