Student journalist and researcher, Muhyideen Kolawole writes on the discussion on the future of journalism in Africa at the recent West Africa Media Excellence Conference and Awards (WAMECA 2020) in Ghana.
Their verdicts sound scary but it’s the sad truth media organisations and journalists in Africa have to take seriously and act on.
Khadija Patel, Co-Founder, Daily Vox of South Africa, Shamina Muslim and other top media professionals who spoke at the recent West Africa Media Excellence Conference and Awards (WAMECA 2020) aptly captured the state of the media in the continent in their contributions and offered suggestions on what needs to be done.
“There’s no rosy future we can predict right now but with hard work, we can achieve the best we want,” Patel, stated, while Muslim declared, “Said as it is! The future looks bleak for African media without a deliberate consistent action to thrive and remain relevant.”
During the eleven months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa, there have taken place some substantial changes in the media in Africa. For instance, many journalists lost their jobs with others forced to work from home. A sudden fate for many and a lifetime injury for others. Some could not pay their workers. Worse even was that more than 100 media outlets shut down because of the devastating impact of the pandemic.
Along with the economic challenges the media houses had to cope with governments across the continents have sought to muzzle the press in one way or the other. Some journalists were arrested and detained. Impunity and extrajudicial killings of journalists across the countries have also occurred.
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During the session on the future of Journalism at the conference organised by the Media Foundation for West Africa, panelists from Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Senegal, Benin, Tanzania, Kenya, Cote d’Ivoire among other African countries x-rayed the multifaceted problems media houses are contending with and offered suggestions based on some measures already adopted by some companies.
While the speakers acknowledged that some media houses survived the pandemic, they noted that many others have either been forced to shut down or barely existing with very limited resources.
“Due to the economic impact of COVID-19, most Nigerian Newspapers now circulate less than 10,000 copies daily,” CEO and Publisher of Premium Times, Nigeria, Dapo Olorunyomi disclosed. According to him “Two major Newspapers in Nigeria have been decimated due to COVID-19; while one pays N1500 (less than $4) Naira for a story, the other pays 2500 Naira.” How can journalists’ survive with such meagre payment?
One of the challenges noted is that though media houses commenced digitization in Africa in the mid-’90s, many newsrooms, television and radio stations today still operate with traditional mentality. Even though they are operating digitally, they think traditionally.
Ability to master multi-media operations and innovate is fundamental to the survival media organizations more than ever before to ensure that they produce more content and earn as much as possible revenue from various platforms
Innovating the source of revenue generation and advancement in the use of technology for distribution and effective source for data and stories, in contrast to the traditional sense, will promote self-sustainability for the organization.
Financial support of philanthropic organisations is another possible source of funding for the media during such crisis like COVID-19, but unfortunately, not much support is available. Obtaining a loan is not advisable considering the high-interest rates demanded by financial institutions.
Samba Badji, Editor Africa Check, Senegal noted that media organisations will need to explore diverse funding options citing that in Senegal now, “the media do crowdfunding to sustain their businesses”.
According to Sena Quashie “Core journalism alone cannot sustain itself” so it’s important for media organisations to ensure their sustainability and credibility through other means.
Bernard Koku Avle, General Manager, Citi973 Ghana said his station had to venture into Agriculture to sustain it operations.
It was also noted that physical, psychological and social-economic safety of the journalists is so much significant in securing the future of Africa journalism. In Kenya, the media is investing in security training for journalists in order to keep them protected, while additional staff insurance has been introduced to enhance the welfare of journalists in Nigeria.
