Foreign media speak out over Africa reporting

“We have been accused of covering Africa as if it were a monolithic block without making a point on the ethnic and geographic differences,” Norgaard said.

“We have also been accused of focusing on negative reporting. But let me say that as foreign media we all have a moral responsibility to provide a coverage on the full picture of Africa to help change perceptions and lives,” Norgaard added.

“Just can't ignore them”

“Do we have to ignore stories that blight the continent, like the latest xenophobic attacks in South Africa? No. We can't just ignore them because if we do, we will be creating a skewed view of the continent, which is not right.

“Africa's stories often define our network's headlines and the appetite for this region is so great that sometimes it is exhausting to keep up with demands.

“Do we only focus on the negative side of Africa? There is plenty of positive work that we have done for Africa through Inside Africa and many other special programmes. But we are a commercial organisation and sometimes we have to make some tough decisions.”

Norgaard also said that even if CNN is banned in Zimbabwe, the network is trying as much as it can to provide a fair view of the country through secret footages and smuggled pictures.

He slammed government and companies' spokespersons who believe that CNN ignores their stories simply because they are just ordinary PR stuff.

“When approaching us, change your perception that we only focus on the negative,” he advised, adding that the following tips can help government and companies' PR people as to how to approach the network if they want to tell their stories:

• Look at the current climate, sometimes wait and see.
  
• What is the big story you want to tell and know your audience.
  
• Build relationships with key journalists who are telling that kind of stories.
  
• For government spokespersons, always be available.

Out of touch

Foreign media has repeatedly accused the SA government of often being out of touch and too distant when the media needed them the most. And when someone is available, he or she seems to know nothing about a certain situation.

Norgaard cited one example when he had to spend several hours - in vain -to confirm the veracity of the news that President Thabo Mbeki has ordered the army to be deployed at some of Gauteng hotspots to help police quell the xenophobic violence.

“No one was around to help me out, it was frustrating,” he said.

Al-Jazeera Africa editor Andrew Simmons shared Norgaard's sentiments. He stated that PR firms that sell Africa should re-invent their strategies instead of blaming the international media.

“Whether you are in Government or private sector, have a good relationship with journalists; don't shun them,” Simmons said.

“Show transparency when dealing the media, make fast decisions and communicate fast and have words of reassurances.

“I strongly believe that Africa is still and often represented in the international media, but at Al-Jazeera we are trying to engage real stories despite having so little time and resources. We challenge the well-established voices and put the ordinary individual first.”

For more details on IMFSA, go to www.internationalmediaforumsa.com.

For more:

• Has Government communication failed SA over xenophobic attacks? [poll]
  
• [IMFSA] Key communication trends [blog post]
  
• [IMFSA] Lessons learnt… ANC deputy president responds
  
• ANC deputy president condemns “ugly, barbaric” attacks [article]
  
• Communications chaos over xenophobia crisis [article]
  
• Aggregrating online coverage of xenophobic attacks [article]
  
• ‘Xenophobic attacks hurt SA's image abroad' [article]
  
• SA press freedom not under threat - Pahad [article]
  
• Launch of MediaClubSouthAfrica.com [article]
  
• [IMFSA] Lessons in how to deal with the media [blog post]
  
• [IMFSA] SA needs to capitalise on positive stories more [blog post]
  
• [IMFSA] Xenophobia threatens progressive society - Pahad [blog post]
  
• Business, tourism leaders call for decisive action on attacks [article]