Africa’s media under-resourced, under-funded – World Bank conference shows

The media in Africa is facing numerous challenges including lack of resources, human and infrastructure and funding. These issues came out during a video conference organised by the World Bank with media practitioners across the continent Monday September 5, 2011.

The conference was organised by the Bank to discuss how the media in Africa can provide more coverage of development challenges and opportunities in a way that influences the policy choices of governments make on the continent, as well look out for opportunities for partnerships with the World Bank’s communications team on development issues.

The World Bank’s Vice President for Africa, Ms. Obiageli Ezekwesili admitted during the conference that the Bank doesn’t have all the answers to the continent’s challenges, as well as the challenges the continent’s media is facing and “that’s why we are engaging people.”

Media practitioners from Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Rwanda, Cameroon, South Africa, Senegal, Guinea, Tanzania, Mali, Zambia and Burkina Faso were connected via video to share their experiences. The challenge, however, that cuts across the continent’s media is lack of financial resources.

The issues of training and in-depth analysis were seen as lacking in media across the continent.

The polarisation of the media as public and private also came to the fore.

By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi