ABSTRACT
The Congolese media have undergone significant changes in the last 15 years, especially the media based in Kinshasa: a 2008 survey (Frère and IMMAR 2009) showed that the Congolese capital counted no less than 125 registered publications, 41 radio stations and 51 TV stations. TV’s popularity is particularly noticeable: recent audience surveys1 indicate that TV has surpassed radio to become the most consumed medium in the Congolese capital and is especially popular with a female audience. The aim of this chapter is to underline how, beyond the regular newscasts of the main TV stations in Kinshasa, TV has become the vehicle for alternative forms of local information and other types of representation of citizens. Indeed, new kinds of popular programmes are now bypassing both regular TV newscasts in French or those in one of the four national languages. These broadcasts have proven to be highly popular, probably because the public, which is usually ignored in traditional TV broadcasts, can recognize itself in these new shows. Following a description of the main features of TV audiences in Kinshasa, a number of media initiatives will be presented which, though undeniably popular with the public, have been strongly criticized by professional journalists, academics and media regulatory or self-regulatory bodies.2
