Africa in the shadow of the media: ignored and underrepresented!

Africa in the shadow of the media: ignored and underrepresented!

Celle, Deutschland - The media marginalization of Africa is an issue that is becoming increasingly pressing. In recent years, the proportion of African topics in the leading media has decreased dramatically. [Africa Live] (https://www.africa-live.de/lese tip-hpd-den-draengt-die- Mediale-Mediale-Marginalalis-afrikas/) inform us that only about 3.7 % of the reports in the "Tagesschau" deal with Africa. This is an alarming circumstance when you consider how many significant events take place on the continent. Conflicts such as the civil war in Tigray or the humanitarian crisis in Sudan are often ignored or only treated sparingly.

The reporting on Africa mostly focuses on crises, wars and disasters. This means that a distorted image of the continent is created in public. Only in the German media did the civil war in Tigray, which are considered one of the most deadliest of the 21st century, make it into the spotlight with 940 seconds. In comparison, the largest humanitarian crisis in the world in Sudan received just 1,365 second reporting in 2023. Especially through the corona pandemic and geopolitical crises such as the Ukraine War.

not just a negative image

africa is often shown in a one -sided light, whereby positive developments are hardly considered. The under -reported humanitarian crises such as the continued drought in Angola, which has been the worst for 40 years, offer a clear example. Nevertheless, these topics often remain under the radar of international media. It is also annoying that even the few success stories from Africa lose visibility compared to the crisis topics. Deutschlandfunk emphasizes that despite a variety of constructive approaches and solutions from Africa, there is hardly any report.

The medialization of the continent is not only a question of the quota, but also has a profound effect on the perception of Africa in the global context. The Center for African Studies at Stanford University determines that Africa is often perceived as homogeneous mass. This leads to stereotypes and a one -sided view that does not meet the variety and challenges of the continent.

criticism of the media houses

The journalist Bettina Rühl sums up what many think: The global north currently has its own problems, which dampens the interest in reporting on Africa. This problem exacerbates fewer resources for research trips and increasing costs for visa and accreditations. This leads to the fact that many media houses cannot apply the financial means to report adequately about what is happening in Africa.

It is urgently necessary for the media houses to rethink their reporting policy and show more commitment to reporting over the global south. The shares of reporting over the global south in leading German -language news programs are often only about 10 %, although 85 % of the world's population live there. In view of the multitude of challenges and opportunities Africa offers, it is time to focus on the continent and also tell the positive stories.

A well -informed citizen is the key to informed political decisions. It is therefore required that the media landscape is not only fixed on crises, but also draws a more comprehensive picture of Africa. In the sense of a differentiated and fair reporting, the focus should be on all facets of life in Africa.