Newsmaking Cultures in Africa

402 Pages·2018·4.114 MB·English

by  Hayes Mawindi Mabweazara

N E W S M A K I N G
C U LT U R E S I N
A F R I C A
Normative Trends
in the Dynamics of
Socio-Political &
Economic Struggles
Edited by
HAYES MAWINDI MABWEAZARA
Newsmaking Cultures in Africa
Hayes Mawindi Mabweazara
Editor
Newsmaking Cultures
in Africa
Normative Trends in the Dynamics of Socio-
Political & Economic Struggles
Foreword by Cleophas Taurai Muneri
Editor
Hayes Mawindi Mabweazara
School of Writing and Journalism
Falmouth University
Penryn, UK
ISBN 978-1-137-54108-6 ISBN 978-1-137-54109-3 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-54109-3
Library of Congress Control Number: 2018930099
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For Tanaka and Nyasha
F
oreword
This book is a clear and bold attempt to ask hard and at times taken-for-
granted questions about whether the journalism we find in the so-called
developing countries or global South is part of the hegemonic Anglo-
American form of journalism or a variant thereof, or if it represents a new
journalism whose nuances and characteristics have not yet been substan-
tively explored. The African continent, therefore, presents a cultural con-
text within which journalism can be researched and understood, rather
than, as in previous approaches, which relied on theorisation from outside.
The question then becomes ‘what are the theoretical lenses that can be
used to understand the practice of journalism in Africa?’ In looking for
these perspectives, the book cautions us to move away from theoretical
prescripts that put Africa in a straitjacket or essentialises the continent as if
it is one homogenous entity. As in any theoretical or scholarly endeavour,
the book treads a fine line between arguing against a one- size-fi ts-all con-
ception of journalism on the one hand, while also establishing broad fac-
tors through which journalism is shaped and influenced in Africa on the
other.
The African continent therefore presents both opportunities and chal-
lenges for journalism researchers, given the difficult and complicated
political and economic environment. The broad range of perspectives pre-
sented in this volume show that one cannot have a singular approach to
understanding journalism and newsmaking cultures in Africa. The exten-
sive and comprehensive examples herein are refreshing, as they show the
contrasting newsmaking cultures that prevail in Africa. I am convinced
that most readers will find the rich array of examples, which straddle the
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viii FOREWORD
length and breadth of sub-Saharan Africa, useful and illuminating, as they
concretise key theoretical conclusions that are made in the book. A major
strength is that theoretical arguments found in the offerings of the many
contributors are buttressed by concrete evidence from across Africa.
This book, then, is not only a nod to the burgeoning growth of scholars
researching on journalism and media but is a one-stop shop where we
meet instances of the great variety of journalism and newsmaking cultures
in sub-Saharan Africa, including examples from Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia,
Burundi, Zimbabwe, Botswana and many more. The examples are perti-
nent and current, thereby providing a more nuanced understanding of
journalism that moves scholarship away from traditional approaches that
tend to regard journalism in Africa as a mere reproduction of practices
from Western countries. This is a definite strength, as it shows the ever-
changing journalism landscape and the myriad of forces that keep on
reshaping, and at times, restructuring the practice of journalism.
While some of the theoretical and empirical viewpoints that are pre-
sented in the book, such as the training and education of journalists, as
well as politics, economics, technological changes, tabloidisation, conflict
and ethical practices can be used to understand journalism in many parts
of the world. What the reader will find distinct and revealing here is that
these aspects take on a whole different meaning. There are unique aspects
of newsmaking cultures in Africa that can only be explained when the
above factors are considered in relation to the social and cultural context
under which journalism is practised on the African continent. This means
that, for example, the question of how technology has been appropriated
and repurposed to suit the African experience is not the same as in other
parts of the world. For that same reason, if we are interested in getting a
broad and full perspective on how conflict has shaped newsmaking cul-
tures or the meaning of tabloidisation, this book is a window through
which we can see how these factors are dealt with from an African
perspective.
Newsmaking cultures within the African context do not follow a
straight trajectory, given that a lot of issues are connected to many differ-
ent factors which cannot be clearly separated from one another. For exam-
ple, politics, economics and other cultural practices cannot be disentangled
in terms of how they inform journalism practices. Political, economic and
cultural frameworks provide the overarching context through which
journalism is practised, which in turn raise ethical issues especially with
regard to how journalists should navigate political terrain. These ethical
FOREWOR D ix
issues are explored in some of the chapters in this book. In as much as
technology provides journalists with so many opportunities, it has also
become a minefield of ethical challenges to journalism practice. Because of
this, newsmaking itself is compromised by the other activities that journal-
ists must often undertake to survive the harsh political and economic envi-
ronments that characterise much of Africa. This strongly indicates that
newsmaking cultures in Africa cannot be conceptualised outside of these
ethical shortcomings. To encounter all these varied approaches to under-
standing journalism in one place makes this book a very useful resource to
researchers and scholars. The perspectives are also refreshingly different
and sometimes poignant.
The rich array of perspectives on newsmaking cultures in Africa con-
tained within this exceptional book show that a truly comprehensive
understanding of journalism entails closely considering a broad range of
local socio-cultural factors. The examples from across sub-Saharan Africa
provide a strong framework and the basis for new theorising of journalism
in Africa and beyond. This is a timely volume which adds to the burgeon-
ing scholarship on media and journalism focusing on the continent; it
should be required reading for those interested in a comprehensive under-
standing of African journalism in its multiple complexities.
University of New Mexico Cleophas Taurai Muneri
Albuquerque, NM, USA
A
cknowledgements
The success of a project of this nature hinges on the collective effort of
several people—it can hardly ever be down to just one individual. I wish to
express my gratitude and appreciation to all the chapter contributors who
have waited for rather too long to see this book materialise. I also thank
Martina O’Sullivan and Heloise Harding at Palgrave, whose patience was
put to the test in managing this project—many thanks for your support
and understanding. Special thanks also go to Lucy Batrouney who took
over the project at its final stages. The initial idea for this book was planted
by Jason Whittaker, a colleague who remains an inspiration on many lev-
els. I also thank colleagues at the School of Writing and Journalism at
Falmouth University, whose support and ideas remain an inspiration, per-
haps without realising it themselves. I am particularly thankful to Rob
Brown, Head of Journalism, who remains a firm believer in the centrality
of research-based ‘critical disputation’ in Journalism Studies, especially at
a time when a pervasive sense of anti-intellectualism and cynicism is sweep-
ing the academy. I am thankful for the support and flexibility that enabled
me ultimately to complete this project. This book is dedicated to my fam-
ily, who have over the years generously given me space and scope to pur-
sue my intellectual endeavours—I am forever grateful. It is also a tribute
to the many courageous journalists in Africa, who defy the odds—multiple
constraints, material deprivation and threats to their lives—in an effort to
demonstrate to the world that a balanced and fair journalism is possible on
the continent.
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c
ontents
1 Reinvigorating ‘Age-Old Questions’: African Journalism
Cultures and the Fallacy of Global Normative
Homogeneity 1
Hayes Mawindi Mabweazara
Part I Issues and Conceptual Debates 29
2 T owards a Journalism Education Model Curricula
in Africa: A Call for a ‘Glocal’ Rather than Global
(Universal) Journalism Model 31
Ibrahim Seaga Shaw
3 A frican Journalism Cultures: The Struggle for Free
Expression Against Neo-Patrimonial Governance 53
Robert A. White and Hayes Mawindi Mabweazara
Part II Professional Practices, Cultures and Identity 77
4 The Nairobian and the ‘Politics’ of Tabloidisation
in Kenya’s Print Media 79
George Ogola
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