When newspapers are so popular you can rent them

Just before we write off print here is a tale from Kenya

Each newspaper in Kenya is typically read by fourteen people, and those who can’t afford to buy a paper sometimes “rent” one. My neighborhood news vendor charges the equivalent of thirteen cents for thirty minutes with one of the major dailies, all of which are in English. That compares with fifty cents to buy one, a significant sum even to office workers earning $20 a day, and out of reach for the far more numerous casual workers who generally earn no more than $2.

Via Columbia Journalism review

How Africa is wrongly framed by the media

The west too often views an entire continent as gripped by corruption, tribal conflict, human disasters and bizarre goings-on.

The views of William Gumede and the media play a large part in this portrayal.

According to William,

Stereotyping of Africa, its problems and solutions, has devastating consequences. It has helped retard the continent's development.

Amongst the areas thae he highlights

1.western media influence which African leader becomes a "good" leader. This is rarely based on their democratic commitments, more on their rubber-stamping, often in return for aid

2.the conflict in Congo is framed as one of "tribal" wars, but neglect the crucial element of western companies fuelling the conflict, by paying off rebel factions.

3.The global financial crisis caused by irresponsible lending in industrial nations is affecting Africa worse. Yet because the impact of the global recession on Africa does not feature prominently on news networks, there is little obligation from western governments and international bodies, such as the IMF and World Bank, to adopt policies at national and global level to ease the burden on African countries.

An African voice telling an Africa story

A new voice for Africa Ht-Charlie Beckett has launched.

A24 Media promises

Africa’s first online delivery site for material from journalists, African broadcasters and NGO’s from around the Continent. A24 Media’s business model ensures that all contributors receive a wide and previously unknown exposure to their content, thereby generating sustainable and generous revenues from the sale of their stories on a 60:40 basis in favour of the contributor. Most importantly, the contributor will continue to OWN the copyright of the original footage.