This webinar in the series “De-Westernising Media Literacy: Perspectives on Pedagogies, Practices and Theories of Media Education” will highlight media literacy issues in three countries of Sub-Saharan Africa. Before the webinar, we will present the new digital platform for African media researchers, a sister platform of NordMedia Network: AfroMedia Network.
Pre-Webinar Event
Pre-Launch of the AfroMedia Network
April 28, 2022
14:30–15:00 CET (“Scandinavian time”), see time zone map
Speakers: Maarit Jaakkola (Nordicom), Terje Skjerdal (NLA University College, Norway), Monica Chibita (Uganda Christian University), Elva Nziza and Knut Risnes (AfroMedia Network)
The project is a collaboration by Uganda Christian University (UCU), University of Rwanda (UR), NLA Høgskolen in Norway, University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) in South Africa, and Nordicom in Sweden.
Webinar
Part of the De-Westernising Media Literacy Webinar Series
Media Literacy in Sub-Saharan Africa
15:00–16:00 CET (“Scandinavian time”), see time zone map
No pre-registration. The link to the webinar room will be available below on the webinar day.
Participants are kindly asked to keep their microphones closed and leave their questions to the chat. Selected questions are answered after each presentation.
Recording
Programme
Maarit Jaakkola: Welcome from Nordicom (5 min)
Wallace Gichunge: Experiences from Media Literacy Education in Kenya (10 min + Q & A)
Admire Mare: Lessons Learned from Supporting Media Literacy in South Africa (10 min + Q & A)
Chido Onumah: Media Literacy from a Nigerian Perspective (10 min)
News and Announcements, Wrap-up (5 min)
Speakers
Wallace Gichunge is the founder and executive director of Nairobi-based Centre for Media and Information Literacy in Kenya (CMIL-Kenya), a non-profit organisation charged with the mandate to spearhead MIL initiatives in Kenya and Africa. Mr. Gichunge is a communications expert and media & information literacy practitioner with over 10 years of experience in journalism and corporate communications practice and consultancy. He is a freelance writer and trainer, having taught Journalism, Mass Communications and Public Relations in universities and government institutes in Kenya. His academic interest is in media and information literacy, political communication, governance, and civic engagement. Currently, Mr. Gichunge is the Africa Region representative to the UNESCO-led Media and Information Literacy Alliance International Steering Committee and Chairman of the African Chapter of the UNESCO MIL Alliance.
Admire Mare is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication and Media at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. Prior to his latest appointment, he was an Associate Professor and a Deputy Head of Department: Communication at the Namibia University of Science and Technology, Windhoek. His research interests include analysing the intersection between technology and society, digital journalism, social media and politics, media and democracy, political communication, digital campaigns, digital diplomacy, journalism education and training, media freedom, safety of journalists, platformisation of news and newswork, critical media literacies, media and conflict and the role of artificial intelligence in newsrooms. He currently leads the international research project ‘Social Media, Misinformation and Elections in Kenya and Zimbabwe’ (SoMeKeZi) funded by the Social Science Research Council (2019-2022). He is also the co-author of Participatory Journalism in Africa Digital News Engagement and User Agency in the South (Routledge, 2021 with Hayes Mawindi Mabweazara). He is also the co-editor of Media, Conflict and Peacebuilding in Africa: Empirical and Conceptual Considerations (Routledge, 2021 with Jacinta Maweu).
Chido Onumah is a journalist, rights activist, and author. He is the author of We Are All Biafrans, among other books. Onumah is currently the coordinator of the African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), Abuja, Nigeria. Onumah has worked as a journalist and media and information literacy trainer in different countries around the world. From 2002 to 2004, Onumah worked as Director of Africa programmes, Panos Institute, Washington, DC, U.S.A., helping journalists in West Africa, as well as the Caribbean, report in depth on issues that are frequently underreported or misreported. Onumah was educated at the University of Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria, as well as Western University, London, Ontario, Canada, where he earned an MA in journalism. He holds a Ph.D. in communication and journalism from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Webinar Recording
Further Readings
Chuma, W. (2021) African Journalism Studies: Mapping four Decades of African Journalism and Media Research. African Journalism Studies, 42(2), 1–3.
Cunliffe-Jones, P., Diagne, A., Finlay, A., Gaye, S., Gichunge, W., Onumah, C., Pretorius, C., & Schiffrin, A. (2021). Misinformation Policy in Sub-Saharan Africa: From Laws and Regulations to Media Literacy. CAMRI Policy Briefs and Reports 7. University of Westminster.
Mudavanhu, S.L. (2021). Propositions for Decolonising African Journalism and Media Research. African Journalism Studies, 42(2), 126–131.
Pecora, N.O., Osei-Hwere, E., & Carlsson, U. (eds.) (2008). African Media, African Children. Gothenburg.
