CONGO/B: FY'06 AFRP: "Investigative Journalism,"

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 KINSHASA 000894

SIPDIS

FOR ECA/PE/V/G/R/A EBUTLER/DWOODS; AF/PD PERHNMAN
FROM BRAZZAVILLE EMBASSY OFFICE

E.O. 12358:N/A
TAGS: OEXC SCUL KPAO
SUBJECT: CONGO/B: FY'06 AFRP: "Investigative Journalism,"
February 6-24, 2006

REF: A) STATE 071825, B) 14001

TART FIXED-FORMAT TEXT (PLEASE DO NOT EDIT):
: The following data is in a fixed format which enables
: automated processing in Washington and should not be
: edited except by means of the Post-EVDB software.
EXPORT-SOURCE: POST-EVDB
VERSION: 3.0.7
POST-EMAIL: indykegw@hotmail.com
TRANSMITTING-POST: PAS Brazzaville
TRANSMITTING-POST-ID: 19485
EXPORT-TYPE: BIO DATA
START NOMINATION:
ECA-OFFICE: E/VGA
PROG-AGENCY-NAME:
POST-PROJ-ID: 8
ECA-PROJ-NO: E/VGA-2006-0004
PROJ-NAME: Investigative Journalism
START MEMO PROJ-DESC:
This multi-regional project, designed for working
journalists, reporters and editors reprint, TV, and radio,
online journalists, and professors of journalism, will
examine the role of responsible investigative journalism in
U.S democracy and its role to inform the public on public
policy issues that affect government, local communities,
business, the environment, and society; Participants will
learn about the values and ethics that underlie
investigative journalism and will examine the effects of
investigative journalism on U.S history, as well on current
politics and society.
END MEMO PROJ-DESC:
PROJ-TYPE: Multi-Regional
PROG-TYPE: IV Grant Visitor
FY: 2006
DEPART-POST: 3/13/2006
SESSION-DATE: 3/16/2006
RETURN-POST: 4/7/2006
NO-OF-PART: 2
RANK-ORDER: 1
START MEMO POST-OBJ:
This program fits well with two of post's prime MPP goals -
promotion of democracy and human rights through transparency
and public knowledge of government and improving
professionalism of the media. As a post-conflict emerging
democracy, Republic of Congo stands to benefit from news
organizations that probe, question and investigate
government and society. Good investigative journalism would
stimulate public debate and has potential to improve
government responsiveness to constituents' priorities and
concerns.
Post's IVLP selection committee unanimously considered this
the first program choice.

END MEMO POST-OBJ:
START MEMO POST-RCMD:
Since the prime broadcast media are government entities, it
would be good to observe how U.S. publicly funded media such
as NPR or PBS handle controversial events and conduct
investigative journalism. A session on development of story
ideas also would be very useful. Examination of journalism
ethics and values would provide good background.
Information on international activist journalism
organizations such as Journalists Without Borders also would
provide a stimulus to ideas on the importance of defending
journalist and press rights.
END MEMO POST-RCMD:
ECA-OFFICE-ID: 1035
PROG-AGENCY-ID:
PROJ-TYPE-ID: MRP
PROG-TYPE-ID: 29
NOMINATING-POST-ID: 19485
FUNDING-CNTRY-ID: 19485
STATUS: N
ORIGINATOR: P
SUBJ-DISC: Broadcast Journalism
START BIO:
PREFIX: Mr.
F-NAME: Christian
M-NAME: Martial
L-NAME: Poos
SUFFIX:
POSITION-CODE: 622
PRINCIPAL?: Yes
M-ADDR1: 131 rue Massoukou, Moungali
M-ADDR2:
M-ADDR3:
M-CITY: Brazzaville
M-STATE:
M-CNTRY: Congo
M-ZONE:
M-ZIP:
M-PHONE: (242) 663-6010
M-FAX:
M-EMAIL:
M-CNTRY-ID: CF
M-ADDRTYPE: H
GENDER: M
DOB: 04/01/1970
MAR-STAT: S
BIRTH-CITY: Brazzaville
BIRTH-CNTRY: Congo
CITIZ-CNTRY: Congo
RES-CNTRY: Congo
START MEMO POSITION:
Congolese National Television
END MEMO POSITION:
START MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS:
Investigative Journalist at National Congolese Television
END MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS:
START MEMO PREV-POSITIONS:
1999: Print Journalist at "Hebdo" (Reporter without borders)
2000: Print Journalist at "L'Univers" Head of Society
section
2001: Journalist at Observateur newspaper
2001-present Journalist at Tele-Congo
END MEMO PREV-POSITIONS:
START MEMO US-TRAVEL:
N/A
END MEMO US-TRAVEL:
START MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL:
N/A
END MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL:
START MEMO EDUCATION:
1996-1997: General Certificate of Education: Marien Ngouabi
University
1998-1999: Bachelor Degree in Mass communication: Marien
Ngouabi University
END MEMO EDUCATION:
START MEMO MEMBERSHIPS:
N/A
END MEMO MEMBERSHIPS:
START MEMO PUBLICATIONS:
N/A
END MEMO PUBLICATIONS:
START MEMO SPEC-CONSID:

