Carol Azungi Dralega – författare

As the global COVID-19 pandemic that broke out over two years ago is showing signs of relenting, and the world’s attention draws towards yet another military conflict in Ukraine, the roles of crisis communication and media research couldn’t be more critical. These roles, particularly in a post-truth and post-COVID era, call for new knowledge and enlightenment around discourses on: the infodemic of misinformation, information and communication rights, the role of online social networks, critical media literacy and the changes occuring in media and journalism ecosystems. 

Drawing on the region’s distinct geo-political, economic, socio-cultural and technological contexts, COVID-19 and the Media in Sub-Saharan Africa brings together diverse interdisciplinary and multi-country perspectives, innovative methodologies as well rigorous theoretical and empirical analyses. The volume helps us deconstruct COVID-19 discourses on crisis communication and media developments focusing on three areas: Media viability, Framing and Health crisis communication. The chapters unpack issues on marginalisation, gender, media sustainability, credibility, priming, trust, sources, behavioural change, mental health, (mis)information, vaccine hesitancy and myths and more.

Ultimately, this volume roots for sustainable and quality journalism, human (information and communication) rights, commitment to truth and efficacious (health) crisis communication. It is an excellent resource for academics, media industry, Journalism and media students, public health communication specialists, policy and advocacy groups in the region and globally.

As the global COVID-19 pandemic that broke out over two years ago is showing signs of relenting, and the world’s attention draws towards yet another military conflict in Ukraine, the roles of crisis communication and media research couldn’t be more critical. These roles, particularly in a post-truth and post-COVID era, call for new knowledge and enlightenment around discourses on: the infodemic of misinformation, information and communication rights, the role of online social networks, critical media literacy and the changes occuring in media and journalism ecosystems. 

Drawing on the region’s distinct geo-political, economic, socio-cultural and technological contexts, COVID-19 and the Media in Sub-Saharan Africa brings together diverse interdisciplinary and multi-country perspectives, innovative methodologies as well rigorous theoretical and empirical analyses. The volume helps us deconstruct COVID-19 discourses on crisis communication and media developments focusing on three areas: Media viability, Framing and Health crisis communication. The chapters unpack issues on marginalisation, gender, media sustainability, credibility, priming, trust, sources, behavioural change, mental health, (mis)information, vaccine hesitancy and myths and more.

Ultimately, this volume roots for sustainable and quality journalism, human (information and communication) rights, commitment to truth and efficacious (health) crisis communication. It is an excellent resource for academics, media industry, Journalism and media students, public health communication specialists, policy and advocacy groups in the region and globally.

AI, robots, algorithms, and data/metrics are pervasive throughout the media industry, increasingly dictating and rapidly changing journalistic and newsroom practices, cultures, and norms - from editorial agenda setting to news production processes, to audience and advertiser targeting. Social media platforms in particular have been at the core of the AI and algorithmic turn, offering real-time consumer analytics and newsfeeds for insatiable and borderless digital citizens. The algorithms within these platforms make them powerful news aggregators, redirecting consumer habits and advertisers, making them vital in the journalism practice and media viability across the globe.

Despite this, there is a shortage of scholarship on AI, algorithms and data-driven journalism from the global South, and especially in Sub-Saharan African contexts. Digitisation, AI and Algorithms in African Journalism and Media Contexts moves the focus from the West, addressing the significant knowledge gaps relating to the current state of AI, algorithms and data-driven journalism, as well as the implications for political, social, cultural, markets, media viability and journalism education.

This timely collection offers new knowledge on key issues surrounding automation and data-driven media and journalism practice in post-truth, post-human and post-Covid African contexts. It is a vital resource for researchers, educators, media students, academics, advocacy groups, media practitioners, developers and policy makers, both in African countries and internationally.

AI, robots, algorithms, and data/metrics are pervasive throughout the media industry, increasingly dictating and rapidly changing journalistic and newsroom practices, cultures, and norms - from editorial agenda setting to news production processes, to audience and advertiser targeting. Social media platforms in particular have been at the core of the AI and algorithmic turn, offering real-time consumer analytics and newsfeeds for insatiable and borderless digital citizens. The algorithms within these platforms make them powerful news aggregators, redirecting consumer habits and advertisers, making them vital in the journalism practice and media viability across the globe.

Despite this, there is a shortage of scholarship on AI, algorithms and data-driven journalism from the global South, and especially in Sub-Saharan African contexts. Digitisation, AI and Algorithms in African Journalism and Media Contexts moves the focus from the West, addressing the significant knowledge gaps relating to the current state of AI, algorithms and data-driven journalism, as well as the implications for political, social, cultural, markets, media viability and journalism education.

This timely collection offers new knowledge on key issues surrounding automation and data-driven media and journalism practice in post-truth, post-human and post-Covid African contexts. It is a vital resource for researchers, educators, media students, academics, advocacy groups, media practitioners, developers and policy makers, both in African countries and internationally.