"The issue of soli (Soli is a Ghanaian journalistic parlance referring to the practice where journalists accept money or other forms of gifts as sitting allowance after covering an event.) or content-influencing gifts and its relations to the professional practice of journalist and other media worke
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rs has become a subject of discussion among academic researchers and general audiences. It is against this background that this article examines media practitioners’ understanding of the culture and moral implications of soli and its effects on professional journalism in the northern region of Ghana. Using qualitative approaches, the study revealed that in Ghana, soli is both a moral and cultural problem, and when accepted, it undermines objective, balanced, and independent news reportage. This project concludes that any discourse on soli must take into consideration the cultural and philosophical foundations of journalism within a developmental context, as well as the various global socio-cultural institutions Ghanaians are exposed to." (Abstract)
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"Defining tabloid journalism practice as an infotainment genre, the book examines corruption exposure by tabloids in Arabic, Portuguese and Francophone speaking countries across Africa, making it a unique addition to the field. In doing so, it also builds an understanding of the evolution of anti-co
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rruption tabloid journalism in Africa and gains insights into the relationship between the anti-corruption actions of the state and the anti-corruption reporting by tabloid journalists focusing on major corruption scandals. Providing evidence of the successes and struggles of journalistic practice in Africa, the book concludes by providing a synthesis of the emerging patterns and divergences from the cases analysed, looking to the future of corruption in the continent and the role of tabloid journalism in uncovering and challenging it." (Publisher description)
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"Spotlight report on the state of public access to information in Canada, Indonesia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Serbia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, and Ukraine prepared for the 2019 cycle of the Voluntary National Reviews and the 2019 UN High Level Political Forum." (Subtitle)
"Auch wenn die deutsche Kolonialgeschichte mittlerweile öffentliche Aufmerksamkeit erfährt, wird die Herrschaft, die Deutschland in seinen "Schutzgebieten" in Afrika, China und der Südsee ausübte, oft immer noch als eher harmlose historische Episode abgetan. Der langjährige Afrika-Korrespondent
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Bartholomäus Grill zeigt, welche immensen Schäden der Kolonialismus und die ihm zugrunde liegende Herrenmenschen-Ideologie angerichtet haben. In einer Mischung aus Analyse und Reportage beschreibt er historische Zusammenhänge sowie die brutale Praxis des Kolonialismus und begibt sich gleichzeitig auf Spurensuche vor Ort. An den deutschen Kolonien zeigt Grill auf, wie stark der europäische Kolonialismus Realitäten und Denkmuster bis heute prägt: Ebenso wie die koloniale Gewalterfahrung in den ehemals beherrschten Gebieten bis heute nachwirkt, lassen sich auch im öffentlichen Diskurs in Deutschland stereotype Wahrnehmungen und rassistische Weltbilder nachweisen, in denen Vorstellungen aus der Kolonialzeit heute noch aufscheinen. Grill plädiert dafür, sich mit diesem kolonialen Blick auseinanderzusetzen und den postkolonialen Diskurs des globalen Südens anzunehmen." (Verlagsbeschreibung)
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"We started by performing fieldwork in five countries, covering the four main SSA regions: the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ghana, Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda. We then conducted 116 interviews across 78 organizations, covering the overall ecosystem: mobile network operators (MNOs), aggreg
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ators, donors, multilateral organizations and nongovernmental organization (NGOs). The following are key findings by mobile channel: SMS volumes are driven by a few players, mostly multilateral agencies; Voice/IVR allows for rich interactions, but impact needs to be documented further. USSD usage by aid and development players appears limited despite promise; Interest in mobile money is high among both supply and demand players; Mobile internet adoption is still limited in potential. In each of the five countries, the 2018 market value of all mobile channels generated by NGOs and multilateral organizations was estimated at between $500,000 and $1 million. Using data from these five countries to extrapolate to all 48 countries in SSA, the total 2018 market is estimated at $15.7 million, with mobile money standing out as the largest channel. This aggregate number for the sector appears low compared to the overall size of the telecommunications market. Market appeal is further reduced by the fact that the mobile sector already perceives the aid and development sector as being difficult to work with, due to uncertainty of demand, long procurement processes and other factors. While price has been cited as a reason for this low aggregate number, the fieldwork suggests that it is driven more by the lack of awareness of many implementing partners, particularly at the country level. These challenges to scale are consistent with qualitative findings obtained from DIAL’s Ecosystem Baseline study in 2018. That said, the market appears bound to grow due to strong underlying trends. Our model predicts three scenarios that show a 2022 market value of between $31.6 million and $61.6 million." (Executive summary, page 4)
