How Not to Write About Africa
http://thekojonnamdishow.org/shows/2012-05-15/how-not-write-about-africa
By most accounts, the American media don't do a very good job covering Africa. Headlines tend to be dominated by violence and political intrigue. The few American journalists reporting on the continent have massive beats, spanning dozens of countries and thousands of miles. But coverage is also influenced by subtler, more insidious factors. We explore how development organizations, local "fixers," and the economics of newsgathering skewer our understanding of the continent.
Guests
Laura Seay
Assistant Professor, Political Science, Morehouse College (Atlanta, Ga.)
Akwe Amosu
Director of Africa Advocacy, Open Society Foundations; former Executive Director, AllAfrica.com
Hamadou Tidiane SY
Founder and CEO, Ouestaf.com
Comments
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One problem with African coverage is the same problem with your frame: Binaries. "Either/or" questions are not likely to produce truth; they're likely to reproduce stereotypes. It's a shame to see this conversation start off that way.
I'm biased here: I'm an American reporter who covers Africa for mainstream American media. In a conversation framed as a critique of American coverage of the continent, I wish you had an American reporter on your panel, or someone filing for an American outlet, who could speak first-hand to the challenges -- and to how we deal with the many issues that you've raised. Many of us are, in fact, aware of them.
Also, I think it's important to acknowledge that there are people doing good work. There are countless local journalists who help those of us devoted to better understanding the places we cover. There are also some international journalists who don't fit the image of clueless stereotypers shared here. You might start with
Lydia Polgreen, NYT in JoBurg
Katrina Mason, Financial Times in Nairobi
Geoffrey York, Toronto Globe and Mail in JoBurg
Gwen Thompkins, NPR, Nairobi
Also, the Christian Science Monitor about two years ago started an Africa Monitor blog, which among other things is a demonstration of how important covering the continent, on a daily basis, is to a national news outlet. Other examples of similar projects include the Wall Street Journal's decision two years ago to launch an Africa page, which increased its coverage of the continent. There are, of course others.