Nature of news, structural and institutional bias in reporting Africa

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Periodical article

Title:	Nature of news, structural and institutional bias in reporting Africa
Author:	Uche, Luke Uka
Year:	2006
Periodical:	Nigerian Journal of International Affairs
Volume:	32
Issue:	1
Pages:	53-74
Language:	English
Geographic terms:	Subsaharan Africa Nigeria South Africa Zimbabwe Western countries
Subjects:	journalism ethics stereotypes
Abstract:	This paper examines the experiences of Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe with negative media coverage of events in these countries by the Anglo-American press as illustrations of the level of pride with which occurrences in sub-Saharan Africa are prejudicially reported to the international community without any regard for the ethics of news gathering and dissemination. What is packaged as news about each of these countries mostly consists of opinions lacking in fact and reality. The paper examines the case of ZANU-PF and Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in Zimbabwe; the case of alleged mismanagement of funds meant for the polio eradication campaign in Nigeria; the Hausa/Yoruba clash in Idi-Araba in Lagos, Nigeria; and the approach of the South African government to the HIV/AIDS crisis in that country. Attention is also paid to the news coverage by the electronic media, especially television (BBC, CNN). Ref., sum. [ASC Leiden abstract]