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"Das Buch befasst sich mit der Rolle von Medien in einem politischen Ausnahmezustand. Bettina Haasen hat in Burundi Journalistinnen und Journalisten zu ihrem beruflichen Rollenselbstverständnis befragt und diese Aussagen unter Berücksichtigung ihrer sozialen Herkunft und den Zielen der internation
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alen Medienentwicklungszusammenarbeit (MEZ) kritisch in den Blick genommen. Mit dem gescheiterten Putsch im Jahr 2015 hat das Mediensystem in Burundi einen grundlegenden Wandel erlebt: Medienhäuser wurden vollständig zerstört, Hunderte von Journalisten leben im Exil und die Meinungsfreiheit wurde begraben." (Verlagsbeschreibung)
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"With a focus on entertainment education, this article sheds light on the effects of radio drama in addressing conflict over land governance. The discussion is built around the broadcast of Bush Wahala radio series during the recent land acquisition process that has taken place in Sierra Leone. Thro
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ugh the analysis of semi-structured interviews conducted by the author with rural farmers affected by this issue, on the one hand, this work generates reflections on the role of radio drama in providing listeners with alternative options to the use of violence and confrontation with the authorities in order to claim land rights; on the other hand, it represents an important contribution to the literature of edutainment in contexts of conflict, with a specific focus on the increasingly complex issue of land grabbing in the developing world." (Abstract)
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"Drawing on over a dozen new empirical case studies – from Kenya to Somalia, South Africa to Tanzania – this collection explores how rapidly growing social media use is reshaping political engagement in Africa. But while social media has often been hailed as a liberating tool, the book demonstra
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tes how it has often served to reinforce existing power dynamics, rather than challenge them. Featuring experts from a range of disciplines from across the continent, this collection is the first comprehensive overview of social media and politics in Africa. By examining the historical, political, and social context in which these media platforms are used, the book reveals the profound effects of cyber-activism, cyber-crime, state policing and surveillance on political participation." (Publisher description)
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"News media played a prominent role in perpetuating the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Since then, Rwanda has undergone impressive social and economic growth, but the media landscape during this redevelopment remains understudied. Qualitative interviews with Rwandan journalists reveal that reporters censor
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themselves to promote peace and reunification. Short-term, prioritizing social good over media rights might help unify the country, but ultimately it could limit development and reinforce existing authoritarian power structures. Findings suggest that McQuail’s development media theory and Hachten’s developmental concept maintain relevance but point to the need for a new or revised media development paradigm." (Abstract)
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"This is a timely and much-needed collection that fills an important gap in the literature. It offers excellent conceptual tools and a selection of case studies that provide a useful map of the digital divide across the African continent and between Africa and the rest of the world. I especially app
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reciate the editors’ efforts to address African issues on their own terms and to problematize interpretive paradigms from the global north. It is a book that many will look forward to reading." (Pier Paolo Frassinelli, Professor, School of Communication, University of Johannesburg, South Africa)
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"This policy brief analyses the use of social media by different groups affected by Boko Haram’s terrorist insurgence, including the group itself. The rate, speed, spread and belief which information from social media commands has changed theatres of war and amplified terrorist threats. The Nigeri
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an youth who are the forerunners of social media use in the country have further employed Hashtag (#) Activism for varied causes regarding Boko Haram. This study examines the interlinkages between the use of social media in ‘orchestrated data circulation’ (for the dissemination of information and propaganda) by both the insurgents and the Nigerian government, and the populace’s growing awareness of the power they wield by simply having internet data and a phone which enables them to challenge, counter and refute claims made by the government or security agencies. The populace does all of these by providing verifiable eye-witness accounts shared and made viral on social media. This brief further highlights the hidden enablers of the above interlinkages – Telecommunication Companies (TELCOs) whose role as Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) continues to oscillate between being government collaborators, targets for Boko Haram’s terrorist attacks and simply profit-driven enterprises competing for subscribers. As a base for contextual analysis, this study premises that while all parties involved attempt to appropriate social media for their benefits, specific parties such as social media tech companies, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and the populace have impactful roles to play. One of such is ensuring the benefits accrued from the continuous boom of social media are properly harnessed for peace processes and the safeguarding of individual rights to freedom of expression." (Abstract)
