Nigeriens will go to the polls in December 2020. Public discourse ahead of the polls is already witnessing use of abusive language by key political party functionaries. The maiden report of the monitoring of language use on radio ahead of the elections has cited the country’s opposition leader, Hama Amadou, as most abusive on Radio for the month of August.
Another key political party functionary cited was Tahirou Guimba of the MODEL MA AIKATA party, a member of the group of non-affiliated political parties.
During the monitoring period of August 17 to 31, 2020, a total of 206 programmes were monitored on 10 selected radio stations broadcasting in the Niamey region. The programmes monitored included news bulletins, political debates, news programmes and current affairs shows aired on 10 radio stations.
In total, 16 indecent expressions were recorded by two individuals. The 16 indecent expressions are made up of Unsubstantiated allegations and Threats. The two individuals who made the indecent expressions featured on the radio programmes as discussants/panelists, and interviewees.
The opposition party, MODEN FA LUMANA, within this period recorded the highest number of indecent expressions (10). This was followed by the MODEL MA AIKATA that is part of the unaffiliated political parties with six (6) indecent expressions.
Leader of the opposition, and chairman of the MODEN FA LUMANA party, Hama Amadou, was cited for ten (10) indecent expressions followed by Tahirou Guimba, President of the MODEL MA AIKATA party, a member of the group of unaffiliated political parties with six (06) indecent expressions.
All ten (10) radio stations monitored recorded indecent expressions. Six out of 10 radio stations: Anfani, Bonferey, Canal3, Dounia, Labari, Niger 24, each recorded two (2) indecent expression while R-M, Sarraounia, Tambara and Ténéré each recorded one (1) indecent expression.
The language monitoring project is implemented in Niger by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) in partnership with its national partner, the Niger Observatory for Media Ethics (ONIMED). The project aims at promoting issues-based campaigning and peaceful elections in the 2020 general elections in Niger. The project is being implemented with funding support from OSIWA.
The full report (in French) can be accessed here.
The Instrument being used for the monitoring of indecent language on radio, is also available here (French version).
For more information about the monitoring report, kindly contact: Tel: +227 96 56 78 63 or send a mail at: [email protected]