"Africa could be losing up to $4.2 billion annually in interest payments on its
loans primarily due to stereotypical narratives that dominate global media
coverage of the continent. The media’s portrayal of Africa has long been dominated by persistent stereotypes. This report explores the economic
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consequences of such biased reporting by examining the relationship between media bias in election coverage and its impact on financial flows. Using a mixed methods approach, the study quantifies media bias by comparing African countries to their peers and assesses how this bias correlates with sovereign bond yields or interest rates, a key financial indicator. The research analyses this correlation both quantitatively across election periods and qualitatively through case studies, with the ultimate aim to measure the economic impact of misrepresented media coverage on Africa. Our findings show that African countries receive increased media attention during general elections, with a disproportionate focus on negative issues such as violence and election fraud. This emphasis is more pronounced compared to coverage of non-African countries with similar political risk conditions, resulting in higher negative sentiment and bias scores for African nations. Notably, the term “violence” is highly associated with Africa in media coverage, particularly in election-related headlines. Our analysis further established a clear connection between media sentiment and investor perception of risk, which is closely tied to sovereign credit risk. Negative media coverage increases a country's perceived risk, which leads to higher borrowing costs. Conversely, positive media sentiment is correlated with a lower risk profile and reduced bond yields. Yet, this study found that African countries are unjustifiably perceived as higher risk by international investors, leading to significantly higher credit costs compared to countries with similar political and socio-economic conditions. Building on this key finding, we analysed a group of African countries to quantify the estimated additional costs the continent incurs on loans due to biased media coverage." (Executive summary)
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"News is increasingly consumed via search engines. Yet, there is little research on foreign news consumption through search engines. This study thus focuses on the presence of foreign news in political search results in a peripheral country that is at the focal point of the international conflict be
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tween Russia and the West. For that, I conducted an algorithm audit of Google’s Web search results in Belarus to queries on the 2020 Belarusian presidential election. An analysis of 50,400 search results collected daily over 4 months surrounding the election from google.by revealed that Google in Belarus overwhelmingly favored foreign news outlets (mostly Western and Russian; 63%) over domestic Belarusian ones (37%). While the presence of Western news outlets (28.5%) may be argued to contribute to the democratization of the Belarusian public sphere, websites affiliated with Russia’s ruling elites (23%) most likely linked in favor of the ruling dictator Lukashenko. These findings advance the classic news flow research by demonstrating that international news flows are unbalanced toward a hierarchical core-periphery structure also when mediated through search engines." (Abstract)
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"Drawing insights from decolonial theory and Ubuntu ethics, this article examines coloniality practices embedded in conflict journalism in Zimbabwe. It uses election violence reporting between 2000 and 2013 as a lens for gaining insights into how reporting conflicts perpetuates coloniality. How colo
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niality is reproduced through conflict reporting practices, and the extent to which Ubuntu ethics could be a remedy for coloniality are questions at the core of this exploration. Empirical data for the study were gleaned from in-depth interviews with nineteen purposively selected print media journalists and editors who had experience in reporting election violence in Zimbabwe between 2000 and 2013. The article reveals that election violence reporting practices among print media journalists are oriented more towards ‘war journalism’ than peacebuilding which is at odds with Ubuntu ethics. It canvasses for an Ubuntu-centred journalism to mitigate the deleterious effects of coloniality in reporting conflicts in postcolonial contexts." (Abstract)
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"En contexte d’élections hors pair comme en 2023 en RDC, on s’attendrait à une contestation populaire des résultats. Mais le contraire s’est avéré vrai. Comment expliquer ce paradoxe ? A travers une approche herméneutique, sous-tendue par la recherche documentaire et l’observation dire
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cte, cet article démontre ce paradoxe s’explique par le fait que la CENI a bien managé avec la de communication visant l’intercompréhension à travers le two step flow of communication. En effet, au lieu de s’adresser aux contestataires de droit, les candidats, elle s’est plutôt adressée à l’opinion publique. Mais pour bien atteindre cette dernière, elle est passée par les confessions religieuses, la MOE CENCO- ECC notamment, dont elle s’est servie comme boucliers en même temps qu’elle les neutralisait à travers une subtile dynamique adaptation-résilience. Mais attention ! Certains éléments qui fondent le dialogue, à savoir la vérité : la justesse, la sincérité et la pertinence ont été bafoués. La crise reste donc latente." (Abstract)
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"This volume addresses the concept of “(in)nocent lies” in the media – beyond the concept of misleading information online, this extends to a deliberate effort to spread misinformation, disinformation and conspiracy theories – and proposes a critical approach to tackle the issue in related i
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nterdisciplinary fields. The book takes a multidisciplinary and international approach, addressing the digital divide and global inequality, as well as algorithmic bias, how misinformation harms vulnerable groups, social lynching and the effect of misinformation on certain social, political and cultural agendas, among other topics. Arranged thematically, the chapters paint a nuanced and original picture of this issue." (Publisher description)
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"This book explores how journalism is practiced around the world and how there are multiple factors at the structural and contextual level shaping journalism practice. Drawing on case studies of how conflicts, pandemics, political developments, or human rights violations are covered in an online-fir
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st era, the volume analyzes how journalism is conducted as a process in different parts of the world and how such knowledge can benefit today's globally connected journalist. A global team of scholars and practicing journalists combine theoretical knowledge and empirically rich scholarship with real-life experiences and case studies to offer a storehouse of knowledge on key aspects of international journalism. Divided into four sections – journalistic autonomy, safety, and freedom; mis(information), crises, and trust; technology, news flow, and audiences; and diversity, marginalization, and journalism education – the volume examines both trends and patterns, as well as cultural and geographical uniqueness that distinguish journalism in different parts of the world." (Publisher description)
