AMI worried over surge in attacks against African journalists - ITREALMS:

ITREALMS:

The media fraternity across the continent, under the aegis of African Media Initiative (AMI) has expressed worries over the surge in attacks against African journalists, reports ITREALMS.

AMI, ITREALMS gathered, said it learnt with great concern the growing curtailment of media freedom in many African countries, including Cameroon, Sudan, Egypt and Tanzania.

Cameroon
In the last four weeks, eight journalists - Joseph Olinga, Michel BiemTong, Gustave Flaubert Kengne, Michel Kalabassou, Mimi Mefo, Josiane Kouagheu, Akumbom McCarthy, and Mathias Mouende have been intimidated, arrested, or tried before military courts across the country over allegations of ‘propagating false information’ or ‘undermining the safety of the State’ under the antiterror law.

Cameroon has seen, over the years, an accelerated shrinking of the democratic space where both journalists and citizens are having to compose with a difficult environment.

Egypt

In Egypt, a law enacted last month has been widely criticised as tantamount to extortion of media houses as it requires hefty registration amounts for licenses with websites being forced to pay more than $30,000 to register and up to five times that amount for non-compliance. The law is viewed as an attempt by the government to silence the remaining independent media.

Sudan

On 29 October, the Press Court in Khartoum sentenced Zine El Abeen Al-A'jab, a former editor of Al Mustagila newspaper to one and a half months in prison, or a fine of 5,000 pounds ($104) over “dissemination of false information” among other charges.

Overall, according to Amnesty International, at least 15 journalists have been arrested and detained between January and October 2018 by the government’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISS). In addition, the entire print run of 10 newspapers was confiscated on at least 27 occasions. Al Jareeda, one of the last independent newspapers, has been confiscated at least 13 times this year.

Tanzania

On 7 November, South African journalist Angela Quintal, Africa programme coordinator for press freedom group the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and her Kenyan colleague Muthoki Mumo were arrested from their hotel in Dar-es-Salaam and detained by authorities for 24 hours.

Rights groups and media advocates have recently expressed concerns about the freedom of expression in the country since election three years ago of Tanzania’s President, John Magufuli, whose regime has cracked down on independent media and close down critical newspapers.

Earlier in 2018, the government approved a new law regulating online content that gives them the right to revoke the permit if a website publishes content “that leads to public disorder” and “threatens national security”, according to media report.

It should be recalled that freedom of the press and right of people to information are enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa.

Governments in Africa have a duty to refrain from undue interference with the right to media freedom and must promote and protect citizens’ rights of access to information.

In view of the above, African Media Initiative (AMI) reiterated that intimidation of journalists, harassment, arbitrary detentions, closures, internet cuts, media closure, censorship, and trials of journalists before military courts over crimes allegedly committed while discharging their duties contravene international treaties and covenants protecting the freedom of the press and the public’s right of access to information.

Also, AMI called on African governments to create a conducive environment for a free exercise of the media profession  and demanded the immediate release of journalists arrested across the continent.

Nenye Dom/GEE

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AMI study says ‘Africans know little about their continent’ – ITREALMS Online

ITREALMS:

The latest report released at the weekend by the AfricanMedia Initiative (AMI) suggested that there is very little cross-border reporting by African media, resulting in limited knowledge of the continent by Africans, reports ITRealms.

The “Reporting Africa” study made available to ITRealms, points out that most of the news about Africa comes from sources external to the continent and that these ultimately determine what has been referred to as “the Africa narrative.”

The report underscored the fact that global media organizations constitute a powerful vehicle for not only shaping the global agenda but also for framing the lens through which Africa is perceived by Africans and the world.

Also, the research sought to figure out what currently prevails and if there are any compelling dialogues that are reported and can collectively define the Africa story. It was informed by empirical data gleaned from published reports from across the region and responses provided by editors to a range of questions from AMI.

“We wanted to figure out how Africa is covered by media on the continent and the factors that determine such coverage,” said AMI Chief Executive Officer Roukaya Kasenally in a pre-launch statement. “We were concerned,” she pointed out, “with questions about how media in Africa contribute to the creation of a common understanding of the continent’s realities beyond narratives based on preconceived ideas and stereotypes.”

The study sought to deepen overall understanding of the elements that drive media coverage within and beyond national borders, informs editorial choices, and shapes local and regional perceptions of the continent.

It brought out the fact that low investments in media and limited professional capacity in many countries had resulted in persistent dependence on foreign news sources, giving rise to a limited focus in African newspapers on stories that enrich the African agenda and emphasize shared experiences.

It emerged from the study that media leaders believe that readers and audiences prefer interesting stories which, in the African context, means, in the words of one of the respondents, “intriguing tales of failure and defeat against the forces of nature”.

“If we are going to reimagine Africa’s image and change the narrative,” concluded the reports co-author, Eric Chinje, “we would have to figure out innovative ways of significantly increasing investments in media and use technology to source content from counterpart media across borders in Africa. There must be a genuine home-grown effort to define and shape the narrative in ways that reflect the diversity of voices and images of a continent on the move.”

