"This study sought to assess the hypothesis that age and gender are associated with the VIAMO digital platform usage in our GOAL project UNITLIFE. The study identified significant gender- and age-based differentials in the platform usage. These findings are interpreted as suggestive evidence that mo
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bile phone-based services, while they do offer good platforms to reach underserved communities, they can also generate new inequalities, between age groups and between genders as women and men do not equally access the platforms. There is a risk that certain groups will be left behind by such services. It is evident from literature and our study that barriers to mobile phone ownership and use disproportionately and negatively impact older age groups and women, who tend to belong to the groups that are most likely to be unconnected, such as those who are unemployed or have low literacy levels and are also often affected by social norms which make mobile ownership and use more difficult." (Conclusion)
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"The book offers a critical map to navigate the field of media governance. A thread of cosmopolitan critique connects the fourteen chapters to enhance media governance literature beyond the West and regional foci. The first part addresses the epistemological and ontological flaws in the use and adap
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tation of media governance. The second part opens pathways for critique and provides a thorough understanding of the ambivalences that scholars encounter when addressing media governance as a field of study. The third part highlights shortcomings like geographical narrowness and tensions in the use of media governance concepts. The scholarly contributions show that media governance as a field of study is far from being established: its conceptualizations are in flux and need scholarly self-reflection, and ongoing discussions need to leave behind universalist conceptualizations and methods of analysis. The chapters reflect on hegemony, power, sovereignty, and identity as conceptual center points in media governance research. The book uniquely breaks with self-referential Western academia and is part of ongoing collaborative scholarly efforts towards epistemic transformation through dialogue." (Publisher description)
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"This Binding Constraints Analysis is part of the process of building a business case for private sector investment and public sector support for the media in Sierra Leone. Informed by the findings of the State of the Media report, this analysis is aimed at presenting an overview of the risks, chall
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enges, opportunities and benefits of investing in the media in Sierra Leone. The analysis is expected to serve as the main discussion paper for the National Media Viability and Investment Forum." (Introduction, page 1)
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"The project "Empowering young people in Africa through media and communication" aims to build media professionals' capacities, both men and women, in the treatment of information on various aspects of migration (irregular, legal, intra-regional, female, etc.), in order to guarantee public access to
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quality information on migration, and to enable local populations, especially young men and women, to take informed decisions on migration." (The project, page 4)
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"A travers le projet « Autonomiser les jeunes en Afrique à travers les médias et la communication », mis en oeuvre dans 8 pays d’Afrique de l’Ouest et du Centre (Cameroun, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinée-Conakry, Mali, Niger, Nigeria et Sénégal), l’UNESCO a, de septembre 2018 à septembr
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e 2022, oeuvré à l’amélioration de l’accès à l’information sur la migration afin de permettre aux jeunes de prendre des décisions éclairées sur la question. Les diverses interventions du projet ont porté notamment sur le renforcement des capacités des hommes et femmes professionnel(le)s des médias en matière de traitement de l’information, ou d’investigation journalistique, sur divers aspects de la migration, ainsi que la sensibilisation des jeunes, tant en ligne que hors ligne, sur l’importance du recours à l’information fiable sur la migration. Le projet s’est aussi attelé à analyser les pratiques et contenus des médias en rapport avec la migration afin de déceler des tendances, faiblesses et autres bonnes pratiques. Bien que le projet ait permis d’importantes réalisations en terme de production de contenus médiatiques (en français, anglais et en plus de 80 langues nationales) alliant qualité informationnelle, diversité des narratifs et représentation inclusive des voix (jeunes, femmes, hommes, etc.) de la migration, l’un des enjeux majeurs aujourd’hui est d’assurer la pérennisation de l’approche dans un contexte de montée de la désinformation relayée à travers les réseaux sociaux et aggravée par l’insuffisance de ressources dont les médias ont besoin pour assurer la production de contenus informationnels fiables et de qualité. Pour ce faire, il convient d’interroger, pour dégager des pistes d’action, les processus et les facteurs qui impactent la production médiatique, la construction des narratifs, les représentions des voix de la migration en Afrique de l’Ouest et du Centre. C’est à cette fin qu’a été organisée du 6 au 8 Septembre 2022 à Niamey la Conférence régionale : « Médias et voix de la migration en Afrique de l’Ouest et du Centre ». Les principales thématiques pour orienter les échanges pendant la Conférence régionale sont : « Enjeux et défis de la diversité des voix de la migration dans les médias »; « Médias et représentation de la migration et des personnes migrantes »; « Production de contenus éditoriaux sur la migration et facteurs d’influence »; « Importance de l’accès à l’information « complète » et de qualité sur la migration. » (Contexte et justification, page 4)
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"Este relatório fornece transcrições resumidas de consultas nacionais sobre a viabilidade da mÃdia com as partes interessadas no setor dos meios de comunicação. As consultas nacionais são baseadas nas trocas de conhecimento e pesquisas proporcionadas pela UNESCO e pela The Economist Intellige
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nce Unit (EIU) e visam explorar a viabilidade de possÃveis soluções para preservar a viabilidade da mÃdia sem comprometer a independência editorial e a integridade do jornalismo. As consultas nacionais foram organizadas e resumidas pela Free Press Unlimited (FPU)." (Introdução)
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"Following years of government shutdowns, social media has become both freer and more influential in Chadian politics – particularly since the country entered a political transition with the death of President Idriss Déby in April 2021. While it has democratised political participation, social me
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dia has also fuelled socio political tensions. Why does it matter? Chad’s transition has entered a sensitive phase. A government crackdown in October killed dozens of protesters, putting the country on edge. In the run-up to 2024 elections, social media can enhance access to politics by provid ing a forum for open debate, but it could also drive polarisation and violence. What should be done? The government should keep social media platforms free and open, while social media companies should improve monitoring and content moderation. With donor support, civil society should offer influencers training on refraining from online hate speech, incitement and disinformation, which influencers should apply. Donors should support local, professional, independent media." (Summary)