END MEMO SPEC-CONSID:
FIRST-LANG: French
ENGL-READ: 2
ENGL-SPEAK: 2
ENGL-COMP: 2
START OTHER-LANGS:
OTHER-LANG: French
OTHER-LANG-ID: FR
READ: 5
SPEAK: 5
COMP: 5
END OTHER-LANGS:
START OTHER-LANGS:
OTHER-LANG: Portuguese
OTHER-LANG-ID: PY
READ: 4
SPEAK: 4
COMP: 4
END OTHER-LANGS:
START OTHER-LANGS:
OTHER-LANG: Spanish
OTHER-LANG-ID: QB
READ: 3
SPEAK: 3
COMP: 3
END OTHER-LANGS:
START MEMO NOM-POST-OBJ:
Reporting on Tele-Congo tends to be bland and formulaic,
covering the surfact of events with little analysis. The
Investigative Journalism program would have the effect of
injecting the stimulus of ideas that could open Congo's TV
to the prospect of journalism as a public service and/or an
opening voice for discussion. This coincides with post's
MPP goal of encouraging openness and transparency in
government and free speech as an element of democracy.
END MEMO NOM-POST-OBJ:

START MEMO NOM-POST-RCMD:
The best exposure Mr. Poos could get would be PBS and/or
NPR, the U.S. public media. Seeing how these media treat
public affairs in a way that often challenges official
positions would be a stimulus to new thinking and ideas.
END MEMO NOM-POST-RCMD:
START MEMO VIS-OBJ:
I would like to take part in that seminar to enhance my
journalism skills. Seminars and trainings are seldom in the
public TV station in which I work though it is the only
public station covering big events. This seminar will help
me better understand my role and duties at the eve of
partial elections in one of my country's department still
facing a period of unrest.
END MEMO VIS-OBJ:

START MEMO VIS-REC:
I would like to meet American journalists to benefit from
their experience in the field.
END MEMO VIS-REC:
NOMINATING-OFFICER: Ambassador Robin Sanders
START MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION:
Mr. Poos is the primary cultural affairs reporter for Tele-
Congo, the national TV station owned by the government of
Congo. He has reported on Embassy events, and he has
interviewed Embassy officials and visitors. In particular,
he interviewed the Ambassador and DCM following the 2004
U.S. elections about the U.S. political and electoral
system. He has been approved by the post's nominating
committee.
END MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION:
NOM-OFF: Executive
SPEAKER? No
NOTIFY-EMB: No
MEDIA? No
HOME-STAY: No
HOME-HOSP? No
E-I-TYPE: NONE
NOMINEE-ID: 17
PERSON-ID: 22
BIRTH-CNTRY-ID: CF
CITIZ-CNTRY-ID: CF
RES-CNTRY-ID: CF
FIRST-LANG-ID: FR
E-I-TYPE-ID: N
NOM-POST-ID: 19485
NOM-FUNDING-CNTRY-ID: 19485
NOM-STATUS: N
DS2019-ACTION: 1
DS2019-SUBJECT: 09.0401
SPONS-FUNDS: 0
SPONS-AGENCY1:
USGOVT-AGENCY1:
US-AGENCY-AMT1: 0
USGOVT-AGENCY2:
US-AGENCY-AMT2: 0
INTL-ORG1:
INTL-ORG-AMOUNT1: 0
INTL-ORG2:
INTL-ORG-AMOUNT2: 0
VIS-GOVT-AMT: 0
COMMISSION: 0
OTHER-AMOUNT: 0
VIS-AMOUNT: 0
VIS-CAT: 5
END BIO:
START BIO:
PREFIX: Mr.
F-NAME: Mouko
M-NAME: Zinika
L-NAME: William
SUFFIX:
POSITION-CODE: 622
PRINCIPAL? : Yes
M-ADDR1: 1751, rue bangou Batignoles
M-ADDR2: Moungali
M-ADDR3:
M-CITY: Brazzaville
M-STATE:
M-CNTRY: Congo
M-ZONE:
M-ZIP:
M-PHONE: (00242) 6675043
M-FAX:
M-EMAIL: moukoss@yahoo.fr
M-CNTRY-ID: CF
M-ADDRTYPE: H
GENDER: M
DOB: 04/12/1971
MAR-STAT: S
BIRTH-CITY: Dongou
BIRTH-CNTRY: Congo
CITIZ-CNTRY: Congo
RES-CNTRY: Congo
START MEMO POSITION:
Digital Radio Television (DRTV)
END MEMO POSITION:
START MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS:
2003-present: Journalist at DRTV
END MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS:
START MEMO PREV-POSITIONS:
1999-2001: Commercial Agent
2004 Fev-Dec: Public Relations Assistant at Micro-finance
organization
END MEMO PREV-POSITIONS:
START MEMO US-TRAVEL:
N/A
END MEMO US-TRAVEL:
START MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL:
N/A
END MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL:
START MEMO EDUCATION:
1992: General Certificate of Education (Arts)
1996: Bachelor's degree in Philosophy

