We ranked how 20 influential global news outlets cover Africa

Hello,

Find out why we created the first health check on how global media covers Africa, what storytellers said when they took part in our ‘pass the mic’ challenge for Africa Day, and why we love Zeinab Badawi’s An African History of Africa.

What’s Happening at Africa No Filter

What’s Happening at Africa No Filter

1. We launched the first health check on media coverage of Africa: How is global media covering Africa? We launched the Global Media Index for Africa to measure how 20 of the world’s most influential and leading news providers cover Africa. Curious about who’s leading, and which three leading American powerhouse media organizations came in at the bottom of the index at 18th, 19th, and 20th positions.  The results will surprise you. #GMI4Africa is a partnership with The Africa Center and the University of Cape Town. Read more.

2. We turned four years old: May 2024 marked four years of Africa No Filter. We’re privileged to work with and support storytellers to shift stereotypical narratives about Africa. We couldn’t have done it without our funders; storytellers who share our mission and vision, and whose creative outputs are changing the narrative one story at a time; and ANF friends and supporters who have followed us, read, used and shared our newsletters, our research and our tools. We are where we are because of you. 

3. We celebrated Africa Day with some of the freshest storytellers we know: Africa Day is celebrated annually on 25 May to mark the founding of the African Union. This year, we asked some of the storytellers in the African Narrative Collective, a community of storytellers and organizations who use their work to tell fresh stories about Africa, to take part in the “pass the mic” challenge to celebrate all the amazing storytellers who are  working tirelessly to change the narrative about Africa.

4. We were out and about: Africa has an abundance of new, upbeat, and inspirational stories that show Africans not as victims of their circumstances but as heroes of their own stories. These are stories that we advocated for at the Cannes Film Festival. We're also at the So Creative Summit organized by the British Council in partnership with the Pan African Creative Exchange (PACE) and Business and Arts in South Africa Network Zimbabwe on why creating culturally vibrant cities is important; and delivered the opening remarks at the launch of the heritage tracker by Arterial Network Zimbabwe.

Keeping up with ANF Narrative Champions

1. Women writers - send your manuscript for consideration by the Global Black Women’s Non-Fiction Manuscript Prize, by Cassava Republic Press. The winner gets a $20,000 advance and a publishing contract with Cassava Republic, while two runners-up get a $5000 advance and publication by Cassava Republic. Deadline: 30 June. More info.

2. Notes from the Underground: Exploring a Cape Town Hip Hop story, a documentary by Chris Kets of Kamva Collective, took part in the documentary lab at Cannes Film Festival. The doccie is a journey into Cape Town’s unique take on Hip Hop as told through artists from the city’s periphery. A diverse collage of language, dance, art and ultimately the manifestation of the culture in post-Apartheid South Africa. 

3. Check out the May issue of Lolwe, featuring work by Odafin Odafe Okoh, Veripuami Nandee Kagamine, Aganaba Jesudubami Jemima, Cheta Igbokwe, and Phelix Owiny.  In AFREDA, you can read  an excerpt from The Road to the Country,  Chigozie Obioma’s latest novel.

4. “Photography can be a powerful tool to help connect people and break down borders created by fear,” as Vadu Rodrigues told Tender Photo in an interview about why he uses photography to share positive images of Africa. Follow @positiveafrica on Instagram.

Shifting Narratives - documenting the narrative progress we’re seeing

Much of Africa’s history is written by non-Africans and often reduces the continent’s heritage, politics, and contributions to a stereotypical framing; this is what  makes journalist Zeinab Badawi’s book, An African History of Africa, refreshing. It offers fresh perspectives of events that shaped Africa, from the origins of our species and ancient civilizations, to medieval empires and independence.

Content creator Pelumi Nubi spent over two months driving from London to Lagos in a trip that took her to 17 countries, including France, Morocco, Senegal, Ghana, Mauritania, Guinea Bissau, and Sierra Leone. She says the journey was filled with beautiful surprises.

Seven Africans made the 2024 Time 100 list. They’re Springboks captain Siya Kolisi, Afrobeats superstar Burna Boy, LGBTQ advocate Frank Mugisha, human rights activist Julienne Lusenge, President William Ruto, architect and educator Lesley Lokko, and social entrepreneur and author Kennedy Odede.

Joburg born and bred superstar Tyla has reached 1 billion career streams on Spotify, making the first African female musician in global history to achieve such a status. 

That’s it. Remember to follow us on social media at @Africanofilter.

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