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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KINSHASA 000142 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR ECA/PE/V/G/R/A EBUTLER/SKNOTT; AF/PD PERHNMAN, AJOHNSON 
 
E.O. 12358:N/A 
TAGS: OEXC SCUL CG XA KPAO
SUBJECT: Nomination for FY06 Edward R. Murrow Program for 
Journalists, April 3-21, 2006 
 
REF: 05 STATE 224190 
 
START 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: MetaAK@state.gov 
TRANSMITTING-POST: PAS Kinshasa 
TRANSMITTING-POST-ID: 4307 
EXPORT-TYPE: BIO DATA 
START NOMINATION: 
ECA-OFFICE: E/VGA 
PROG-AGENCY-NAME: Meridian International Center 
POST-PROJ-ID: 59 
ECA-PROJ-NO: 
PROJ-NAME: Edward R. Murrow Program for Journalists 
START MEMO PROJ-DESC: 
Young media professionals will attend briefings on the U.S. 
political system and foreign policy formation in Washington, study 
for five days at an American school of journalism, visit a state 
capital to understand media coverage of state politics and 
government, see civic life in small-town America, and return to 
Washington to participate in an international symposium. 
END MEMO PROJ-DESC: 
PROJ-TYPE: Regional 
PROG-TYPE: IV Grant Visitor 
FY: 2006 
DEPART-POST: 03/31/2006 
SESSION-DATE: 04/03/2006 
RETURN-POST: 04/22/2006 
NO-OF-PART: 1 
RANK-ORDER: 1 
ECA-OFFICE-ID: 1035 
PROG-AGENCY-ID: 1287 
PROJ-TYPE-ID: RP 
PROG-TYPE-ID: 29 
NOMINATING-POST-ID: 4307 
FUNDING-CNTRY-ID: 
STATUS: N 
ORIGINATOR: P 
SUBJ-DISC: Communications & Information 
START BIO: 
PREFIX: Mr. 
F-NAME: Franklin 
M-NAME: 
L-NAME: Moliba-Sese 
SUFFIX: 
POSITION-CODE: 610 
PRINCIPAL? Yes 
GENDER: M 
DOB: 10/26/1978 
MAR-STAT: S 
BIRTH-CITY: Gbadolite 
BIRTH-CNTRY: Democratic Republic of Congo 
CITIZ-CNTRY: Democratic Republic of Congo 
RES-CNTRY: Democratic Republic of Congo 
START MEMO POSITION: 
Political Sub-Editor - "Radio Okapi" 
END MEMO POSITION: 
START MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS: 
Program Host 
END MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS: 
START MEMO PREV-POSITIONS: 
2002:  Reporter analyst, "Radio Okapi" 
2002: Reporter correspondent, "Radio Okapi" 
1999-2000: Newscaster, "Radio Liberte" 
END MEMO PREV-POSITIONS: 
START MEMO US-TRAVEL: 
None. 
END MEMO US-TRAVEL: 
START MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL: 
1998: Central African Republic 
END MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL: 
START MEMO EDUCATION: 
1999: One year training in journalism, Gbadolite, Province of 
Equateur, Democratic Republic of the Congo 
1998: High School diploma in Literature (Latin-Philo), "Institut 
of Gbadolite," Province of Equateur, Democratic Republic of the 
Congo 
END MEMO EDUCATION: 
START MEMO MEMBERSHIPS: 
2004-2006: Vice-President, MONUC Labor Union 
END MEMO MEMBERSHIPS: 
START MEMO PUBLICATIONS: 
None 
END MEMO PUBLICATIONS: 
START MEMO SPEC-CONSID: 
None 
END MEMO SPEC-CONSID: 
FIRST-LANG: Other 
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 MEMO NOM-POST-OBJ: 
Post Objective: We hope our proven, young journalist, and others 
to follow him, will help chart the future of radio journalism in 
the DR Congo, using what they will have learned in the U.S. about 
sound journalistic practices, and public and private radio 
operations.  We believe that radio, which reaches more people in 
this vast country than any other media, will play the largest role 
in the spread of civic education and democratic culture. For more 
than 40 years, the DR Congo has failed as a democracy.  Helping 
the Congolese attain their democratic aspirations - after the 
world's most costly conflict (in lives lost) since the Second 
