Radio Okapi

Radio Okapi is a radio network that operates in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. On an annual budget of USD$4.5 million, a staff of 200 provide news and information to the entire urban population of the DRC. Radio Okapi provides programming in French and in the four national languages of Congo, Lingala, Kituba, Swahili and Tshiluba,

History

Radio Okapi was created by the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) and the Swiss NGO Fondation Hirondelle. The agreement between MONUC and the Congolese government foresaw the creation of a radio network to inform the Congolese population of the MONUC's efforts. MONUC and the Fondation Hirondelle submitted a plan in 2001 to the United Nations, and the radio network went live on 25 February 2002.^[1] The station takes its name from the Okapi, a small mammal native to the Congo.

In 2011 The Economist said that Radio Okapi was "one of Africa’s most admirably independent radio services".^[2]

Mary Myers, in the essay "Well-Informed Journalists Make Well-Informed Citizens: Coverage of Governance Issues in the Democratic Republic of Congo," said that the radio station "raised the bar for other indigenous radio and TV stations in the country."^[3] Other area radio stations copied Radio Okapi's news gathering techniques, program concepts, and formats. Myers also said "Although Radio Okapi can be a thorn in the government's side at times, its stance of promoting peace and democracy and the strong role it plays in civic education have led to its recognition, even by the Minister of Information, as a national asset that the Democratic Republic of Congo [sic] could ill afford to lose."^[3]

Serge Maheshe a journalist for Radio Okapi was shot on June 13, 2007. Maheshe was the editor in chief in Bukavu for the station.^[4]

Transmitters

Radio Okapi provides programming in French and in Lingala, Kituba, Swahili and Tshiluba, transmitting all day every day on:^[5]

Kinshasa 103.5 MHz
Aru 88.0 MHz
Bandundu 99.0 MHz
Baraka 103.4 MHz
Béni 92.0 MHz
Bukavu 95.3 MHz
Bunia 104.9 MHz
Bunyakiri 103.2 MHz
Butembo 92.9 MHz
Dungu 103.4 MHz
Gbadolite 93.0 MHz
Gemena 95.4 MHz
Goma 105.2 MHz
Isiro 90.1 MHz
Kalemie 105.0 MHz
Kamina 104.3 MHz
Kananga 93.0 MHz
Kanyabayonga 96.0 MHz
Kikwit 103.5 MHz
Kindu 103.0 MHz
Kisangani 94.8 MHz
Lisala 104.3 MHz
Lubumbashi 95.8 MHz
Mahagi 96.0 MHz
Manono 104.5 MHz
Masisi 96.0 MHz
Matadi 102.0 MHz
Mbandaka 103.0 MHz
Mbuji-Mayi 103.5 MHz
Moba 102.4 MHz
Rutshuru 95.3 MHz
Tshomo Uni 106.5 MHz
Uvira 105.3 MHz
Walikale 104.9 MHz
Shortwave
- 9635 kHz (5 AM to 7 AM)
- 11690 kHz (5 PM to 6 PM)

Sources

"Fondation Hirondelle, Media for Peace and Human Dignity". Fondation Hirondelle. Retrieved 24 April 2008.

In film

Radio Okapi, radio de la vie, is a documentary produced by Pierre Guyot, 2006. It premiered on TV5 in June 2006. It examines the work of Breuil Munganga, a journalist at Radio Okapi.^[6] It has been selected by many festivals in France, Canada, Central African Republic and Burkina Faso.^[7]

References

^ "Radio Okapi - Qui sommes nous?" (in French). Radio Okapi. Retrieved 24 April 2008.
^ "Congo’s election: That sinking feeling: A general election in the Democratic Republic of Congo may end in tears", The Economist, dated 26 Nov 2011. Retrieved on 15 February 2012.
^ ^a ^b Myers, Mary. "Well-Informed Journalists Make Well-Informed Citizens: Coverage of Governance Issues in the Democratic Republic of Congo." Printed in: Odugbemi, Sina and Taeku Lee (editors). Accountability Through Public Opinion: From Inertia to Public Action. World Bank Publications, 2011. 155. Retrieved from Google Books on 15 February 2012. 0821385569, 9780821385562.
^ https://cpj.org/killed/2007/serge-maheshe.php
^ "Radio Okapi: The project". Fondation Hirondelle. Archived from the original on 23 July 2010. Retrieved 25 April 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
^ Catherine Bédarida, «Une radio pour la paix», article and interview with Pierre Guyot Le Monde supplement TV&Radio 7–8 January 2007, page 5. Guyot recalls the birth of Radio Okapi survient eight years before the Rwanda genocide, in the course of which Radio des Mille Collines had encouraged the massacres.
^
Radio Okapi, radio de la vie was selected at:
- Festival international du grand reportage d'actualité et du documentaire de société (FIGRA) March 2006;
- Festival Ciné droits libres de Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, November 2006;
- Documentary Month, France, November 2006;
- Assises internationales du journalisme Lille, March 2007;
- Festival international du film des droits de l'Homme Paris, March 2007,
- Colloque annuel de la Société Québécoise de Sciences Politiques, Université Laval, May 2007,
- Le Festival du Film des Droits de l'Homme, Bangui, Central African Republic, May 2007.