Africa's media, democracy and the politics of belonging

AFRICA'S MEDIA, DEMOCRACY AND THE
POLITICS OF BELONGING

Francis B. Nyamnjoh

ZED BOOKS ADVANCE INFORMATION

Paperback Price £18.95/$25.00

Paperback ISBN 1 84277 583 9

Hardback Price £60.00/$85.00

Hardback ISBN 1 84277 582 0

Format Metric Demy

Extent 320pp

Release Date May 2005

Features Notes Bibliography Index

Library Categories African Studies Media Studies

Rights All

KEY POINTS

• An overview of the press and mass media in Africa today and their contribution to democratization

• Draws on a detailed original case study of the media in Cameroon

• Stimulating material for courses in media and communication studies, and African Studies

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE BOOK

This exploration of the role of the mass media in promoting democracy and empowering civil society in Africa reaches some startling conclusions. Francis Nyamnjoh contextualizes Africa within the rapidly changing global media, shows how patterns of media ownership and state control have evolved and the huge difficulties facing most African media workers. Drawing on the example of Cameroon, he explores the question of media ethics and professionalism in Africa, and the important roles that rumour and political satire have played as sources of information and opinion formation. He argues that African governments have done very little to encourage independent media, but that the media must also share some of the blame.

'.. raises the level of the debate on the media and the democratization agenda in Africa to a very high level .. a "must" text.' - Cecil Blake, Chair, Africana Studies Department, University of Pittsburgh

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

FRANCIS B. NYAMNJOH is associate professor of sociology and head of publications and communications with the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA).. His books include Negotiating an Anglophone Identity (Brill, 2003) and Rights and the Politics of Recognition in Africa (Zed Books, 2004).

Zed Books, 7 Cynthia Street, London N1 9JF, UK Tel: +44 (0)20 7837 8466 Fax: +44 (0)20 7833 3960
Email: [email][email protected] Website: - James Ferguson, Department of Cultural and Social Anthropology, Stanford University

'Nyamnjoh's analysis innovatively develops a new conceptual framework in assessing studies on, and the state of, African media and how people use them. His theoretical achievement is to critique African essentialism on the one hand, while developing an indigenised critical theory on the other. He speaks from Africa, about Africa, in an engagement with Western theory, assumptions and policies. This study is a breakthrough.'
- Keyan G. Tomaselli, University of KwaZulu-Natal and President, South African Communication Association

'Nyamnjoh's book is a worthwhile addition to the growing body of knowledge on African communication and politics. It is creatively rendered in a descriptive and critical style that combines the anthropologist's eyes for patterned behaviour and the journalist's nose for social criticism. The result is a delicious rendition on the complex role of communication in democracy. This should be required reading in journalism, political science, and sociology.'
- Charles Okigbo, Department of Communication, North Dakota State University
'This latest work by Professor Francis Nyamnjoh raises the level of the debate on the media and the democratization agenda in Africa to a very high level with perceptive and insightful analysis of the problematic. The work is informed, detailed, useful, and meaningful. It serves as an outstanding contribution and source for scholars, professionals and top-level decision makers in the area of media and democracy in Africa. It is a "must" text for all students of mass media and development in Africa.'
- Cecil Blake, Chair, Africana Studies Department, University of Pittsburgh

'Well written -- a must read. This book presents a detailed analysis of the role and place of Africa's media in its search for democratisation and cultural identities. Francis Nyamnjoh is neither apologetic nor defensive about the major problems Africa faces. Contrary to many of his compatriots, he doesn't join the Western power-bashers either. In a well-documented and balanced way Nyamnjoh advocates genuine communication and democracy in a broad and participatory sense. This book should be core reading for anyone with an interest in Africa.'
- Prof. Jan Servaes, Editor-in-Chief, Communication for Development and Social Change: The Global Journal;Head of School of Journalism and Communication, University of Queensland, Australia

Contents
1. In the Name of Democracy: The Press and Its Predicaments
2. Media Ethics, Professionalism and Training in Africa
3. Multiparty Politics in Cameroon
4. The Official Media, Belonging and Democratisation
5. The Legal Framework and the Private Press
6. Professionalism and Ethics in the Private Press in Cameroon
7. Creative Appropriation of ICTs, Rumour, Press Cartoons and Politics
8. Liberal Democracy: Victim of a Partisan and Ethnic Press
9. Communication Policies in Africa: Lessons from the West
Notes Bibliography Index 320 pp BIC:/GTBH/JP/JB/JP
African Studies | Political Science | Sociology and Social Policy
Dr Francis B. Nyamnjoh is Associate Professor of Sociology and Head of Publications and Communications with the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA).
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