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

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

The media marginalization of Africa is an issue that is becoming increasingly pressing. In recent years, the proportion of African topics in the mainstream media has decreased dramatically. Africa Live informs us that only around 3.7% of the reports in the “Tagesschau” deal with African issues. This is an alarming circumstance considering 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 sparsely covered.

Reporting on Africa usually focuses on crises, wars and disasters. This leads to a distorted public image of the continent. Only in the German media, for example, did the civil war in Tigray, considered one of the deadliest of the 21st century, make it into the spotlight for 940 seconds. In comparison, the world's largest humanitarian crisis in Sudan received just 1,365 seconds of coverage in 2023. hpd even goes so far as to say that the proportion of coverage on African issues has continued to decline in recent years - particularly due to the corona pandemic and geopolitical crises such as the Ukraine war.

Not just a negative image

Africa is often portrayed in a one-sided light, with little attention paid to positive developments. A vivid example is the underreported humanitarian crises such as the ongoing drought in Angola, which is the worst in 40 years. Nevertheless, these issues often remain under the radar of the international media. It is also annoying that even the few success stories from Africa lose visibility compared to the crisis issues. Deutschlandfunk emphasizes that despite a variety of constructive approaches and solutions from Africa, there is hardly any reporting on this.

The medialization of the continent is not just a question of quotas, but also has profound effects on the perception of Africa in a global context. The Center for African Studies at Stanford University notes that Africa is often perceived as a homogeneous mass. This leads to stereotypes and a one-sided view that does not do justice to the diversity and challenges of the continent.

Criticism of the media companies

Journalist Bettina Rühl sums up what many are thinking: The global north currently has its own problems, which is dampening interest in reporting on Africa. Fewer resources for research trips and rising costs for visas and accreditations are exacerbating this problem. This means that many media companies cannot raise the financial resources to adequately report on what is happening in Africa.

It is urgent that media companies rethink their reporting policies and show more commitment to reporting on the Global South. The proportion of coverage about the Global South in leading German-language news programs is often only around 10%, even though 85% of the world's population lives there. Given the multitude of challenges and opportunities that Africa presents, it is time to turn the spotlight on the continent and tell the positive stories too.

A well-informed citizen is the key to informed political decisions. This is why it is demanded that the media landscape not only focus on crises, but also paint a more comprehensive picture of Africa. In the interests of differentiated and fair reporting, the focus should be on all facets of life in Africa.