Monthly newsletter for African journalism educators, produced by Fojo Media Institute and Wits Journalism, part of the Consortium for Human Rights and Media in Africa (CHARM).
Dear colleagues
Fellow African journalism educators, here is the second edition of our platform where we communicate about our work. In this edition, we hear about efforts to catapult media and communication training in East Africa, where the Uganda Christian University introduces its first PhD programme in media and communication, the University of Rwanda introduces its first MA in the same subjects and the Aga Khan University Graduate School of Media and Communications, in Kenya, has launched an Executive Masters in Media Leadership and Innovation programme. Read more
Colleagues in Mauritius let us in into a major study on the feminisation of poverty as well as an increase of violence against women and children in that country. Read more.
Is there a silver lining from the Covid-19 induced e-learning?
For almost a year now, several learning institutions have had to adopt e-learning as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, which led to lockdowns in many countries. The big questions in everyone’s mind are whether institutions, academics, and students are coping with the said “new normal”, and whether there is a silver lining of opportunities that can be made use of. Prof Monica Chibita, Dean of the Faculty of Journalism, Media and Communication at the Uganda Christian University, Prof Marion Walton from the Centre for Film and Media Studies at the University of Cape Town and Zoe Titus from the Namibia Media Trust, discussed the issue with Prof Franz Krüger, Head of Wits Journalism, during Wits Journalism’s Midweek Webinar held on Wednesday, 24 March. Find the Webinar here.
East Africa move up a gear in media and communication research
The Uganda Christian University (UCU) and the University of Rwanda (UR) are set to catapult media and communication research in East Africa, following plans to introduce a Master of Arts (MA) degree in Rwanda and a PhD programme in Uganda, in these subjects. Read more.
Ethnic divisions rule Ethiopian media
Ethiopia’s ethnic divisions are finding their way into the media, resulting in news content that could exacerbate ethnic conflicts. Concerned by this, in a country of 86 ethnic groups, the International Media Support and the Fojo Media Institute commissioned a study, which was carried out by Dr Mulatu Alemayehu and NLA University College’s Dr Terje Skjerdal. Read more.
Investigative journalism: hubs step up to the plate
A mapping study into investigative journalism hubs in sub-Saharan Africa is set to be released and is expected to reveal a growing trend where the hubs are increasingly closing the gap opened by newsrooms that find it hard to finance investigative journalism. Wits Journalism professor, Anton Harber, who is overseeing the study, said the research was finding that there were more of these hubs than previously known. Read more.
Share the AJENda newsletter with colleagues
You're welcome to pass this newsletter on to your colleagues. Anyone who is not yet subscribed can quickly sign up.
The African Investigative Journalism Conference (AIJC) has been hosted since 2005 at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. It has grown to become the biggest annual gathering of working journalists on the continent, a meeting place for investigative reporters and a showcase of the best work from the continent. To make the most out of the Covid-19 pandemic conditions, the AIJC2021 is being planned as a hybrid conference with small, safe, simultaneous gatherings in five African cities, live-streamed to the rest of the continent, on 3-5 October.
Partners in each region of Africa, other than Southern Africa, to co-host these meetings. Read more. Feminism in Africa Media scholar and founder of African Women in Media movement (AWiM), Dr. Yemisi Akinbobola, has put pen to paper, discussing her thoughts about feminism in Africa. Dr argues that neoliberal feminism is more likely to be embraced in Africa, and in Nigeria in particular, than some of the other kinds of feminism that are circulating there. Here are some of her works in this regard:
Covering the Covid-19 vaccine training for journalists
The Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas at the University of Texas at Austin, in partnership with UNESCO, WHO and UNDP, with funding from the European Union, are organising an open online course titled “Covering the COVID-19 Vaccine: what journalists need to know”.
It will run in English, French Spanish and Portuguese from 29 March- 25 April and will soon thereafter be made available in additional languages in a Self-Directed Format. News Item with links for registration:
ENG: https://en.unesco.org/vaccinemooc
FR: https://fr.unesco.org/vaccinemooc
ES: https://es.unesco.org/vaccinemooc
PT https://pt.unesco.org/news/vaccinemooc
For questions on the course or related outreach, contact Caroline Hammarberg c.hammarberg@unesco.org.
Jobs at Global Investigative Journalism Network
The Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) website Jobs (gijn.org) features several international journalism jobs in investigative reporting training, and teaching in 80 countries.Read more.
Join the AWiM movement
The African Women in Media movement (AWiM) is an organisation of African women media practitioners on the continent and across the globe. AWiM invites women to join the movement to gain access to the full bouquet of its offerings. From news to media courses and events, you can expect all this and more with great discounts and unlimited perks! Read more.
Partners in AJENda
AJENda is a monthly newsletter for African journalism educators produced by Fojo Media Institute and Wits Journalism, part of the Consortium for Human Rights and Media in Africa (CHARM), funded by Sida. The consortium confronts the shrinking space for media by strengthening coalition building between civil society, media and human rights defenders in sub-Saharan Africa. The project is implemented by six regional partners: Fojo, Wits, CIVICUS, Civil Rights Defenders, Defend Defenders and Hub Afrique.
