News
Ajen publishes a monthly newsletter, called AJENda, to keep colleagues aware of changes to the journalism landscape in Africa from an academic, research and professional point of view.
Whose news is it anyway? African journalists criticised for echoing Western stories
Grab a local newspaper or tune into a news bulleting on radio or television, looking for news from other African countries, originating from a newsroom on the continent, chances are you will draw a blank. When South African television bulletins lead with the latest U.S. election drama while ignoring a deadly flood in Mozambique, it raises a nagging question: whose news matters?
AJEN goes to Utrecht
The African Journalism Education Network (Ajen) was received with warm interest at the AGM of its sister organisation, the European Journalism Training Association (Ejta), held in Utrecht in the Netherlands in mid-October.
Building Resilience: Stress and Trauma Education for African Journalism Schools
When news breaks, journalists are often the first to witness distress, conflict, and tragedy yet the psychological dimensions of their work remain underexplored in journalism education. To address this gap, the Fojo Media Institute, through its global consortium, has launched a new initiative to co-design new extracurricular courses focused on stress and trauma in journalism education across Africa and beyond.
In Pictures: AJEN Round Table 2025
Our fourth annual Round Table turned Accra into a hub of ideas, collaboration, and bold visions for the future of African media. The three-day gathering brought together some of the continent’s most dynamic journalists, educators, and innovators. Get a visual behind-the-scenes recap of it all.
AIJC shaping into a landmark in journalism education
The 2025 African Investigative Journalism Conference (AIJC), hosted by Wits University, is shaping up to be a major platform for advancing journalism education and professional development across the continent.
The Status of Journalism Education in Africa
By Google Gemini AI The African Journalism Education Network (Ajen) roundtable which was held on 3-5 September, at the University of Media, Arts and...
AJEN Round Table 2025: Professor Claudia Nothelle on Fake News, Fact-Checking and the Challenge of Disinformation
The African Journalism Education Network (AJEN) held its fourth annual Round Table at tUniMAC, Institute of Journalism, in Accra. A central highlight of the gathering was the Day 2 Adenauer Media Lecture, delivered by Professor Claudia Nothelle, titled “Fake News and Fact-Checking: Understanding the Mechanisms Behind Modern Disinformation,” examined how disinformation spreads in today’s digital environment, how audiences respond, and what journalism educators and practitioners can do in response.
SACOMM 2025: building a community of collaboration and creativity
The recently concluded 2025 South African Communication Conference (SACOMM) in Gqeberha has been hailed as a resounding success, having brought together more than 130 delegates from across South Africa and beyond. For the Local Organising Committee (LOC) chair, Dr. Janelle Vermaak-Griessel, the highlight of the conference was the strong sense of community enjoyed throughout the event.
EACA Conference tackles challenges and Opportunities for media and communication in East Africa
The recently concluded East African Communication Association (EACA) conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, brought together over 300 delegates from across East Africa and beyond to deliberate on the role of media in African integration, the future of journalism education and the growing impact of digital technologies on the continent.
AJEN 2025 Roundtable
Preparations are well underway for the fourth Roundtable meeting of the African Journalism Education Network (AJEN) to take place at the University of Media, Arts and Communication, Institute of Journalism (UniMAC, IJ), Accra, Ghana, on 3-5 September 2025. Various speakers have been lined up to discuss various issues affecting journalism education on the continent.
Words that Wound: How African media reports on sexual violence – and why it should change
Contemporary media plays a crucial societal role in educating, informing, and entertaining, but coverage of sexual violence carries added responsibility. Media framing shapes public understanding, influencing beliefs, attitudes, and victim-blaming. Activists like Mbali Shongwe emphasise centering survivors’ voices to humanise statistics, while guidelines urge journalists to report ethically, sensitively, and responsibly. Insensitive coverage risks retraumatising survivors, perpetuating myths, and normalising sexual violence, highlighting the need for media accountability and survivor-centered reporting.
Professor Agyemang Calls for Balanced Integration of Non-Journalism Experts in Journalism Faculties
Professor Joseph Kwasi Agyemang, Professor of Accounting Sciences at the University of South Africa (UNISA) and the University of Eswatini, has stated that the inclusion of non-journalism professionals in journalism faculties can have both positive and negative implications on the quality of journalism training, depending on how these individuals are integrated into the curriculum.
Wave of coups in Africa: How are German media reporting on the coups in Niger and Gabon?
In 2023, a coup overthrew the government in Niger, followed shortly thereafter by a coup in Gabon: an indication of the fragile security situation in many African countries, which is also being discussed in Western media. Reports from Africa correspondents of selected German-language media outlets and news magazines provide insight into the international community’s reactions to both coups.
Bogus journalism schools threaten democratic development
Across Africa, the demand for quality journalism education is rising rapidly, yet journalism schools are unable to keep pace. In several African countries, public universities offering journalism programmes are often overcrowded, underfunded and constrained by outdated curricula.
Historic Adwa Museum to host EACA 2025
The Adwa Victory Memorial Museum in Addis Ababa is preparing to welcome African media and communication scholars to the 15th edition of the East African Communication Association (EACA) conference, scheduled for 27-29 August 2025.