Conclusion

Abstract

Abstract Chapter 6 summarizes our previous discussions of press freedom landscapes in Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya, showing how a nation’s political and cultural intricacies complicate traditional media systems frameworks and notions of press freedom. Media ecosystems are not one-size-fits-all; thus, theories must account for forward progress and democracy-building, but also transitions and backsliding. The field needs to revisit the applicability of existing frameworks, and in doing so, consider an additional set of factors to add nuance to understandings of media systems from a more historically and contextually informed view: distance from conflict, political benchmarks, international linkages, and the strength of a country’s civil society. These factors build on existing models and have been shown to influence media systems in East Africa; other characteristics surely impact these and other media systems; thus, considering each country’s individual context when evaluating press freedom and media systems is crucial.