Radio Tele Bilingue, Voice of Transformation

Kaza, Director of RTB

“We are trying to change the manner of broadcasting,” explains Kaza, Director of Radio TeleBilingue (RTB), CI-UCBC’s radio station. Kaza speaks with confidence and conviction. “You know, if someone is speaking about political matters, he must have the right voice. And if he is talking about social matters, it takes a different voice.” But the change Kaza references goes beyond a broadcaster’s voice to the way that RTB does business. Corruption victimizes the media in DRC, as it does many other services and institutions. 

“There are two ways that corruption is possible in the media: coupage and facture,” explains Musafiri, Chief of Programming. “But you won’t find coupage in a French-English dictionary. It is a Congolese word from coupe (the French to cut).” Coupage occurs when, after an interview, the reporter tells the subject, “We will print this story if you can pay us,” in essence holding the story hostage.

Reporters  rely on facture (from the French for receipt) to pay their wages or the costs of the news agency. The reporter might request money to cover transportation costs. The subject of the news story or interview might offer to buy fuel for the generator as guarantee that the story will be positive. “There are cases where someone may be known to have taken money. And the reporter knows that. But the person will pay facture so that it is not reported. So it is as if someone has their hand on the news and controls what they say.”

Musafiri checks the program

“We do not do that. It is hard thing to teach our students. But they learn and know that.” The result? RTB has a reputation as a different kind of radio station. “People are afraid of UCBC. They have a conflict of conscience.”

RTB’s tagline says it all: “Voice of Transformation.”  RTB boasts a multi-layered mission that includes educating and developing people. Programming includes such things as Découverte Scientifique, a sort of “science in the news” program; English instruction; and De Venir Leader, a program on leadership development. The radio’s mission is also to train communications students, giving them hands-on experience in all aspects of radio broadcasting to “match theory and practice,” as Musafiri explains. RTB fulfills its mission to proclaim the Gospel and serve as a voice for hope in Christ through such programs as Prions Ensemble, a twice-daily, call-in prayer time; and Kuma Tumayini (There is Hope), a Swahili-language, Bible session.

Hulda, Swahili Program Coordinator
with student volunteers

Phone calls and messages from listeners confirm that RTB’s voice carries beyond the 90km radius initially estimated. Listeners from as far away as Lake Albert (255 km to the east), Mambasa (100-120 km to the northwest), and Kikyio, near Butembo (60 km to the south) call to thank the station for its broadcasts. One community 100 km to the east called specifically to request that Pastor David, the one who leads the daily prayer call-in program, Prions Ensemble, come to their village and meet and pray with them.

Collaboration, commitment, and conviction fuel the work. CI friends from the U.S., Doug Jones (radio broadcasting expert and teacher) and Randy Johnson (educator), played significant roles as trainers and financial supporters in the early days of RTB. Funding from Eastern Congo Initiative (ECI) provided for equipment and early training.  Four paid staff (each of whom serves in other capacities at UCBC) and ten communications students who  each volunteer approximately 10 hours per week, keep the radio station alive from 6am to 10pm, Sunday to Sunday. Weekly RTB meetings with the student volunteers focus on program evaluation, as RTB staff insist on cultivating not only an ethical organization, but a professional and high quality one. In order to begin broadcasting on time, volunteer student staff often sleep on campus, rather than at home, so they can open up and begin the day’s programming. Yesterday, Kaza left his home at 5am in order to “open up shop,” and had expected to remain on campus and “on duty” the entire day, until the day’s scheduled concluded at 10pm. RTB is a radio station that is both voice and example of transformation.

Students at work

In spite of the collaboration, commitment, and conviction, RTB has its needs. Staff would like to pay stipend or provide tuition assistance to student volunteers. There is need for additional full-time journalists. Reporters have to organize their own transportation to town (7 km from campus). Communication between town and the station depends on whether reporters have enough airtime or minutes on their own cell phones. Staff struggle to develop a transparent business model that can stand above any potential accusation of facture or coupage. 

Then Musafiri points out, “We don’t know how, but there is always fuel for the generator.”