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.
Climate change: Deserted land in journalism education
A 2024 joint study by the African Journalism Education Network and the European Journalism Observatory uncover a starling gap: that climate change reporting is missing from 64% of journalism curricula globally, leaving journalists underprepared for critical coverage.
Guide to online privacy for journalists
Journalists spend countless hours online, exposing themselves to cyber threats that could compromise their safety and the confidentiality of their sources. In the Ultimate Guide to Online Privacy for Journalists, cybersecurity writer RF Lucca highlights these dangers, including data theft, blackmail, and breaches of anonymity.
Zimbabwean journalism fraternity to discuss AI
The Zimbabwe Journalism Educators Network, an affiliate of AJEN, will host a conference in Masvingo from March 26–28 2025, focusing on “Journalism Practice and Journalism Education in Zimbabwe in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.” With AI tools like Alice and Vusi reshaping Zimbabwean newsrooms, ZIJEN has invited papers to explore their impact on news production, distribution, and audience engagement.
AJEN speaks at AWIM 2024
The African Journalism Educators Network proudly participated in the 2024 annual conference for African Women in the Media, Africa’s leading gathering of women changemakers in media. Held at the Pullman Hotel in Dakar, Senegal, the conference centered on the theme “Media and Sustainability.”
Professor Carol Azungi Dralega on AI, Covid and the Classroom
The rapid transformation of journalism in the digital age demands a re-evaluation of education, practice and ethical frameworks. Few understand this better than Professor Carol Azungi Dralega, whose work bridges the fields of digitisation, artificial intelligence (AI) and African journalism. Her latest edited book, Digitisation, AI, and Algorithms in African Journalism and Media Contexts, tackles the implications of technological advancements on the African media landscape in the contributions of twenty researchers, academics and practitioners from Africa and Europe.
Norwegian funding agency criticised for budget cuts
The African Journalism Education Network has joined the chorus of criticism of the recent Norpart funding circle which left several applicants unhappy following a drastic reduction of the budget.
Rhodes University hosts an education journalism think tank
The Rhodes University School of Journalism and Media Studies and the Binding Constraints Lab have convened an education journalism think tank “to critically evaluate the current scope, quality, approach and impact of journalism and other forms of communication about education and develop some concrete and actionable plans for the future.”
New Publications in December
Explore our December list of new publications that explore various facets of digital media, communication, social dynamics and other areas related to the African communications and media studies research community. These works cover a variety of topics from the rise of digital and influencer marketing, Nigerian adolescents’ engagement with digital media and research on AI’s impact in Ghana’s public relations sector to social media activism and sports communication.
WJEC congress moved to San Francisco
The 7th World Journalism Education Congress will now be held in San Francisco, in the United States of America, on 8-10 August 2025. The congress which was to be held in Perth, Australia has been moved to the US owing to logistical considerations.
Uptake of the Erasmus+ funding not lacking
The Erasmus+ Networking Forum seeks to correct the impression that the uptake of the available funding was lacking. This follows an article in University World News on 10 October 2024, which reported on a meeting held by the fund in Nairobi on 12-13 September.
Journalism educators and students join forces
The Journalism Students Network of Africa has joined the African Journalism Education Network. The move brings together teachers and students, both working to improve the teaching of journalism on the African continent.
What should a war journalist know? Israeli experts reveal the secrets of the profession
What should journalists know? This question has been bothering the media community for a long time. Is it enough for journalists to have only professional skills, or do they need additional knowledge? This is exactly what a new study by Israeli scientists from Ben-Gurion University, which they recently presented at the 10th ECREA European Communication Conference in Ljubljana, is about.
EJO @ECREA: Exchange between research, practice and students
How can closer collaboration between researchers, students and practitioners in the field of journalism strengthen the industry? The European Journalism Observatory (EJO) has been operating at this interface for 20 years. To mark this year’s anniversary, representatives from all three groups came together to discuss current challenges, research results and solutions.
New Publications in November
Explore our November list of new publications that highlight a variety of aspects related to the African communications and media studies research community. These works cover a variety of topics from epistemic rights in the digital age, indigenous language podcasting, Stuart Hall’s visual arts influence, apartheid-era railway mobility in South Africa and media freedom erosion in Ghana.
Somali Media Women Association on transforming the media landscape
In Somalia, where media has historically been influenced by patriarchal norms and war, the Somali Media Women Association (SOMWA) is a unique force for change. Maryan Seylac, the organisation’s founder and executive director, is devoted to promoting women’s rights and representation in Somali journalism while supporting an ethical and truthful media environment.