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"The main objective of coming up with the manual is to equip media practitioners and media houses with the necessary knowledge and skills on how to report elections to assist in the creation of a conducive environment for the holding of free and credible elections. The manual gives media practitione
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rs an opportunity to understand basic electoral processes as well as the electoral cycle. It is the Zimbabwe Media Commission's expectation that this manual will be used as a critical resource material in the training of media practitioners towards the appreciation and understanding of the electoral cycle. It is also hoped that the manual will be used by training institutions as part of training modules in elections reporting. The manual is also intended to raise awareness on media practitioners' safety when covering electoral processes and any other related activities." (Foreword, page II-iii)
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"The nature of elections has been transformed by the rise of digital technologies in the last few years, in large part due to the rise of social media platforms and their impact on election campaigning, dissemination of informationand opinion formation. Furthermore, digital technologies have been em
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ployed in the administration of elections, and are being adopted by electoral management bodies. This article seeks to understand these transformations in light of ongoing debates regarding the regulation of elections and digital technologies by positing an approach focused on international human rights frameworks." (Abstract)
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"The study used survey-style descriptive research. All of southwest Nigeria’s media outlets made up the population. 200 respondents made up the study’s sample, using a multistage sampling approach that included stratified random and simple random sampling techniques. A questionnaire titled “Le
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vel of Safety of Journalists Questionnaire” was used to gather data (LSJQ). The instrument’s reliability was assessed using the Cronbach Alpha technique, and a reliability co-efficient of 0.81 was found. The validity of the instrument was proven through the face and content validity. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to examine the data acquired; more specifically, descriptive statistics were utilized for the research question and t-tests were employed for the research hypothesis. The study found a modest level of safety for journalists covering elections, and there is no discernible difference between male and female journalists' perceptions of this safety. Considering the results of this investigation, it was suggested that media organizations step up their efforts by offering the required protective gear to reporters during election seasons. Government and nongovernmental organizations should work together to protect journalists during election seasons. There should be public awareness campaigns and programs against election-related violence against journalists." (Abstract)
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"Africa's Voices Foundation in partnership with Rift Valley institute (RVI)'s Somali Dialogue Platform implemented a 3-month project between February 8th - May 7th 2022. The project promoted public dialogue around elections so as to understand citizens' perspectives on Somalia's national elections.
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It also amplified citizen voices in political processes and promoted peaceful messaging by using media spaces to contribute to the prevention - of violence. AVF utilized its existing Common Social Accountability Platform (CSAP) to deliver the project. The project aimed to contribute to RVI's Somali Dialogue Platform program by facilitating dialogue amongst Somalis on contentious political issues. At the end of the radio programming, AVF analyzed the rich audience engagement that emerged from the six interactive radio shows to generate insight from public opinion on the election and political processes from different demographic groups. The insights were synthesized to generate actionable recommendations for our partner, RVI, based on citizens' experiences and feedback on elections." (Executive summary)
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"This handbook offers a comprehensive overview of international and regional standards and commitments related to the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, political participation, and privacy in the area of the internet, social media and Artificial Intelligence in elections. It al
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so maps a series of good practices implemented by diverse stakeholders worldwide during electoral processes. It is organized in eight sections: six sections dedicated to the analysis of the challenges and the general situation of elections in digital times, a section dedicated to conclusions and a section with suggestions for possible action. Each of the first six sections has a guide of suggested questions at the end in case the publication is used for trainings and workshops." (Methodological note, page 14)
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"This report examines at Kenyan news media coverage of the 2022 elections, focusing on four key publications, nine television stations, 11 radio stations, and three digital media channels. The report further pays particular attention to the coverage of the four presidential candidates, focusing on w
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ho appeared on the front pages of the newspapers, the volume of coverage on each of them, how much space or airtime was dedicated to each candidate across the three media platforms monitored, and the tone of coverage of the contenders. Finally, conclusions and recommendations are shared." (Introduction)
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"El objeto de esta publicación es analizar las principales implicaciones del alto nivel de concentración de medios de comunicación existente en el Perú para el ejercicio de la libertad de expresión y el derecho ciudadano a la información respecto de asuntos de interés público, especialmente
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de orden político. En el Perú, como en casi toda América Latina y el Caribe, existe un predominio del sector privado empresarial en el mercado de los medios de comunicación. La expresión máxima del amplio predominio del poder económico en la prensa escrita se produjo en el año 2013, cuando el Grupo El Comercio adquirió la mayor parte de las acciones de la Empresa Periodística Nacional SA (EPENSA) y pasó a controlar aproximadamente 80% de dicho mercado, lo que configura un esquema cuasi monopólico." (Introducción)
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"This book uses decolonisation as a lens to interrogate political communication styles, performance, and practice in Africa and the diaspora. The book interrogates the theory and practice of political communication, using decolonial research methods to begin a process of self-reflexivity and the cre
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ation of a new approach to knowledge production about African political communication. In doing so, it explores political communication approaches that might until recently have been considered subversive or dissident: forms of political communication that served to challenge imposed western norms and to empower African citizens and their histories. Centring African scholarship, the book draws on case studies from across the continent, including Zimbabwe, South Africa, Nigeria and Ghana." (Publisher description)
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