The African Media Initiative
Unifying the Global African Media Voice
African media has an important role to play in Africa’s development at this critical juncture in world history at a time when the continent’s role in world affairs is more important than ever. With its abundance of resources, burgeoning, youthful population and growing strategic, geopolitical importance, Africa stands at the center of the world with EVERY country endeavoring to determine how best it can benefit from relations with the continent. With the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTRA) — now the world’s largest economic bloc, the dismantling of long-standing obstacles to intra-Africa trade and the re-establishment of the free flow of people, goods and services, Africa is set for a new wave of prosperity but needs an empowered, competent, stable media to make the most of the opportunities of the times. The African Media Initiative (AMI) is focused on that goal.
Mission
CEO Eric Chinje’s comments on “Straight Talk Africa” in 2014 are just as relevant today
The African Media Initiative (AMI) is the continent’s largest umbrella organization of African media owners in the private sector. AMI’s overall mission is to strengthen the media sector from an owner and operator perspective so that it plays its full role in promoting democratic governance, social development, economic growth and empowering citizens to hold governments and other institutions accountable.
The immediate mission of AMI right now is “Unifying the Global African Media Voice.” In the same way that African countries can pool together to gain bargaining power and the benefits of economies of scale, the voices of African media (print, radio, television, online and social), coming together and connecting with media sources throughout the African diaspora, can magnify attention, propagate awareness and mobilize action on topics and issues relevant to people on the continent and in the diaspora.
Core Pillars
Access To Funding • Tech Adaptation • Open Data • Ethics
African media has an important role to play in Africa’s development at this critical juncture in world history at a time when the continent’s role in world affairs is more important than ever. With its abundance of resources, burgeoning, youthful population and growing strategic, geopolitical importance, Africa stands at the center of the world with EVERY country endeavoring to determine how best it can benefit from relations with the continent. With the establishment of the African continental free Trade Area (AfCTRA) — now the world’s largest economic bloc, the dismantling of long-standing obstacles to intra-Africa trade and the re-establishment of the free flow of people, goods, and services, Africa is set for a new wave of prosperity but needs an empowered, competent, stable media to make the most of the opportunities of the times. The African Media Initiative (AMI) is performing this role.
The African Media Leaders Forum
Using AMI’s convening power, the African Media Leaders Forum (AMLF) was established to generate ideas and action plans on the critical interventions required to ensure media sustainability. The event gathers more than 500 media leaders, members of civil society, government officials, ad agency execs, media research firms, educators, students and others stakeholders. AMI also organizes strategic forums focusing on key sectors like the extractive industries and convenes stakeholders and experts to explore solutions in those arenas.
Access to Funding
In order for media companies to fulfill their missions they have to stay in business. Sustainability is critical in an increasingly competitive and rapidly-changing media landscape. AMI conducted a series of financial proficiency workshops for C-level executives at small to medium-sized media firms addressing changing business models and exploring financing options. AMI also supported film finance summits working with the Pan African Federation of Filmmakers.
Technological Adaptation
AMI played an important role in the continent’s transition from analogue to digital television broadcasting. AMI organized training workshops around the continent and global video conferences in partnership with the African Telecommunications Union, bringing experts from countries that already completed the transition to share best practices. In addition, a partnership with the International Center for Journalists, AMI published a guide for African television station managers used by broadcast regulators in every African country.
Open Data
From accelerating economic growth to ensuring government accountability, open data can benefit citizens, organizations and governments. For media businesses, it is important for media houses to develop an understanding of how open data can be used to enhance reporting and to create visualizations that help audiences grasp complicated issues. It also enhances media businesses’ ability to better understand potential markets and build new products. AMI has worked with media houses to establish new data-driven revenue streams.
Ethics
The African Media Initiative has contributed to the body of knowledge on media ethics with its seminal publication, Leadership Principles and Guidelines for Media Leaders and Managers, commonly referred to as LGP. The guidelines contextualise business ethics in the newsroom, calling attention to the need to focus as much on profits as on staff welfare, health and development, freedom of association, safety and protection. The LGP sits neatly alongside principles such as those enunciated by the UN Global Compact, the Ethical Journalism Network and, to a significant extent, intra-national labour laws. AMI also has developed ethical guidelines for covers of disease epidemics like Ebola.
