Polarization, Media Professionalism, and Support for Press Freedoms in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Report on Early Results

Abstract

This article reports on early results of a research project examining popular support for media freedoms in sub-Saharan Africa. Using data from the Afrobarometer surveys, as well as other sources, we specifically examine cross-national variation in support for media freedoms, seeking to account for the national-level factors that affect that variation. Our findings suggest the importance of two factors in particular. The first is the level of polarization in society. Using a novel measure of this factor, we find that higher levels of polarization are associated with lower levels of support for media freedoms. The second factor is the level of professionalism characterizing the media sector. We find that lower levels of media professionalism drive down support for media freedoms. Further research will explore these through the use of multilevel analysis that incorporates investigation of individual-level factors shaping support for media freedoms.