media landscape guide about Somalia - Internews

The internet traffic measurement website www.socialbakers.com recordedjust over 34,000 Facebook users in Somalia in November 2011, of whom 83%were under 35 and 77% were male.The internet analysis site www.socialbakers.com reckoned that about onethird of the estimated 115,000 internet surfers in Somalia used FacebookThere are numerous Somali online chat rooms, where fierce political debatesare held, often involving people living in many different countries.International news websites in Somali are also popular.The BBC Somali Service website www.bbc.co.uk/somali attractsmore visitors than most other BBC foreign language websites, even thoughthe population of Somalia and the Somali diaspora is relatively small.One reason why Somali online media has developed so fast is that thediaspora have an unquenchable thirst for news from home.The internet has served as a vital bridge for bringing together members of thediaspora with people living in Somalia. They read each other’s websites andthis helps them to understand each other’s problems and points of view.One positive aspect of web-based news is that it allows journalists to reportwith greater freedom than when they are broadcasting on local radio and TVor writing in local newspapers.Some of the higher quality sites are linked to Somalia’s main radio, televisionand print organisations.They usually contain podcasts or live streaming, as well as podcasts ofprogrammes from the BBC and VOA Somali services.Websites with a focus on south-central Somaliawww.hiiraan.comThis is one of the most reliable and respected Somali news websites. It hasgood news coverage and carries articles on a wide range of topics bycolumnists, politicians and other eminent people, both Somali and non-Somali.www.shabelle.netThis website, run by the Shabelle Media Network, the owner of RadioShabelle, is one of the most reliable news websites in South Central Somalia.It has good up-to-date news coverage.71