February 15, 2007 Issue                                       

©2007 The Chestnut Hill Local

Hiller helping to create radio stations in Africa
by PAULA M. RILEY

Wyndmoor resident and founder of Developing Radio Partners (DRP), Bill Siemering meets with a volunteer at Radio do Dondo in Mozambique. DRP supports independent radio stations of young democracies in the world’s poorest nations.

This is another in Paula Riley’s ongoing series of articles about Chestnut Hill community leaders.

William (Bill) Siemering’s experience spans 40 years in public radio station management, program development, fundraising and program evaluation.

The Wyndmoor resident’s accomplishments include creating the mission and goals of National Public Radio (NPR), serving as founding member of its board of directors, launching All Things Considered, and increasing Philadelphia’s WHYY’s audience fourfold while its VP and Radio Station Manager from 1978-1987.

His greatest accomplishments however, are ones he just recently realized. As the founder of Developing Radio Partners (DRP), Siemering is supporting independent radio stations of young democracies in the world’s poorest nations. Through DRP, he is leveraging his radio expertise to change thousands of lives.

Station manager Hassan Koroma at Mile 91 in Sierra Leone uses his motorcycle to advertise his radio station, which is supported by Developing Radio Partners. Hassan travels by motorbike to share radio programs with regional stations.

The programs produced by these radio stations are improving health conditions, resolving conflict, increasing voter turnout, promoting cultural traditions, holding public officials accountable and empowering women. As the dominant medium in the rural areas of Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Zambia and Burundi, radio has transformed the lives of its listeners, and Siemering has helped make this happen.

“There is no other social investment with greater returns,” explains Siemering. He offers illustrations of the transformation through colorful photographs and stories of the independent radio stations that DRP has supported. Radio Gbafth, the radio station at “Mile 91” in Sierra Leone, produces multiple programs to educate women about health issues. Guests are invited to present information on HIV/AIDS, sex and family planning. Other programs encourage the reporting of rape cases, teach women how to communicate with men and promote the education of girls.

Mile 91 falls right on the former border of the rebel and government-held territory during the war that has raged in Sierra Leone for years. There remains much distrust of the government, but the radio station is building bridges of communication. Radio Gbafth at 91.0FM hosts local councilmen every weekend to answer questions of callers or residents who submit oral and written questions. This open exchange between government officials and residents helps to build trust and reduce government corruption.

Radio do Dondo in Mozambique runs its station out of a large truck and has offices in a small building resembling a warehouse. Over 60 volunteers from the community work at the station to produce community programs that share farming tips, feature local bands and deliver meaningful radio plays. These volunteers, many of whom have little formal education, meet monthly to plan upcoming play plots that include conflict resolution, health care and environmental messages. “You can be illiterate and still be on the radio,” explains Siemering. “These wonderful people are teaching invaluable lessons to their community members.”

Siemering’s desire to support radio stations in poor countries grew out of his experience with the Open Society Institute (OSI), which funds civil society initiatives in more than 50 countries. As a consultant and later a staff member, he spent 10 years assessing stations, their information programming, station management and training programs. He quickly came to love the countries where he served.

He recalls his first trip to South Africa. “When I returned home, I wore a glazed stare and had to explain to my wife it was another country, not another person, that I had fallen in love with.” Siemering was deeply moved by the beauty of the African land, the extent of poverty and the warmth of the people.

His OSI work involved many assessments and training workshops, but little opportunity for him to remain involved in the implementation of his recommendations. More and more, he witnessed a need to build the capacity of community-based stations through improving program content and building long-term sustainability models at local stations.

DRP, founded by Siemering, built a radio association network of stations across a region to assist in programming, shared advertising and information exchange. By training station managers on program development and production, they enable stations to maintain responsible journalistic practices.

The importance of an open flow of communication between listeners and radio disc jockeys cannot be understated. Many of these listeners (or their family members) are victims of oppression, war, government corruption and discrimination. They are ones who had no voice in the past, or, when they tried to use that voice, they were mutilated, raped or killed. These radio stations give residents a forum to report crime, abuse and discrimination while providing counsel, information and education to lead healthy and safe lives.

In Kenema, Sierra Leone, rebels that once were slaughtering the people have now been re-integrated back into the community. This has been a major adjustment for community members whose fear levels remain high. Last year, when violence broke out, a former rebel was killed. The radio station began talking about the incident as soon as it happened. By inviting police and community members to discuss the situation on air, the station served as a peacekeeper, facilitating the establishment of a task force in which police and rebels admitted their wrongdoing.

The effect of this station’s involvement however, did not end in the small village of Kenema. Through the extensive radio association network created by DRP, the Kenema incident and its resolution was shared with listeners in many other villages. “What a wonderful platform to prevent violence and help keep the peace,” says Siemering.

This positive outcome is just one of the many experienced by DRP supported stations. Their research shows that in Mozambique, after hearing extensive radio programs addressing the growing AIDS epidemic, men were eight times more likely to get tested for HIV. In one Sierra Leone province, radio is credited with increasing the number of girls attending school from 40 percent to 60 percent. In West Africa, women voted in larger numbers than ever before due to targeted radio campaigns educating them on the voting processes and importance of casting a vote.

Siemering is confident that DRP-supported stations will continue to demonstrate these results as they strengthen their programming and extend their reach. DRP’s model is working collaboratively with independent stations to ensure they maintain standards of independent, professional journalism.

Though incredibly pleased with the results DRP has witnessed since their inception in 2004, Siemering also draws inspiration from the words of Sheikha Haya, UN General Assembly president, who said, “Poverty is above all about having no power and no voice.” Siemering plans to extend DPR’s services and remains committed to giving the world’s poorest people a voice.

For more information on Developing Radio Partners, visit www.developingradiopartners.org.