JournalismTalks

As we commemorate Women's Month, we reflect on how gender is covered in the media, using the Kenyan elections as a case study.With the elections in full swing, we reflect on how has the voice of the media changed since their last election and what kind of language is used when women are mentioned.

As we commemorated Press Freedom Day on May 3, we looked at this year’s theme “Journalism under Digital Siege,” as an invitation to have some important discussions around the safety of journalists online. Do social media platforms need be more transparent where harassment and trolling is concerned?Is human rights based governance needed to ensure that internet companies do more to tackle disinformation and fake news? Must privacy standards all over the internet be strengthened and are legal actions needed to ensure that journalists are not constantly under digital threat? 

Most Africans identify with some form of religion – yet few media stories acknowledge faith. Why are these stories missing? Do they matter? Why should journalists consider reporting religion? What specific skills do they need? How can we ensure we capture the stories that matter to our audiences?

It’s no secret that trust and integrity in the media space has been top of mind for many organisations. As misinformation and disinformation proliferates, audiences are turning to trusted brands – this leaves us with the question: what does this mean for journalism? What should media houses do to build trust with their audiences? And why does it matter?  With the bottom line being, how does trust impact on media sustainability? fraycollege hosted a Twitter Space on the topic on Tuesday 22 March 2022, to look at these issues and examine the steps we as the media can take to build audience trust.

Reframing coverage was hot on the lips and fingertips of African journalists last week when videos of journalists covering the Ukraine war were circulated on social media. In the videos, European journalists described victims of Ukraine’s invasion by Russia as “freedom fighters” and expressed shock and dismay at the level of violence faced by people who “looked like them,” had “blonde hair and blue eyes,” with some even describing Ukraine as a “civilised” country compared to countries in Africa and the East, where wars are rife. fraycollege hosted a Twitter Space on the topic on Thursday, 3 March 2022, following a scathing statement by the Foreign Press Association, Africa, about the framing of the coverage of Ukraine to discuss these issues and what such coverage means for Africa.

Women in media from across Africa discuss the importance of leadership, accountability and holding space for the next generation of young journalists.