Earlier in the year,the BBC was critised for the amount of resources that it sent to cover the American Primaries.
The argument was that this was the election of the mnost powerful politian in the world,someone whose actions could influence all our lives.
Alistair Burnett muses about the coverage that the BBC is giving to the crisis in Africa.
Given Mr Mugabe's prominence as an independence leader and the catastrophic nature of his country's economic decline in recent years that has led to an inflation rate of 100,000%, an unemployment rate estimated to be 80%, and millions of people leaving the country in search of work, the story merits coverage.
But why doesnt Somalia get the same coverage?Well it's back to news values
Is it because Zimbabwe is a former British colony and most of Somalia was not?he asks
Is it because Somalia is a very dangerous place to report from?he asks or is it
Is it because Somalia has been in this state for the best part of 17 years, whereas Zimbabwe was until a few years ago a relatively stable and prosperous country?
They are all viable news values that determine where scarce journalistic resources are deployed.
2 comments:
I think the reason is that Somalia is a basket case. There is simply no hope for it.
Zimbabwe on the other hand gives the impression that if only there were a few assasinations of the leaders someone MIGHT come along and put things right.
But then even in South Africa people are being butcherd and burnt because they are strangers. I see no real hope for any part of Africa. Whenever one bit pulls itself out of the tribal mire a Leader turns up who only has one thought and its not to help anyone else. Civilisation is the only answer and it will be a long time coming.
Civilization began in Africa.The use of tools,fire,sedentary agriculture,and use of irrigation.What is happenning in Africa is the WEST has used some or all African to persue apolicy of contrition.African leaders have become puppets of the West.Most of them are blinded by notions of development which dont work in Africa.
Time has come for African to solve all problems on the continent.Post indepedence Africa introduced political parties to the masses.Political pluralism has put Africa in chaos.Parties in Africa are organised on tribal,race,loose affliations,religion and class.The Inkatha Freedom party is inciting the killing of foreigners in South Africa.The ruling party disowned its citizens of British heritage the need to farm.In Africa,politics is personal and the effects are wide spread.
Africans are swimming in the tide waters of globalization.Africa is becoming ahuge resource base for Multi national corporation.Africa is also becoming a market for indistrial products made in the west.Unstable Africa is a business for many companies who prey on the disunity
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