http://www.africafiles.org/ AfricaFiles is a network of volunteers committed to promoting African perspectives and alternative analyses for human rights and economic justice in Africa. en-ca Copyright 2010 AfricaFiles. Wed, 08 Sep 2010 08:56 EST 20 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=24297 Test Media Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=24297 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=24293 The World Association of Newspapers includes Africa’s leading press freedom advocates. WAN met in Kenya this week to support the Declaration of Table Mountain, a freedom of expression campaign organised by WAN-IFRA to repeal criminal defamation and insult laws across the continent... "We have now made a strong commitment to encourage those African leaders who believe in a free press, and ultimately economic and social development, to sign the Declaration", said Omar Belhouchet, a member of the steering committee. In many countries , such as Angola journalists have been tried and convicted for criticizing the President or the king or even the government on charges of defamation. JK for Mathilde Kpalla, Lome Togo, new Media section co-editor. Welcome. Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=24293 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=24277 It is not yet Uhuru (freedom)in Zimbabwe. FG/CJW ed. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=24277 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=24254 " Mutharika threatened to close newspapers that report critically about his administration after the private weeklies Malawi News and Weekend Nation cited a regional agency’s report forecasting food shortages in the country, local journalists told CPJ." JK Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=24254 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=24020 An eye for an eye makes the world blind. Here is a writer trying to see reason amidst chaotic emotion. Is it really worth it to kill your neighbour because they are immigrants? M.Makoni Tue, 13 Jul 2010 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=24020 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=24010 The International Press Institute as part of its Campaigns and Advocacy program has given an International Award as WORLD PRESS FREEDOM HERO to Pap Saine of the Gambia. He co-founded the independent newspaper, The Point, in 1991; and, since the tragic murder of Deyda Hydara, Pap Saine has continued to lead The Point newspaper with courage and integrity," said IPI Director David Dadge. "I am proud to announce Pap Saine as IPI’s 58th World Press Freedom Hero because despite arrests, imprisonment, and the loss of his friend has Pap Saine has continued to fight for press freedom. JK Mon, 12 Jul 2010 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=24010 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=23997 Africa urgently needs a strong, free, and independent press to act as a watchdog over public institutions. Widespread use of insult laws and criminal defamation hinders the press from playing this crucial role and journalists are punished for doing so. The Declaration of Table Mountain, a media industry call, challenges African heads of state to repeal insult and criminal defamation laws and place a free press higher on their political agenda. DN Sat, 10 Jul 2010 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=23997 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=23920 Researchers, academics, activists, journalists, and policy makers together to discuss whether and how new media empower an alternative politics and mobilise political change. Presentations may be via Skype, podcasts, slideshows, short films, or posters. Potential topics include the use of mobile phone cameras, blogging, text messaging, online social networking, and video activism to organise demonstrations, monitor elections, make demands upon government, and connect activists. DN Sun, 27 Jun 2010 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=23920 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=23848 Since Christianity began, there has never been a time when Christians have not struggled to live out God’s mission for all. The same is true of ecumenism’s quest for unity. While tensions between various expressions of Christianity remain, it is possible for diverse Christian groups to come together as stakeholders in an event like Edinburgh 2010. These two reports complement each other to report on the ongoing quest to identify a meaningful, contemporary expression of God’s mission in Christ that unites all Christians of every race, tribe, language and nation. B.T. Sun, 13 Jun 2010 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=23848 http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=23799 "An unknown multimedia group, Media Investments, made up of what Reuters believes are Angolan shareholders has in one swoop bought out Semanario Angolense and its publication by the same name, the newspaper A Capital and 40% of the Jornal Novo newspaper. These are the three newspapers that have become known for reporting on government corruption. As part of the process, Semanario Angolense founder/ director/ editor-in-chief Graça Campos is prohibited from creating another newspaper...Graça Campos and Semanario Angolense have been a vocal critic of the government, exposing massive corruption by the government establishment’s leading individuals. Rafael Maques, who used to contribute to the newspaper, will no longer be allowed to do so. The move comes at a times when the top structures of the public media are going through a reshuffling process." from an informed source: see below the article for further comment*. JK. Mon, 07 Jun 2010 00:00 EST http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=23799