Paper short abstract:

Media have had a central role in the ongoing violence in South Central Somalia. This paper explores how state and non-state actors have sought to use a variety of old and new communication technologies to consolidate power and promote competing political agendas.

Paper long abstract:

The absence of a functioning state in parts of Somalia has not prevented the diffusion of new communication technologies or traditional mass media such as radio. On the contrary, it can be argued that the absence of institutions controlling and regulating the communicative space has facilitated their spread. There is intense competition between telecom companies that provide mobile and internet services, offering some of the lowest rates on the continent. Dozens of radio stations broadcast across Somalia and there is a competitive newspaper industry in Somaliland.

This paper explores the role of media in Somalia and examines how media have been used in political conflict and violence. It also examines the ways in which media have been regulated in the absence of formal laws or in the situations characterized by the lack of ability to implement and enforce law which are common in South Central Somalia or in Somaliland where legal frameworks do exist. By considering how conflicts between media outlets and the state, or individuals, have been resolved outside of a formal court system, sometimes using customary law (xeer), insight into the relationship between media and public authorities is probed. The paper concludes by reflecting on conflict and post-conflict media policy making, and the relevance and potential impact of such efforts, by discussing current efforts by the government in South Central Somalia to implement media and telecommunications legislation.