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"The emergence of social media in the late 90s resulted in information dissemination and consumption transformation. Social networking sites have increasingly been popular and appealing to youths, who often spend much time navigating across the platforms, exploiting the communication affordances. Wh
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ereas social media eases the consumption of news and information, it nurtures the spread and consumption of fake news which tends to influence users' perceptions, particularly, those lacking the requisite literacy to guide safe consumption of fake news. Unfortunately, during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, despite efforts to enlighten people on the safety measures against the disease, the spread of misinformation and disinformation about the pandemic through social media platforms tends to undermine adherence to preventive measures advised by health experts and results in incautious behavior that can worsen, instead of flattening the curve on the COVID-19. This study, therefore, examines the students' consumption of COVID-19 related fake news on social media and the extent to which social media literacy moderates its effect on their perception of the disease. A survey design has been adopted, a convenience sampling was used where a questionnaire was formed on google form and distributed to the students of the two selected polytechnics through Facebook and WhatsApp. A total of 108 responses were generated; thus, descriptive and T-test analyses were run and the result revealed that the students possess the requisite literacy to identify fake news on social media platforms, and that has a significant on their perception of COVID-19, despite consumption of fake news related to the disease based on the T-test p = 0.05. Therefore, the result suggests that the effectiveness of media literacy as inoculant moderates the effect of fake news, as asserted by the inoculation theorists, it has no bearing on the long established stereotypical notion that certain diseases are conspiracies to reduce the population of the world." (Abstract)
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"The colonial essence of the Portuguese nation was one of the pillars of Estado Novo (1933–1974). During this period, the media were largely used as a tool for promoting the cohesion of the territories, firstly embodying an Imperial mystique, and after the second World War, arguing for the excepti
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onalism of Portuguese colonialization and fighting enemy propaganda. However, contrary to other European empires, Portugal never had a consistent and articulated policy for using radio for these purposes. This article analyses the case of São Tomé and PrÃncipe, the smallest Portuguese colony in Africa and argues that the new strategy that was experimented in the archipelago in the late 60’s was characterized by a lack of organization and investment that curtailed any chances of success against competitor broadcasts. Based on archival research and interviews with former radio professionals, the case of São Tomé is presented as an example of a frail global articulation that characterized the Imperial Portuguese broadcasting strategy during this period, while it deepens the knowledge on the development of radio in the former Portuguese colonies." (Abstract)
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"Westafrika wird in Europa oft undifferenziert als Krisenregion wahrgenommen. Während fundierte Kenntnisse über die Geschichte und Gegenwart der dortigen Staaten vielfach fehlen, halten sich Stereotype über die Ursachen von Flucht und Migration in und aus Westafrika zäh. Der Soziologe Olaf Berna
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u beleuchtet die historischen und sozioökonomischen Wurzeln der Migration, die in den westafrikanischen Gesellschaften eine lange und positive Tradition aufweise. Diese habe sich durch die Erfahrungen der Sklaverei und der Kolonialzeit, durch Bürgerkrieg und Terrorismus, ökonomische Fehlentwicklungen der Globalisierung, unpassende Entwicklungsprogramme sowie durch den Klimawandel die migrantischen Traditionen Westafrikas und ihre Dynamiken verändert, was diesseits des Mittelmeers weithin nicht verstanden werde. Solange sich Europa gegenüber Westafrika einem fundierten Verständnis der komplexen Fluchtursachen verweigere, sei eine Beruhigung der Lage dort nicht zu erwarten." (Verlagsbeschreibung)
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"This paper examines the knowledge, attitudes and practices of Nigerian journalists towards safety protocols especially within security and COVID-19 in Nigeria. The study adopted the survey methodology and relied on questionnaire as instrument of primary data collection. The population of the study
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was 305 journalists under the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Abia and Ebonyi State. Sample size was 152 with 80 and 72 respondents chosen from Ebonyi and Abia State chapters respectively using Quota sampling technique. Data analysis utilized percentages, and tables. Findings show that 47.4% of the respondents have had threat of job loss from their employers while 80% consider job loss and threat to life as the most serious safety issues confronting Nigerian journalists. On safety training, 64.5% have no specific safety training; 57.9% of those who have safety training sponsored themselves, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), sponsored 42.1% while 97.4% believe that classroom safety training does not satisfy the needs of Nigerian Journalists. All the journalists take personal safety measures to protect themselves with 39.5% using self-censorship and 48% hiding their identities. All (100%) agreed that government was not doing enough to guarantee the safety of journalists in Nigeria. The paper recommends stricter enforcement of laws guaranteeing safety of journalists and greater emphasis on safety training by employers and journalism training institutions in Nigeria." (Abstract)
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"Press freedom is said to be a necessary pillar of democracy. As many sub-Saharan African nations move towards creating or strengthening democracies, examining their levels of press freedom may be an important element. This study utilizes public opinion data from 10 nations in the sub-Saharan Africa
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n region and international press freedom rankings from Reporters Without Borders to better understand both how important (or not) citizens view press freedom to be in their country and how those beliefs compare to global metrices between 2011 and 2018. Results show clear differences in citizen beliefs about press freedom across countries, but no clear relationship between citizen beliefs and global rankings. A connection between individual perceptions and global rankings may take more time to manifest, and/or a nation’s cultural values and political landscape likely have the strongest impact on citizen beliefs." (Abstract)
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