END MEMO EDUCATION:
START MEMO MEMBERSHIPS:
N/A
END MEMO MEMBERSHIPS:
START MEMO PUBLICATIONS:
N/A
END MEMO PUBLICATIONS:
START MEMO SPEC-CONSID:

END MEMO SPEC-CONSID:
FIRST-LANG: French
ENGL-READ: 4
ENGL-SPEAK: 4
ENGL-COMP: 4
START OTHER-LANGS:
OTHER-LANG: English
OTHER-LANG-ID: EN
READ: 1
SPEAK: 1
COMP: 1
END OTHER-LANGS:


START MEMO NOM-POST-OBJ:
Post wishes to stimulate the local media to engage in more
active and challenging reporting that is based on facts and
studies, rather than the sort of infotainment and reliance
on public statements that is done now. Mr. Mouko is capable
of such journalism, as he has shown an interest in posing
challenging questions to foreign interviewees. Using
investigative reporting techniques to address domestic
issues would go a long way toward achieving the
democratization and transparency objectives in post's MPP.
END MEMO NOM-POST-OBJ:

START MEMO NOM-POST-RCMD:
Mr. Mouko could benefit most from exposure to the best U.S.
broadcast investigative journalism. Subjects should include
developing story ideas, researching story ideas and doing
background research. Special emphasis on public interest
reporting and investigative reporting on government affairs
also would be beneficial.
END MEMO NOM-POST-RCMD:
START MEMO VIS-OBJ:
I would like to be exposed to American journalism norms and
apply them in my daily duties once back home. I think that
will be very helpful to my country and to the Congolese
first private TV station where I work.
END MEMO VIS-OBJ:

START MEMO VIS-REC:
I wish I shared my Congolese experience with talented
American journalists in the framework skills improvement.
END MEMO VIS-REC:
NOMINATING-OFFICER: George Indyke
START MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION:
Mr. Mouko is a news reader and interviewer for DRTV, a
privately-owned TV station in Brazzaville. He covers
embassy events and has interviewed U.S. embassy visitors and
officials about U.S. cultural and social issues. He has
been approved by post's nominating committee.
END MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION:
NOM-OFF: Executive
SPEAKER: Yes
NOTIFY-EMB: Yes
MEDIA: Yes
HOME-STAY: No
HOME-HOSP?: Yes
E-I-TYPE: NONE
NOMINEE-ID: 18
PERSON-ID: 23
BIRTH-CNTRY-ID: CF
CITIZ-CNTRY-ID: CF
RES-CNTRY-ID: CF
FIRST-LANG-ID: FR
E-I-TYPE-ID: N
NOM-POST-ID: 19485
NOM-FUNDING-CNTRY-ID: 19485
NOM-STATUS: N
DS2019-ACTION: 1
DS2019-SUBJECT: 09.0401
SPONS-FUNDS: 0
SPONS-AGENCY1:
USGOVT-AGENCY1:
US-AGENCY-AMT1: 0
USGOVT-AGENCY2:
US-AGENCY-AMT2: 0
INTL-ORG1:
INTL-ORG-AMOUNT1: 0
INTL-ORG2:
INTL-ORG-AMOUNT2: 0
VIS-GOVT-AMT: 0
COMMISSION: 0
OTHER-AMOUNT: 0
VIS-AMOUNT: 0
VIS-CAT:
END BIO:
END NOMINATION:
END FIXED-FORMAT TEXT:

BRAZZAVILLE EMBASSY OFFICE - INDYKE
MEECE