For Dr Fred Kakooza, journalism education is as much a calling as it is an academic discipline. A Senior Lecturer in the Department of Journalism and Communication at Makerere University in Uganda and Secretary General of the East Africa Communication Association (EACA), Dr Kakooza’s work is grounded in mentorship, research and an enduring belief in journalism’s power to uplift society.

A groundbreaking multi-country study has revealed how coordinated disinformation campaigns exploited social and political fault lines during recent elections in South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria and Senegal, and how even highly media-literate university students remain vulnerable to fake content. The study, which was conducted by Africa Check with support from the Heinrich-Böll Foundation, provides one of the most detailed comparative analyses of election-related fake content circulated on social media platforms across the four diverse democracies. 

Explore our latest list of new publications and articles that explore key themes shaping media and communication today. From investigations into election disinformation across African countries to research on how false narratives exploit social fault lines, they foreground African-centred perspectives on media, power and accountability in an era of digital uncertainty. 

A newly released investigative report by Oktoober 24 offers a sobering, in-depth look at Somalia’s trajectory over the past year. Drawing on field investigations, official records and interviews, The Investigative Journalism Report: Somalia 2025 unpacks the country’s ongoing struggle to balance security, governance, economic recovery and fundamental freedoms.

The African Journalism Educators Network (AJEN) used its 2025 annual general meeting (AGM) to reflect on its rapid growth, outline challenges facing journalism training on the continent, and elect a new leadership to steer the organisation through a period of consolidation and expansion.

A study of 30 years of South Africa’s post-apartheid media reforms shows community media has grown but remains fragile. Radios and small publishers reach millions, yet underfunding and news deserts persist. Experts call for stronger policy, sustainable funding, and protection against political interference. Collaboration between government, donors, and media bodies is seen as essential to secure local information access and media sustainability.

Journalism in Ghana demands service, sacrifice and stewardship, navigating financial pressures, political interference and ethical dilemmas. Reporters face tough choices between truth and convenience, and the profession’s integrity relies on courage, resilience and public-minded reporting. Strengthening education, institutional support and ethical training is essential for journalists to uphold their societal role and guide public understanding with integrity.

Richmond Acheampong highlights how journalism in Ghana is a daily negotiation between service, sacrifice and stewardship, as Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie emphasised at the GJA Awards. Reporters navigate financial pressures, political interference and digital disruption while striving to hold power to account and inform the public. Upholding ethical reporting demands courage and resilience, and strengthening education, protections and sustainable business models is essential for journalists to fully embody this mission and guide society with integrity.

A new study by Dr Mulatu Alemayehu Moges argues that Ethiopia’s community broadcasting, long seen as a tool for rural empowerment, is hampered by state control, unclear laws and limited citizen participation. Many stations labelled “community” function under government oversight, curbing editorial independence and public involvement. Moges calls for reforms that strengthen local governance, legal clarity, and citizen-led decision-making so community radio can fulfill its original role as a genuinely public, participatory platform.

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly prevalent in public communication practices, it raises as many hopes as concerns about the quality of democratic debate. This article revisits these issues by highlighting the limitations of current ethical frameworks and presenting avenues for reflection on more responsible public communication.

Western and African reporters often cover the same stories through very different lenses, shaping perceptions and policy. Limited resources, donor pressures and reliance on international wires can lead African outlets to replicate crisis-focused Western frames. Building local capacity, diversifying sources, and centring African perspectives can help tell fuller, more accurate stories.

Foreign funding from Western donors to Chinese institutions is shaping journalism education and newsroom practice in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa. While this support brings resources and training, it also influences editorial priorities and exposes how vulnerable media systems become when major funders, such as the U.S. under the Trump administration, suddenly pull out.

Amid the explosion of citizen-generated posts and AI-created images, videos and text, we explore why fact-checking has become indispensable to modern journalism. As the boundaries between real and fabricated content blur, verification emerges as the profession’s strongest safeguard for public trust and credible reporting.