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"Cet ouvrage donne les détails les plus précis sur la campagne menée par les principaux candidats à l'élection présidentielle 2018 au Congo. Ils ont été suivis chacun de très près, au jour le jour : Fayulu, Kamerhe, Shadary, Tshisekedi. Pendant 50 + 20 jours, leurs actes publics, leurs pro
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pos politiques ainsi que leurs apparitions dans l'univers internet ont été notés avec minutie. Ce livre offre la possibilité de revivre l'éclat du climat général de ces élections, avec ses épisodes de grave incertitude ou de vive animosité." (Description de la maison d'édition)
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"Drawing on available data and literature, this paper begins with an introduction on the media landscape in Ghana and explains how the media have contributed to promoting participatory and accountable governance. It further discusses the trends, barriers of media and governance in Ghana and makes ke
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y recommendations on how participatory governance can be improved." (Introduction, page 2)
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"This paper tests the effectiveness of an entertainment education television series, MTV Shuga, aimed at providing information and changing attitudes and behaviors related to HIV/AIDS. Using a simple model, the paper shows that “edutainment” can work through an individual or a social channel. Th
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is study is a randomized controlled trial conducted in urban Nigeria, where young viewers were exposed to MTV Shuga or a placebo television series. Among those exposed to MTV Shuga, the trial created additional variation in the social messages they received and the people with whom they watched the show. The study finds significant improvements in knowledge and attitudes toward HIV and risky sexual behavior. Treated subjects are twice as likely to get tested for HIV eight months after the intervention. The study also finds reductions in sexually transmitted diseases among women. These effects are stronger for viewers who reported being more involved with the narrative, consistent with the psychological underpinnings of edutainment." (Abstract)
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"Ce travail se propose un double objectif d’étudier la communication dans les organisations en réseau et identifier un modèle structurel et stratégique applicable à la pastorale communicationnelle au Burundi. Il s’agit de tenter de proposer des aspects pastoraux réticulaires sur base d’u
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ne flexibilité organisationnelle et une fluidité communicationnelle. En vue d’arriver à la proposition d’une pastorale de la communication en réseau au Burundi, nous entreprenons de: 1) Étudier l’organisation en réseau; 2) Développer la communication dans les organisations en réseau; 3) Produire une étude de la communication pastorale de l’Église du Burundi en vue de relever ses forces et ses faibles des structures en considération, les opportunités et les menaces inhérentes à l’environnement pour une éventuelle structuration en réseau; 4) Proposer des éléments structurels et stratégiques pour une pastorale de la communication en réseau au Burundi." (Objectifs, page 9-10)
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"Make-IT started as a "laboratory" for new types of partnerships between development organisations, business, finance and entrepreneurs. After 2 years of implementation experience, we can proudly say that we have successfully combined the strengths of the public and private sectors to promote digita
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l innovation for sustainable and inclusive development. This impact report aims to highlight some of these results. GIZ implements Make-IT on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), together with more than 30 corporate and financing partners, social enterprises, hubs and networks. Meet them in chapter one! In its first two years, Make-IT focused on Kenya and Nigeria. In 2019, we expanded to Ghana and Tunisia, and Rwanda will follow. So far, Make-IT has supported tech entrepreneurs from 18 African countries. One of our first significant activities was the joint "Make-IT Accelerator" with business partners from the Make-IT Alliance. Building on this, we launched further programmes to improve the international visibility and credibility of African tech entrepreneurs, to catalyse partnerships with financing partners and to strengthen peer-to-peer learning and mentoring. These measures reached more than 400 tech entrepreneurs on the continent, 148 of whom have entered Make-IT’s highly selective start-up pipeline. Meet them in chapter two! Through our cooperation with national partners, we support African governments in establishing future-oriented institutional frameworks for digital entrepreneurship. Policy dialogues, better access to markets and finance, as well as capacity development for intermediaries in the ecosystems, such as hubs, mentors and public support organisations, help strengthen enabling environments for young entrepreneurs in the digital sector. You can find an overview in chapter three! We will continue to form partnerships and share methodologies for thriving tech entrepreneurship ecosystems in Africa. Find out how to collaborate with us in chapter four!" (Editorial)
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