Africa's Media Image in the 21st Century: From the "Heart of Darkness" to "Africa Rising"
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London; New York: Routledge (2017), xvii, 239 pp.
Contains index
Series: Communication and Society
ISBN 9781138962323 (pbk); 9781315659510 (online)
Reviewed in: Publizistik, vol. 62 (2017), pp. 357-359
Signature commbox: 100:10-International 2017
"Africa’s Media Image in the 21st Century is the first book in over twenty years to examine the international media’s coverage of sub-Saharan Africa. It brings together leading researchers and prominent journalists to explore representation of the continent, and the production of that image, especially by international news media. The book highlights factors that have transformed the global media system, changing whose perspectives are told and the forms of media that empower new voices. Case studies consider questions such as: how has new media changed whose views are represented? Does Chinese or diaspora media offer alternative perspectives for viewing the continent? How do foreign correspondents interact with their audiences in a social media age? What is the contemporary role of charity groups and PR firms in shaping news content? They also examine how recent high profile events and issues been covered by the international media, from the Ebola crisis, and Boko Haram to debates surrounding the "Africa Rising" narrative and neo-imperialism. The book makes a substantial contribution by moving the academic discussion beyond the traditional critiques of journalistic stereotyping, Afro-pessimism, and ‘darkest Africa’ news coverage. It explores the news outlets, international power dynamics, and technologies that shape and reshape the contemporary image of Africa and Africans in journalism and global culture." (Publisher description)
Introduction: a new Africa's media image? / Mel Bunce, Suzanne Franks and Chris Paterson, 1
I. FRAMING AFRICA
1 The international news coverage of Africa: beyond the "single story" / Mel Bunce, 17
2 Media perspectives: in defence of western journalists in Africa / Michela Wrong, 30
3 Reporting and writing Africa in a world of unequal encounters / Francis B. Nyamonjoh, 33
4 Media perspectives: how does Africa get reported? a letter of concern to 60 minutes / Howard W. French, 38
5 How not to write about writing about Africa / Martin Scott, 40
6 Bringing Africa home: reflections on discursive practices of domestication in international news reporting on Africa by Belgian television / Stijn Joye, 52
7 The image of Africa from the perspectives of the African diasporic press in the UK / Ola Ogunyemi, 61
II. THE IMAGE MAKERS
8 Mediating the distant Other for the distant audience: How do Western correspondents in East and Southern Africa perceive their audience? / Toussaint Nothias, 73
9 Media perspectives: television reporting of Africa 30 years on / Zeinab Badawi, 83
10 Foreign correspondents in Sub-Saharan Africa: their socio-demographics and professional culture / Paulo Nuno Vicente, 86
11 Media perspectives: reflecting on my father's legacy in reporting Africa / Salim Amin, 96
12 We're missing the story: the media's retreat from foreign reporting / Anjan Sundaram, 99
13 Instagram as a potential platform for alternative visual culture in South Africa / Danielle Becker, 102
14 Media perspectives: social media and new narratives: Kenyans tweet back / H. Nanjala Nyabola, 113
15 A "new Ghana" in "Rising Africa"? / Rachel Flamenbaum, 116
III. DEVELOPMENT AND HUMANITARIAN STORIES
16 Media perspectives: is Africa's development story still stuck on aid? / Eliza Anyangwe, 129
17 AIDS in Africa and the British media: shifting images of a pandemic / Ludek Stavinoha, 132
18 Media perspectives: a means to an end? creating a market for humanitarian news from Africa / Heba Aly, 143
19 It was a "simple", "positive" story of African self-help (manufactured for a Kenyan NGO by advertising multinationals) / Kate Wright, 147
20 Media perspectives: Africa for Norway: challenging stereotypes using humour / Nikolas Poulsen Viki, 158
21 Bloggers, celebrities, and economists: news coverage of the Millennium Village Project / Audrey Arriss, Anya Schiffrin and Michelle Chahine, 161
IV. POLITICS IN THE REPRESENTATION OF AFRICA
22 Africa through Chinese eyes: new frames or the same old lens? African news in English from China Central Television, compared with the BBC / Vivien Marsh, 177
23 Media perspectives: new media & African engagement with the global public sphere / Sean Jacobs, 190
24 Shifting power relations, shifting images Herman Wasserman, 193
25 Communicating violence: the media strategies of Boko Haram / Abdullahi Abubakar, 200
26 Media Perspectives: Chinese media perceptions on the reporting of Africa / James Wan, 211
27 New imperialisms, old stereotypes / Chris Paterson, 214
28 Nollywood news: African screen media at the intersections of the global and the local / Noah Tsika, 223
I. FRAMING AFRICA
1 The international news coverage of Africa: beyond the "single story" / Mel Bunce, 17
2 Media perspectives: in defence of western journalists in Africa / Michela Wrong, 30
3 Reporting and writing Africa in a world of unequal encounters / Francis B. Nyamonjoh, 33
4 Media perspectives: how does Africa get reported? a letter of concern to 60 minutes / Howard W. French, 38
5 How not to write about writing about Africa / Martin Scott, 40
6 Bringing Africa home: reflections on discursive practices of domestication in international news reporting on Africa by Belgian television / Stijn Joye, 52
7 The image of Africa from the perspectives of the African diasporic press in the UK / Ola Ogunyemi, 61
II. THE IMAGE MAKERS
8 Mediating the distant Other for the distant audience: How do Western correspondents in East and Southern Africa perceive their audience? / Toussaint Nothias, 73
9 Media perspectives: television reporting of Africa 30 years on / Zeinab Badawi, 83
10 Foreign correspondents in Sub-Saharan Africa: their socio-demographics and professional culture / Paulo Nuno Vicente, 86
11 Media perspectives: reflecting on my father's legacy in reporting Africa / Salim Amin, 96
12 We're missing the story: the media's retreat from foreign reporting / Anjan Sundaram, 99
13 Instagram as a potential platform for alternative visual culture in South Africa / Danielle Becker, 102
14 Media perspectives: social media and new narratives: Kenyans tweet back / H. Nanjala Nyabola, 113
15 A "new Ghana" in "Rising Africa"? / Rachel Flamenbaum, 116
III. DEVELOPMENT AND HUMANITARIAN STORIES
16 Media perspectives: is Africa's development story still stuck on aid? / Eliza Anyangwe, 129
17 AIDS in Africa and the British media: shifting images of a pandemic / Ludek Stavinoha, 132
18 Media perspectives: a means to an end? creating a market for humanitarian news from Africa / Heba Aly, 143
19 It was a "simple", "positive" story of African self-help (manufactured for a Kenyan NGO by advertising multinationals) / Kate Wright, 147
20 Media perspectives: Africa for Norway: challenging stereotypes using humour / Nikolas Poulsen Viki, 158
21 Bloggers, celebrities, and economists: news coverage of the Millennium Village Project / Audrey Arriss, Anya Schiffrin and Michelle Chahine, 161
IV. POLITICS IN THE REPRESENTATION OF AFRICA
22 Africa through Chinese eyes: new frames or the same old lens? African news in English from China Central Television, compared with the BBC / Vivien Marsh, 177
23 Media perspectives: new media & African engagement with the global public sphere / Sean Jacobs, 190
24 Shifting power relations, shifting images Herman Wasserman, 193
25 Communicating violence: the media strategies of Boko Haram / Abdullahi Abubakar, 200
26 Media Perspectives: Chinese media perceptions on the reporting of Africa / James Wan, 211
27 New imperialisms, old stereotypes / Chris Paterson, 214
28 Nollywood news: African screen media at the intersections of the global and the local / Noah Tsika, 223
