DTM transforms rural media coverage

Approximately half of the world’s population lives in rural areas.

They are home to 70 percent of the world’s poor and have some of the most pressing problems, from food security to poverty alleviation, climate change to migration, youth employment to child labor and indigenous rights.

But rural areas are also fertile ground for untold stories and unheard voices, and if captured have the potential to capture the attention of audiences.

However, mainstream media in Kenya often underreport rural issues and instead focus largely on urban issues.

This imbalance creates a gap in coverage that leaves many rural areas underrepresented.

Recognizing the potential of rural economies and communities to create real and long-lasting positive change in our societies, media need to work on rural issues and enable change to happen through targeted programs, initiatives and partnerships.

A pioneering media outlet and its founder not only speaks this language of rural activation, but also walks the talk.

Founded by pioneering media practitioner Dommie Yambo-Odotte, Development Through Media is a media-based non-governmental organization based on the philosophy that media can contribute greatly to social, economic and political transformation.

DTM and Yambo-Odotte argue that the main obstacle to development is that the scope of knowledge is not available to everyone and that development should be shared equally by everyone.

Through its main project ‘Empowerment of rural communities through media’, DTM contributes to the empowerment of rural communities through targeted ‘learning by doing’ capacity/skills development activities.

Under this innovative approach, media graduates are trained, re-equipped and mentored to effectively participate in media work, creating a lasting impact on rural communities.

DTM calls on policy makers and the general public to change their rural mindset and recognize that the empowerment and active participation of the rural population, especially vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, plays a critical role in rural development and national development.

So what is DTM’s offer?

Rural areas are not just about agriculture.

Diversity is increasing in terms of economic sectors, assets, people and the work they do.

Rural people are drivers of change and innovation and can be a good source of information.

It is time for the media to focus on rural contexts and incorporate rural angles into mainstream topics such as economy, employment, environment, technology, communications, governance, human rights, entrepreneurship, health, education and social justice.

DTM is strengthening its rural focus through its journalists, DevReporters, to take advantage of the opportunity to learn more about rural communities.

It sensitizes its reporters on how rural reporting can increase the quantity, quality and originality of a journalist’s work while engaging new audiences.

Menti journalists are freed from dominant stereotypes when covering rural issues, so the result is more accurate and interesting stories.

EDWIN WANJAWA

Wanjawa lectures on globalization and development at Pwani University and is a program partner in Development Through Media