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

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

Arusha takes lead in Africa's image

The African Development Bank (AfDB) plans to bring more than 300 international journalists to Arusha where the AfDB intends to launch new efforts to re-brand the image of the African continent. 23 Apr 2012 14:30

NMG dominates East African Business Council Awards

[Staff reporter] Business journalists from the Nation Media Group (NMG) scooped three of the four awards in the inaugural East African Business Council Awards held in Nairobi, Kenya on Monday night, 14 March 2011. 16 Mar 2011 10:28

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

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

Men first! (But the ladies can take a peep as well)

[Carole Kimutai] The first men's lifestyle magazine ADAM has caused quite in Nairobi. CAROLE KIMUTAI caught up with ADAM editor - Oyunga Pala 15 Oct 2007 06:14

UK firm to boost climate change coverage in EA

[Walter Wafula] WRENmedia, a United Kingdom-based a specialist communications company is set to sharpen reporting skills of journalists covering climate change issues in Eastern Africa, according to Susanna Thorp, director of the firm. 3 Jan 2012 09:07

Germany to promote budget reporting in East Africa

[Walter Wafula] Germany's International Institute for Journalism (IIJ) is set to train East African journalists on covering public spending to improve reporting on national budgets and the use of tax payer's money. 7 Sep 2011 10:01

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