CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2012 finalists announced

The finalists in the 17th CNN MultiChoice African Journalist competition were announced today, 18 May 2012, by Ferial Haffajee, chair of the independent judging panel. This year the competition received entries from 42 countries across the continent, including French and Portuguese speaking Africa. 18 May 2012 11:49

Dario Milo and media law: is legal sky a limit for journalists?

[Issa Sikiti da Silva] There is some substantiated regulation of what the media can do and what it cannot do, but the balance must be struck between what the law has prescribed and freedom of expression, Prof Dario Milo, Wits University media law visiting professor and Webber & Wentzel partner, said last week in Johannesburg at the two-day Regulations and Rights media conference. 15 Mar 2011 14:01

Daily abuses suffered by journalists

Following World Press Freedom Day on 3 May, Reporters Without Borders takes a look at the breaches of freedom of news and information in Nigeria during the first quarter of 2012, turning the spotlight on one of the most dangerous countries in Africa for journalists. For the first time, it has included the Islamist militia Boko Haram in its latest list of Predators of Freedom of Information. 8 May 2012 10:18

IFJ backs FAJ call for action to protect journos

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) on Friday, 27 January 2012, joined its African regional organisation, the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), in calling on the Federal Government of Nigeria to protect journalists as the increased violence by Islamist group, Boko Haram, continues to claim lives of citizens and threatens to ignite a wider conflict. 30 Jan 2012 11:39

African politicians ban media to avoid criticism - Henry Maina

[Issa Sikiti da Silva] The fundamental reason that many African governments ban and harass the media has more to do with personal connotations than other issues, Kenya's Henry Maina, director of Article 19 Eastern Africa, told delegates at the two-day Regulations and Rights media conference last week in Johannesburg. 16 Mar 2011 10:22

African media is surrogate opposition - Prof Tawana Kupe

[Issa Sikiti da Silva] Due to the lack of a strong and united political opposition, the media in Africa, at least those that are critical of government policies, becomes a powerful force called a surrogate opposition, Prof Tawana Kupe, dean of faculty of humanities at Wits University, said this week in Johannesburg. 11 Mar 2011 10:29

Right of access to information hampered by govts - media conference

[Issa Sikiti da Silva] The right of access to information is being hampered in many parts of the world, especially in Africa, by government officials wary of journalists' desire to 'embarrass' them, and the state's 'insincere' reason of hiding behind the issue of national security. This emerged today, Wednesday, 9 March 2011, at the Regulations and Rights media conference at Wits University in Johannesburg. [view twitterfall] 9 Mar 2011 13:17

True Love for West Africa

Lagos, Nigeria - South African publisher, Media24, has launched popular local magazine title, True Love, in West Africa. The new launch is a totally new product - a glossy magazine with local Nigerian content - positioned as the lifestyle handbook for modern African women. True Love's circulation in South Africa has climbed to over 2 million readers. 31 Jan 2005 13:43

African media and the self-regulation dilemma

[Issa Sikiti da Silva] As the independent media in Africa is engaged in a fierce battle against repressive and not-so-democratic governments keen to sweep their corrupt wrongdoings under the carpet, the issue of self-regulation has become almost like a daily bread in many parts of the continent. [view twitterfall] 10 Mar 2011 08:07

Nigeria journalists plan govt boycott over unrest

JOS, NIGERIA: Journalists in a restive state in central Nigeria said on Monday [14 May 2012] they would halt coverage of government activities in protest at the failure of the authorities to stop years of deadly violence. 15 May 2012 11:28

Nigeria's TMKG scoops award at 'Brand As King'

TMKG, a specialist out of home media audit company in Nigeria, has won an award for the most outstanding media monitoring company in the outdoor media sector of the advertising industry at the annual 'Brand As King' Awards for its work on Billboard Magazine. 29 Aug 2011 08:52

Press freedom celebrations tempered with concerns

Yesterday, Tuesday, 3 May 2011, was the 20th anniversary of World Press Freedom Day, begun in Namibia as the Declaration of Windhoek, a statement of principles calling for a free, independent and pluralistic media throughout the world. Celebrations around the world were tempered with concerns about the erosion of press freedom and in South Africa, the SA National Editors' Forum (SANEF) called on Government to review its proposed legislations that has seen SA downgrade from 'free press' to 'partly free'. 4 May 2011 09:13

Decline in press freedom experienced in key countries - report

WASHINGTON: The number of people worldwide with access to free and independent media declined to its lowest level in over a decade, according a Freedom House study released yesterday, 2 May 2011. The report, Freedom of the Press 2011: A global survey of media independence, found that a number of key countries experienced significant declines, producing a global landscape in which only one in six people live in countries with a press that is designated Free. 3 May 2011 14:00