Media development in Tunisia

In January 2011, the people of Tunisia were the first in a number of countries in the Arab region to push through a regime change where former president Ben Ali was forced to step down. In its wake followed a newfound freedom of expression and a widened space for media outlets to work independently.

Following this development an increase of media outlets is expected. To further this progress, International Media Support (IMS) and World Association of Community Broadcasters (AMARC) are working together to support and train new, independent and community media initiatives.

In addition to support towards decentralisation and professional enhance- ment of media, the AMARC-IMS collaboration entails support to ongoing media reform processes, currently in the form of concerted technical advisory to the regulatory reform body INRIC – L’Instance Nationale de Réforme de l’Information et de la Communication.

Shortly after the Tunisian revolution, IMS and AMARC initiated a process of obtaining an overview of the radio sector in the country; status of existing stations and a mapping of new initiatives.

A joint fact-finding mission undertaken in March 2011 focused on Tunis-based radio broadcasters, as well as on public broadcaster Radio Tunisienne’s five regional stations. In conjunction with an IFEX-Tunisian Monitoring Group mission to Tunisia (8 – 19 April), an IMS/AMARC team furthermore travelled outside the capital Tunis to visit groups involved in or wishing to engage in community/local media.