Wondering if current coverage of Africa is informed by 21st century realities or pre-conceived ideas from another era, co-author Wangethi Mwangi emphasized the need for more credible and contextualized reporting by both regional and global news correspondents. He noted that “continued reliance on foreign news agencies will ensure that the persistence of poor leadership in a handful of countries will continue to provide a rich pool from which to source negative reports that define the entire continent”.

African media is primarily national in outlook and focus, with rarely more than a page or two in national dailies devoted to news about other countries in the region.

An important gathering of heads of state and government took place during the period under study. None of the issues on the agenda of the meeting received continent-wide coverage or in any significant group of countries. Indeed, the media was not a reliable source of information or knowledge about the African Union – the pan-African institution that hosted the event.

Chuks Egbune/GEe

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Kasenally swaps position with Eric Chinje @AMI

ITREALMS:

Dr. Roukaya Kasenally has been named to replace current Chief Executive Officer of African MediaInitiative (AMI) Mr. Eric Chinje, effective January 1, 2018, reports  ITRealms.

The chairman of the Board of Directors of the African MediaInitiative (AMI), Mr. Wale Aboderin, made this disclosure on the reconstituted Board and the new management team of the continental media organization.

Aboderin in a letter to new and outgoing members of the Board, made available to  ITRealms, underscored the importance of taking those measures that will ensure that AMI continues its mission to support the emergence of a pro-development media in Africa. The new Board, he said, will work more closely with management to generate the resources needed to scale up current programs in line with the objectives of the organization.

The reconstituted Board comprises:  Mr. Wale Aboderin – Chairman, Ms. Eugenie Aw-Ndiaye – West Africa, Mr. Omar Ben Yedder – African Diaspora (Media) , Mr. Eric Chinje – Central Africa , African Diaspora – (Representative of Multilateral Institutions), Ms. Rebecca Enonchong – African Diaspora (Technology), Ms. Julie Gichuru – East Africa , Ms. Ipeleng Selele - Southern Africa , Pr. Laeed Zaghlami – North Africa, and Dr. Roukaya Kasenally -- (Ex Officio Member).

According to Aboderin, the appointment of Dr. Roukaya Kasenally to replace outgoing Chief Executive Officer, Eric Chinje, who has come to the end of his term. Dr. Kasenally will head a leadership team that would include two Senior Advisors: Mr. Wangethi Mwangi and Mr. Chinje (who, at the urging of the Board Chair, agreed to stay on and support the new CEO).

In an address to staff before leaving Nairobi, Mr. Chinje recognized the dedication of a team that had worked to keep the vision of AMI alive under very difficult circumstances. “You made enormous sacrifices to keep an African dream alive,” he said, “participating in a faith project that will someday make this continent proud.”

Dr. Kasenally, who currently lectures at the University of Mauritius along with her role as Senior Advisor for Media Development, had been with AMI since its incorporation in 2010. She takes the helm of the organization with effect from January 1, 2018.

Uj. N. Dominic/GEE

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Wale Aboderin takes over from Ncube @AMI as chair

ITRealms:

The Board of the African Media Initiative (AMI) has elected Mr. Wale Aboderin as the new Chair of the organization, at a session in Nairobi, Kenya, reports ITRealms.

Aboderin takes over from the maiden chair, Mr. Trevor Ncube, Executive Vice-chairman of South Africa’s Mail & Guardian, who has steered the organization since its inception in 2008.

Disclosing this, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the African Media Initiative, Mr. Eric Chinje, applauded Mr. Ncube, and his early co-Chair, Charlayne Hunter-Gault, for the valuable support and guidance of AMI during its formative years.

He also said that Mr. Aboderin, a Nigerian businessman is the Chairman of PUNCH, Nigeria’s leading newspaper group headquartered in Lagos; PUNCH publishes three print and two digital newspapers, and runs four major print presses across Nigeria.

Mr. Aboderin trained as a commercial pilot at the Burnside-Ott Flying School, Florida, United States. He was appointed chairman of the company’s board of directors in 2012. His tenure has witnessed groundbreaking changes in the editorial quality, management and fortunes of PUNCH, including a hugely successful redesign, the launch of several digital initiatives and the newspaper’s win of several local and international awards.

A popular sports enthusiast in Nigeria, Mr. Aboderin is the founder and owner of Dolphins Basketball Club, a leading African female basketball club, with local and continental honours. He is a former chairman of the Lagos State Basketball Association and a former member of the Nigerian Handball Federation.

“I thankfully accept this role and I believe AMI should help African media bridge the communication gap between policymakers and the citizens to allow for a two-way feedback engagement,” Mr Aboderin said. “During my tenure I will champion the AMI cause everywhere and ensure that Africans stop being suspicious about homegrown initiatives and support this organization.”

Further, Chinje said, with over two decades of direct involvement in media, Mr Wale brings a wealth of experience to the organization. Stressing he would surely help AMI refocus its work around the four major pillars of activity around which a new strategy is being developed, namely “strengthening media capacity (thematic specialization); content development and promotion; research; and performance incentives for media professionals.”

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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