African Communication Research: Media and Democratisation in Africa

African Communication Research is a peer-reviewed journal which seeks to help bring African communication researchers into dialogue and debate about their common efforts with the aim to strengthen African theories and methods around communication for development. It is published three times a year by the Faculty of Social Sciences and Communications at St. Augustine University of Tanzania, Mwanza, Tanzania.

The focus of this issue is on "media and democratisation in Africa". It contains the following contributions:

Review Article: The Role of Media in Democratic Governance in Africa - by Robert A. White

Abstract: "There is widespread consensus that a major obstacle to development in Africa is bad governance and the lack of control by the public over governance through elections and influence on parliamentary and administrative decisions. In democratic theory the public gains information necessary to evaluate and control governance largely through the media. The present article reviews and summarises the research that evaluates how effective the media in Africa have been in political education of the public, building interest in and identification with the nation state, representing the interests of the public in the political arena, leading the public in a debate on major political decisions, becoming involved with elections and major political decisions and then helping the public to critically evaluate the implementation and administration of legislation."

A Critical Overview of Media Research in South Africa: Communication, Democracy and Transformation - by Keyan Tomaselli and David Nothling

Abstract: "The key media research themes in the context of democratisation in South Africa include transformation of power structures, resistance to change and black economic empowerment. The political economy and histories of print and broadcasting have been extensively studied, supported by analysis of regulatory and policy issues in the five journals and other numerous publications in the field of communication in South Africa. This article will briefly sketch the main analytical trajectories of past and current research regarding South African media and democratisation."

Investigative Journalism and Democratization in Nigeria - by Vitalis Torwell

Abstract: "Neo-patrimonial regimes in Nigeria have been forced by international pressure and domestic public opinion to give at least the appearance of the rule of law to legitimise their corrupt patronage and maintain public support for their inefficient and unjust governance. The Nigerian news magazines such as Newswatch and Tell have developed investigative reporting methods and discursive strategies to reveal the lack of constitutional legitimacy of this dishonest governance, delegitimate these coverups and rally public opinion to support civil society organisations such as the labour unions. In the specific issue of petrol prices the public pressure brought former President Obasanjo to back down from attempts to override legislative assemblies and the judiciary."

Journalism Research and Democracy Moving out of Western Orbit - by Beate Josephi

Abstract: "As the news institution develops in non-Western socio-political contexts, normative theories of good journalism and journalism education are changing from the earlier Western models. Although journalism practice continues to be a challenge to political accountability in various socio-cultural contexts, the journalism-democracy paradigm that has developed in the West during the 20th Century may not be the best model for normative theory of journalism and journalism research in new, globalising political realities. Journalism research needs to expand its understanding of the normative relationship of journalism and responsible exercise of political power."

Public Confidence in Media Reporting of Elections: A Step Backward in Nigeria - by Peter Esuh

Abstract: "This article reports a study of three aspects of the 2007 national elections in Nigeria: (1) the active intimidation of the media in opposition by the ruling PDP party, (2) the balance and fairness of the coverage of the various parties by print and broadcast media and (3) a national survey of the publics' confidence in the fairness of the reporting toward the various parties. The results show that the public in Nigeria sees the independent media as relatively fair, but clearly perceived the bias toward the incumbent PDP party in the state-controlled broadcast media and attributed this to the irresponsible and anti-democratic control of the state media by the governing elite of Nigeria. The public does not think that journalists enjoyed freedom to report the elections, but also distrust the ethics of journalists in affirming their freedom."