World War - is our Mission's number one goal.  Radio's impact, for 
good or ill, is already considerable.  We are intent on ensuring 
that responsible journalism prevails. 
END MEMO NOM-POST-OBJ: 
START MEMO NOM-POST-RCMD: 
Post Recommendation: It is important that our young nominee, 
Franklin Moliba-Sese, take stock of the role of the media in a 
democracy, and particularly that of public radio, which is his 
medium.  In particular, National Public Radio (NPR) and various 
associated institutions and foundations (e.g., PRI) could well 
provide a model for the pending metamorphosis of the national 
radio where he works.  A look at local and regional pubic radio 
stations could be most instructive.  In addition to the structure 
of radio in the U.S., Mr. Moliba-Sese should be given ample 
opportunity to see how American radio journalists and editors put 
stories together for broadcast, with emphasis placed on current 
affairs.  We would also recommend that he visit VOA and IIP to see 
what resources are available to African radio stations. 
END MEMO NOM-POST-RCMD: 
START MEMO VIS-OBJ: 
Franklin Moliba-Sese wants to improve his skills as a journalist 
and editor, and he wants to know more about the organization of 
the media, particularly radio, in the West. 
END MEMO VIS-OBJ: 
START MEMO VIS-REC: 
END MEMO VIS-REC: 
NOMINATING-OFFICER: DCM and PAO 
START MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION: 
Radio Okapi has offered us, we think, their most promising 
candidate.  Franklin Moliba-Sese edits and hosts the most listened- 
to daily talk show, called "Dialogue Entre Congolais."  In fact, 
it is the only such program heard nationwide in the DR Congo. With 
other Radio Okapi editors, Franklin determines the daily topic. 
Then Franklin assigns several "framing" reports from field 
reporters for the show, lines up adversarial guests, and goes live 
on the air for 45 minutes of prime time, guiding the discussion 
and fielding SMS comments from listeners.  Franklin's recent 
subjects have included the parliamentary debate over open-versus- 
closed lists of candidates for the DRC's first democratic 
elections in 40 years, mineral rights, and an assessment on the 
fifth anniversary of Joseph Kabila's presidency.  Franklin also 
used his show to host nightly debates prior to last month's 
constitutional referendum.  His guests are usually government 
ministers, MPs, party spokesmen, academics, and international 
journalists and development experts.  At 27 years of age, and 
never having traveled outside of the Central African region, 
Franklin controls the microphone.  His talent and promise are 
evident.  The managers of Radio Okapi, the UN-sponsored radio 
station in the DRC, and we think that Franklin Moliba-Sese will 
play a key role in determining the future of Radio Okapi, the most 
respected news source in the DR Congo, once the UN mandate ends 
here.  The timing for his international exposure is now, and we 
will be fortunate to be the first country to host him as a 
professional. 
END MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION: 
NOM-OFF: DCM and PAO 
SPEAKER? Yes 
NOTIFY-EMB: No 
MEDIA? Yes 
HOME-STAY: No 
HOME-HOSP? Yes 
E-I-TYPE: INTERPRETER 
NOMINEE-ID: 122 
PERSON-ID: 124 
BIRTH-CNTRY-ID: CG 
CITIZ-CNTRY-ID: CG 
RES-CNTRY-ID: CG 
FIRST-LANG-ID: YZ 
E-I-TYPE-ID: I 
NOM-POST-ID: 4307 
NOM-FUNDING-CNTRY-ID: 0 
NOM-STATUS: N 
DS2019-ACTION: 1 
DS2019-SUBJECT: 09.0401 
SPONS-FUNDS: USD 9,188.00 
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: 
END NOMINATION: 
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