Title: Africa Policy Research Series: Ghana Development Policymakers Report
Author: Hannah Bowen
Pages: 53 pp.
Source: InterMedia AudienceScapes
Publisher: InterMedia Survey Institute
Date (published): 26/02/2010
Date (accessed): 13/03/2010
Type of information: research report
Language: English
On-line access: yes (pdf - 1,9 MB)
Abstract:
This report on Ghana draws lessons from the experiences of policy actors to determine how information on key development issues is flowing to those who need it, and to suggest ways to improve this flow, with a particular focus on how international development organizations can help.
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The interviews, conducted in July-September 2009, lasted roughly one hour each and focused on three broad themes:
Most important and influential information sources - where policy actors typically go for news and information about key development issues; in what forms they prefer to get information; and how they see news/information-gathering habits fitting into the policy cycle.
Personal assessment of policy-relevant information sources - their level of satisfaction with the availability and quality of information; recommendations for improvements; assessment of media coverage of key issues; and assessment of information exchanges with development stakeholders (local NGOs, business groups, foreign groups, etc.)
News and information sharing - how and why the policy actors share information with various parties, particularly the general public; assessment of the public’s capacity to dialogue on key issues; assessment of the impact of new technologies on information sharing; and feedback loops with the public.
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Structure of This Report
The Report Summary is a quick overview of the main points; Chapter 1 provides context with a brief description of Ghana’s prevailing environments in politics, development policy, media and ICTs.
Chapter 2 is a detailed analysis of the interviews, divided into four parts: media sources; institutional and personal sources; dissemination and feedback; and structural challenges.
Chapter 3 distills this analysis into a list of key recommendations for the international development community on: A. how to contribute more effectively to the Ghanaian policy debate; and B: how to improve the policy making environment by providing Ghana’s policymakers with technical and related assistance.