The Economist and CNN feature MDLF clients

Indonesia's KBR68H and Trevor Ncube's Alpha Media in Zimbabwe appear in a recent edition of The Economist, while CNN has broadcast a 30-minute interview with Trevor.

Under the heading "Free to air - From dissident outcast to mainstream media", radio news agency KBR68H is profiled in a special section of The Economist on Indonesia.

The article outlines the appearance of KBR68H after the fall of the Suharto regime and, in an interview with founder and director Santoso (see photo), looks at how it has grown into a network of 650 stations. As the article notes, "One of the greatest victories of the reformasi movement of 1998 has been the freedom of the press".

In another article - "Alternative voices longing to be heard - Independent newspapers are poised to come back" - The Economist takes a look at plans by several independent publishers, including Trevor Ncube's Alpha Media Holdings, to launch dailies in Zimbabwe. For several years there has been no independent daily newspaper in the country, with only the state-owned Herald published every day. But a relaxation in  control has led several publishers to consider launching a daily newspaper, including Trevor Ncube, the Zimbabwean CEO of South Africa's Mail & Guardian.

Trevor also featured in a 30-minute interview on CNN International's African Voices to talk about his work, Zimbabwe and the new daily, NewsDay.