Publication

Framing Peace, the case of conciliatory radio programming in Burundi and Uganda (2014)

Working Paper #8

Dr William Tayeebwa (Makerere University, Uganda; CAPREx Fellow)

This working paper uses insights from completed research on ‘peace radio’ in Uganda to discuss the strategy for completing the same interrogation of ‘peace radio’ in Burundi. In relative detail, the paper discusses how and why the peace journalism model is the most appropriate theoretical framework to study the ‘peace radio’ model in Burundi. The paper presents three cases chosen for study namely: a) Murikira Ukuri programme, Kirundi for ‘enlighten with the truth’, produced by Studio Ijambo; b) Le Burundi Avance (Burundi Advancing) produced by the BINUB (Bureau Intégré des Nations Unies au Burundi); and c) the Rondera Amahoro programme, Kirundi for ‘in quest of peace’, produced and broadcast by RTNB (Radio Télévision Nationale Burundaise). From the Ugandan research, the ‘peace journalism’ model manifests a shaky uptake (Tayeebwa 2012). While Ugandan journalists and media actors were able to appreciate the media values of peace, they were still equally entrenched in their practice using the conventional media values that favour conflict and violence. In this paper, the research questions and methods to interrogate the Burundian cases are discussed.