The new Rwanda Media Barometer has commended an overall improvement in media development, which saw the sector grow at 8.9 per cent in the last three years.

But the survey also cited economic constraints, poor retention of best journalists, sluggishness in capacity building, among others, as one of the main issues affecting professionalism in the sector.

The current benchmark on the media development, a survey published every two years, stands at 69.6 per cent, up from 60.7 per cent in the last report published in 2013.

The research, the second of its kind, sought to analyse media development and determine the impact of recent media reforms.

It sampled 200 journalists, 200 civil society organisations, 200 businesspersons, and 2,400 citizens. It was conducted by a team of four people under the supervision of Dr Christopher Kayumba, a journalism lecturer at the University of Rwanda.

Kayumba said they used two broad metrics to measure media development, first using a generic single indicator of an upward growth of 8.9 per cent and how the sub-indicators affected the well being of the sector and its members.

He said the survey was measured using frameworks of structural conditions of the media, specifically legal aspects of the sector, number of media houses, television stations, websites and daily newspapers.

The overall objective of the research was to measure the effectiveness and usage of the media in the Rwandan context, identify issues and challenges that hinder media development, and generate recommendations to improve the sector.

The report said supporting institutions that reinforce freedom of expression and ability scored lower, at 59.4 per cent.

The report said the upward trend proves the effectiveness of the ongoing media reforms that promote self-regulation.

Homegrown

Emmanuel Mugisha, the executive secretary of the Rwanda Media Commission, said the barometer is a homegrown analysis and self-assessment instrument with focus in underscoring how to address persisting challenges.

"The media continues to experience similar challenges. As Rwanda Media Commission, we continue to express concerns over the serious ethical violations occasioned by media financial instability,” Mugisha said.

"In our recommendations during the validation of the barometer, we stressed the need to promote viability of our media houses so that they can sustain professionalism and undertake serious investigative journalism,” he said.

The sentiment was also echoed by the authors of the report, who noted that media practitioners decried legal instruments that still hold journalists liable for defamation.

Kayumba said journalists have been demanding that defamation be decriminalised and made a civil case.

Going forward, Kayumba added, it will be the task of government to take note of the recommendations and address them.

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