Welcome to MediaChannel: Africa
Editor Murad Rayani introduces the new project

In now-famous words, Tanzania's first president Julius Nyerere once commented that while other nations were trying to reach the moon, Africans were "still trying to reach the next village." New communication technologies are now making it possible for Africans to reach out, not just to neighboring villages but villages across the continent and further. Free and well-supported media have a vital role to play in connecting communities, informing the public and acting as agents for positive change.

Limitations remain. Low connectivity and high costs combine with unfavorable regulatory environments and an absence of sustainable models. Independent, accountable media require systems that support diversity, ensure access, guarantee freedom and foster participation.

MediaChannel: Africa is being developed as the first online home for groups and individuals seeking to improve journalism, community media, cultural outlets and freedom of expression, across the continent. With a global perspective, MC:Africa connects media issues in African countries to related concerns, policies and projects worldwide, including analyses of Africa coverage in media from Europe, the U.S. and elsewhere.

This new initiative, MC:Africa, builds upon MediaChannel's existing commitment to the region. Says Gwen Lister, editor and founder of The Namibian, a 17 year old independent newspaper and Namibia's largest Website, "[MediaChannel.org] helps put Africa on the global news agenda."

In affiliation with 80 African media organizations, with the support of our African advisors, we are proud to announce the preview edition of MC:Africa to help educate, inform, support and inspire change in the African media community.

What's On MC:Africa

MC:Africa features reports, case studies and commentary on the media's impact on African political processes, human rights, conflict, healthcare, corruption and development. MC:Africa Daily Media News is updated every day with links to the most important news articles and alerts on African media. Every week, editors highlight new articles and projects from our network. Our resource section will offer access to ethics codes, policy documents, online directories and other tools. Upcoming events and opportunities for African media are listed here and an online discussion forum enables debate, conversation and open publishing.

MC:Africa Affiliates

Our African affiliates include some of the most active and innovative organizations working to hold governments, corporations and the media to account and promote awareness and education.

Malawi's Storyboard Workshop produces comic strips and radio soap operas to promote HIV-Aids awareness-in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Melissa network helps connect journalists with environmental groups and the Media Monitoring Project in Zimbabwe tracks media coverage and press abuses in spite of the restrictive political climate.

Mediachannel: Africa will promote the work of these groups by selecting, packaging, and distributing the best information, reports, commentary and case studies in formats that are accessible to users (including e-mail bulletins and alerts).

As we grow, we will provide a platform and technological infrastructure for collaboration across the continent, allowing groups to share resources, search for experts and seek advice from a worldwide network of journalists, educators, academics, researchers, policy makers and civil society organizations.

At the same time we will track developments and provide information and analysis on specific areas concerned with the operation of the media such as policy and regulation, ownership and grassroots media.

Funding

We are currently seeking grant support to expand MC:Africa and our collaborations with our African Affiliates. MediaChannel is a nonprofit organization that relies on the contribution and support of individuals and institutions. For more information about our project proposal, future plans and funding needs, please contact us.

We would like to thank our advisors and affiliates for their support and help in launching our project and welcome your participation. Please contact us with suggestions for new affiliates, articles, resources and, of course, funders.

Your feedback is important to us. You can post any comments about MC:Africa directly in our Forum or contact me directly.

Thank you,
Murad Rayani
murad@mediachannel.org

MediaChannel Staff

Murad Rayani, Editor
Born and raised in Kenya, Murad received BA and LLM (Human Rights) Law degrees in the United Kingdom. He has worked in Kenya and Uganda in commerce and television, and was a reporter with the Nation Media Group, the largest media organization in East and Central Africa. He is currently studying media management and production at the New School, in New York.

Danny Schechter, Executive Editor
Catherine Borgman-Arboleda, Site Director
Aliza Dichter, Senior Editorial Producer
Doug George, Production Designer
Anand Jujare, Programmer
Bathsheba Okwenje, Graphic Artist

MC:Africa Advisors

Fackson Banda Regional Director, Panos Institute of Southern Africa - Zambia Guy Berger Professor and Head of Department of Journalism and Media Studies, Rhodes University - South Africa Richard Carver Director of Oxford Media Research - United Kingdom Kondwani Chirambo Director of Democracy and Governance Programme, Southern African Research and Documentation Centre Tracy Cohen Policy Analyst, LINK Center, Graduate School for Public and Development Management - South Africa Omolulo Falubi Director and Founder Journalists Against AIDS - Nigeria Alfonso Gumucio International community-media consultant Shuller Habeenzu Managing Director, Zamnet - Zambia

Charlayne Hunter-Gault Chief Correspondent, National Public Radio - South Africa Ted Iwere Publisher, Business Nigeria - Nigeria Pallo Jordan Former Minister of Information to South Africa Tawana Kupe Media Scholar, Rhodes University - South Africa Gwen Lister Editor, The Namibian - Namibia Keyan Tomaselli Director of Centre for Media and Cultural Studies, University of Natal - South Africa Mathatha Tsedu Deputy News Director, South Africa Broadcasting Corporation Koigi Wa Wamwere Writer, human rights activist - Kenya Sizani Weza Communications and Advocacy Coordinator of the Media Monitoring Project in Zimbabwe

Contact Us

MediaChannel.org
Globalvision New Media
1600 Broadway
New York, NY
USA

Tel: 212 246 0202
Fax: 212 246 2677
E-mail: editor@mediachannel.org

We are interested in hearing your ideas and comments. We hope you will post in our Forum or send a note directly to MC:Africa Editor Murad Rayani, murad@mediachannel.org.

You can also drop us a quick note using this feedback form:

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