In today’s interconnected world and in the era where the advancements and the progresses of the digital systems have continued transforming our world in a number of ways, including the rapid spread of information through social networks and other online platforms, combating the trend of spreading misinformation and unbiased information is becoming more challenging than before.
Particularly, in times where the reality on the ground is disguised and misleading and biased information are widely spreading at alarming rate, disclosing the reality on the ground and portraying the true image of a certain country is becoming a more demanding and trying task than before.
Needless to say that Africa is a continent that is portrayed by many of the global media houses in a negative way. The continent is expressed as it is a backward, poor and starving country with a broken social, economic and political systems and center of conflicts and widespread corruption.
Though not all, most of the stories produced about Africa, give emphasis on negative stories or deliberately crafted to disseminate wrong and possibly destructive information on the continent, and attempt to magnify the negative aspects instead of focusing on its development progress and remarkable achievements.
In truth, to curb such trends and promote the reputation of the continent globally, as well as create a more accurate representation of Africa’s progress and challenges thereby shaping the African story, producing media professionals that can portray the truth of Africa, and promote its success stories is of greater importance.
In this regard, the role of African journalists in reporting the truth of Africa and building the continent’s image to the outside world and disproving the biased and unsubstantiated narratives of some global media is immense.
With this same intention, the African Union (AU) is also undertaking various activities by creating a transformative platform.
Mainly by launching the African Union (AU) Media Fellowship Program in 2022 with the aim to empower African media professionals, journalists and content creators to promote development-focused stories using emerging technologies through opening opportunity for cross-border collaboration in reporting, it is working to change to ensure that Africa is at the forefront of defining and telling its own narrative to African and global audiences use emerging digital technologies
According to AU’s webpage, the AU Media Fellowship Program was launched with the aim of providing African storytellers and journalists a platform to utilize media to inform, educate and empower citizens; bridge knowledge gaps, and drive Africa’s development narrative in alignment with the aspirations and goals of the continent’s development framework of Agenda 2063.
Recently, journalists who took part at the 37 Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) held here in Addis Ababa underscored the role African journalists can play in changing the wrong story telling trend of international media against Africa and promote the positive negative images about Africa.
In an exclusive interview with ENA, some African Journalists coming from different countries to attend the recently held Summit of the AU in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, have underscored that in order to change the wrong narrative about Africa, there is a need to take into account the reality of the continent.
Botswana Guardian Journalist Keletso Thobega said that it is still witnessed presenting Africa in a wrong narrative in most coverage as it is a continent of “darkness and no hope.”
As a result, the erroneous narratives have presented as if the continent’s story is interrelated with crisis, war, instability, poverty, highly dependent on rich countries, aid and hunger, and instability.
Contrary to these misleading narratives, a number of encouraging successes and tangible changes have been registered in the continent. Just to mention but a few, promising economic growth, innovation, solving problems by own capacity, as well as enhancing cooperation and intercontinental connectivity and the like are witnessed, she pointed out.
According to her, this is an era of technology where various information dissemination methods are expanded which in turn allows African journalists to show the truth of Africa, and promote the positive narratives and build its good image, she remarked.
To make this happen, journalists of the African continent should further strengthen cooperation and coordination between and among themselves in addition to building the image of the country independently, she stressed.
Journalist at the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation David Casimir on his part said that there are limitations in informing the world about the economic development that Africa has now achieved.
Mentioning that the reports developed with regard to Africa are still exclusively done by international mass media agencies, the journalist said that this kind of approach has ignored the good image of the continent. In order to change the wrong narrative regarding Africa, there is a need to undertake image building activities in a manner taking into account the reality on the ground about the continent.
According to him, the African Union’s Media Cooperation Program has taken encouraging initiatives in terms of changing the false narratives; however, it should be further strengthened. African Journalists should exert utmost effort in disproving the false narration and building the image of the continent.
“In order to realize the vision of the AU to create the most developed, a prosperous, peaceful and united Africa, the role of journalists is irreplaceable,” David remarked.
Although there is no continent that is free from conflicts; changing the inclination of some international media houses presenting the Africa Continent as if it is a center of havoc is the responsibility of African continent journalists, “We, journalists of the continent should have to develop positive narratives centering on the continent’s reality and change the wrong perception about Africa”, the journalists said.
The journalists also confirmed that they will make every effort and act meaningfully to building the good image of Africa.
BY STAFF REPORTER
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 23 FEBRUARY 2024
