The largest network of independent radio stations in Sierra Leone – the Independent Radio Network (IRN) was renowned for its work during elections, but when the Ebola epidemic struck, it was forced to move away from its comfort zone of providing non-partisan news about elections and election results to tackling the Ebola scourge.
IRN is Sierra Leone’s largest network of community and independent radio stations established in 1990s mainly to provide accurate information during Sierra Leone’s notoriously violence-prone elections andpromoting peace. It has been broadcasting live presidential and parliamentary elections results to millions of information-hungry Sierra Leoneans, .
This was the case during the past four hotly contested, complex and potentially volatile post-war elections in 1996, 2002, 2007 and 2012. During elections period, the now familiar IRN signature-tune reverberates from house to house, market to market and street corner to street corner across the country.
“When Ebola struck, unlike elections programming with years and months of planning, there was no time to plan.” The IRN Director Ransford Wright said. Ebola was ravaging through the country-side and slowly leaving desperation, fear and panic in its trail. This dearth in correct information especially in rural communities led to panic and fear and deadly rumours. IRN with its vast network of community radio stations in rural and urban centres across the country, became the ideal radio network to pass on Ebola messages along with other trusted media available like face to face communication.
But the network was faced with perennial technical difficulties. Said IRN Director “We have been using crude and makeshift local materials to link up our community radio stations when broadcasting our programmes, but now this equipment has helped us to become professional when doing simultaneous broadcast, which is crucial for rural communities in particular.”
Mr Wright added “UNDP’s support has been very empowering. They listened to us and helped us with what we really needed to improve our service.”
UNDP has just delivered a new set of radio link equipment worth US$ 170,000 to enhance smooth and effective linking of various community radio stations using satellite technology. The equipment can service up to 256 radio stations/networks when fully operational and if needed.
This radio link equipment is part of UNDP’s support to strengthening the media to play positive roles in the country.
“This is not just about fighting Ebola, it is about preparing the ground to ensure that the media in Sierra Leone plays an important and positive role beyond Ebola. This is about modernising the media to address present and future disasters and promote development in post-Ebola Sierra Leone.” said UNDP’s Media Development Programme Manager, Hassan Jalloh.
UNDP Country Director, Sudipto Mukerjee, who handed in the radio link programme said “The IRN produced an outstanding contribution in the fight against the Ebola epidemic.”
Ransford Wright noted that IRN now sees a strong role in post-Ebola context, moving away from focusing mainly on elections reporting. “Our channel is a trusted source of information. We are going to use the trust people have in IRN during elections for accurate and non-partisan news and information in the post-Ebola and development context.” Ransford Wright said.
UNDP has been supporting the media in Sierra Leone during the Ebola crisis to effectively and more constructively forestall rumours and reduce panic whilst creating a civic sense, solidarity, empathy, social cohesion and hope. UNDP supported the following media activities:
• In partnership with the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists and the Independent Radio Network, UNDP supported the improvement of their “Drɛb Ibola” radio show – to provide daily unbiased, and informative programme on Ebola.
• Educational Radio for children: With schools closed in Sierra Leone due to Ebola, UNDP worked with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and other education and media partners including UNICEF, DFID and the World Bank to provide radio education for children. Using the IRN/SLAJ network of 51 radio stations, children are now receiving a substitute to classroom education.
• Improving reach and quality of radio: by working with the Independent Radio Network to link up their radio stations in a professional way, we are ensuring that a trusted source of information in the country reaches more people, particularly vulnerable/isolated communities.
Prior to the Ebola crisis, UNDP has been working to enhance the media in Sierra Leone to become a pillar for democratic governance. In 2014 alone UNDP worked with national partners including the Independent Media Commission to launch the first National Media Development Strategy for Sierra Leone and also helped to constitute a reform body - Media Reform Coordinating Group to lead the reforms of the media.