Angola Civil War

The multi-year Angola media initiative was carried out with support from USAID and the U.S. Department of State. In a country torn apart by three-decades of civil war, the Angola initiative sought to deploy the media as a force for constructive dialog and national reconciliation. The first event of the initiative was a national conference of print, TV and radio journalists that was followed by smaller media training workshops that engaged Angolan journalists to play a constructive role in the country’s critical war to peace transition. The initiative also launched a daily Portuguese-language news and information radio program produced by and for Angolans, Linha Directa, Linha Aberta

Research indicated that nearly 70% of all adult Angolans in provincial towns regularly listened to Linha Directa.

The Angolan journalists at the heart of the Linha Directa program received training in Conflict Resolution principles. Linha Directa became a lifeline of reliable and constructive news and information in the country’s difficult transition to peace and now in the country’s democratic transition. The Angolan journalists have subsequently formed their own company, Multipress, dedicated to the highest standards of journalism in the rebuilding of Angolan society.

The Multipress team.