Editorial: Media: Rwanda’s ‘fourth’ estate

For media to transform into a ‘fourth estate,’ it must have the sense of responsibility before society as its primary guiding principle; short of this means gutter journalism that impacts on negatively society. The view of the media’s fourth estate function is rooted within the pluralist liberal democracy model, commonly accompanied by the assumption that media must be independent of the state. In other words, the watchdog function can only be fulfilled by a free market organization of the media. It is assumed that, if the watchdog is subject to state regulation, then it will become the state’s poodle. However, media is known for its important role of keeping society informed of the world’s state of affairs. It’s a mirror of the society. It has the duty to inform, educate and entertain. Therefore, society and the state must protect the media’s fullest freedom. The anthropology of the media industry consists in a thorough study of the social or cultural anthropology which emphasizes culture as a meaningful aspect of society. It also consists in ethnography which is a means of understanding the audience it serves and other social aspects. Once this is well understood, with ultimate democracy, technological advancements and scale factor, media in Rwanda holds a bright future in the political, social, cultural and economic development within the Great Lakes Region. In addition, formulation of the current draft press bill before parliament that involved all stakeholders provides enough limelight for the future of professional journalism in Rwanda that seems frail at the moment. The main magazine has focused on media in Rwanda; its role, history, new developments and roadmap as described by some interviewed media managers. Ends