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Other articles in the RAP 21 Newsletter n° 4/2005:
The Business of Newspapers
Free handbook for local journalists in crisis areas
CONFERENCE: Revenue Generation 2005
PRESS FREEDOM
NEPAD should do more for press freedom on continent
Alerts from the Continent
AWARDS OPPORTUNITIES
Submissions wanted for Kurt Schork Awards in International Journalism Award
Call for entries: MISA John Manyarara Journalism Award
African photojournalists encouraged to submit photos for British award
FELLOWSHIPS
Female editors/producers invited to apply for Public Health Fellowships
African journalists encouraged to submit articles for Human Rights essay competition
TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
Zambia: Internship positions available at young womens magazine
Newsletter n° 4
01.03.05
THE BUSINESS OF NEWSPAPERS WAR & CONFLICT

WAR & CONFLICT: Keeping your head above water in Sierra Leone

In October 2003, the managing editor of the Standard Times in Sierra Leone, Ibrahim Karim Sei, told RAP 21 about his efforts to rebuild his newspaper 18 months after the end of Sierra Leones eleven year long civil war. Among the ambitious plans for the newspaper was a project to build a strong distribution network, efforts to attract advertisers and strategies to increase circulation. Eighteen months on, the managing editor speaks to RAP 21 about how these projects have advanced.

RAP 21: How has the situation of the newspaper changed since we last spoke in 2003?
Ibrahim Karim Sei: Quite frankly, the situation has not improved as much as expected. We are still trying to recover from the years of war. Unemployment remains very high and the economy is still very new. We were overly optimistic in 2003, we expected a quicker recovery, and we expected investors. Still today many people cant afford to buy a newspaper.

RAP 21: Do you still manage to publish daily?
Ibrahim Karim Sei: Yes, however the challenges of appearing on a regular basis remain the same we still suffer from paper shortages and power outages. We have managed to keeps our current readers and advertisers because we have maintained the quality of the newspaper.

RAP 21: What are the biggest challenges to newspapers today in Sierra Leone?
Ibrahim Karim Sei: The newspaper market in Sierra Leone is very competitive. Around a dozen newspapers compete for readers in Freetown, and circulation outside the city is very low. Radio stations dominate in rural areas.

RAP 21: In 2003 your average circulation was 2000 copies a day. Has this changed?
Ibrahim Karim Sei: This has stayed the same. We had estimated that in a years time we would be printing around 5,000 copies. This was not realistic. People are not able to buy newspapers from the high cost of living. From 2000 to 2002, we produced an international edition that was delivered to Banjul, the United States and England. The circulation was approximately 2,000. However, it became too difficult to collect the money so we had to stop the international edition.

RAP 21: In 2003, 90 per cent of The Standards revenue came from advertising. Has this changed?
Ibrahim Karim Sei: The figure remains the same. Occasionally we give out discounts to try to attract new advertisers, and we also do promotional spreads for new companies through writing in-depth stories to promote new commercial enterprises.

RAP 21: How have your earlier plans to establish a wider distribution network outside of the capital progressed?
Ibrahim Karim Sei: The poor state of the roads and the absence of any organised distribution system continue to be major factors working against expansion. Local rural communities feel closer to their community radio stations than newspapers. The radio stations tend to focus on local issues and are hosted by local personalities. They also broadcast in the local languages whereas all newspapers in Sierra Leone publish in English only. Illiteracy is also part of the problem.

RAP 21: Has the printing infrastructure improved since 2003?
Ibrahim Karim Sei: Generally conditions have improved. We now have two printing plants one that was set up two years ago by a Canadian NGO, and another one that was formally owned by a politician, but was recently bought by a journalist. Last year, the Canadian printing plant was handed over to a local board to run, of which I am a member. Currently there are 13 local members on the board, and we are trying to complete the number to 15. The printing plant now prints six newspapers most of them dailies.

RAP 21: Does the board have plans to develop the printing plant?
Ibrahim Karim Sei: The board is trying to acquire a lithographic machine including a Plate Maker. With this the press can do jobs for other local newspapers and commercial enterprises.

To read the first interview Ibrahim Karim Sei visit: http://www.rap21.org/article1787.html
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