6 - African Media and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Agenda for Africa’s Emerging Democracies
Corresponding Author(s) : Oluyinka Esan
Africa Media Review,
Vol. 12 No. 2 (2004): Africa Media Review, Volume 12, n° 2, 2004
Abstract
The paper discusses the peculiar location and roles assigned to media of communication in the democratic ideal. It makes a modest attempt to identify the share of the media in the creation of the problems commonly identified by the leaders in the continent. There is also a critique of the roles assigned to the media on the defined path to recovery. It begins with an examination of the model advanced by Habermas. This is a model based on the Libertarian principles upon which Western societies are founded. The paper identifies some of the contrasts between this Libertarian orientation and other theories of the press, and argues for what should be the ideal role of the media. To this end, it explores the location of the media in the aspirations of New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).
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- Adebanwi, W. (2004) ‘The Press and the politics of Marginal Voices: Narratives of the experiences of the Ogoni of Nigeria’. Media Culture and Society 26(6):763–83.
- Amin, S. (1997) ‘Reflections on the International System’. In Peter Golding and Phil Harris (eds)
- Beyond Cultural Imperialism. London: Sage.
- Ayedun-Aluma, V. S. (1996) ‘The Role of the Press in Promoting Democracy’ in Ismail Ibrahim and Tunde Akanni (eds) The Mass Media and Democracy. Lagos: Civil Liberties Organisation.
- Barnett, T. (1997) ‘States of States and Third Worlds’. In Peter Golding and Phil Harris (eds) Beyond Cultural Imperialism. London: Sage.
- Bourdieu, P. (2000) ‘Introduction to Distinction’. In M J. Lee (ed) The Consumer Society Reader. Oxford: Blackwell.
- Curran, J (2000) ‘Rethinking Media and Democracy’. In James Curran and Michael Gurevitch (eds) Mass Media and Society. London: Arnold.
- Fiske, J. (1996) Media Matters: Race and Gender in US Politics. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
- Golding, P., and Elliot P. (1979) Making the News. London: Longman. Habermas, Jurgen (1996) ‘The Public Sphere’. In Marris, P & Thornham, S, (eds) Media Studies: A reader. Edinburgh: University Press. Pp.
- Hall, S. (1981) ‘Notes on Deconstruction ‘The Popular”. In R. Samuel (ed.) People’s History and Socialist Theory’. London: Routledge.
- Kellner, D. (2003) Media Spectacle. London: Routledge.
- Olukotun, A. (2000) ‘Thoughts on a Media in Transition’. In Lanre Arogundade and Bose Eitokpah (eds) Media in Democracy: Thoughts and Perspectives.
- Lagos: International Press Centre and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung. Pp.Our Common Interest: Report of the Commission for Africa March 2005 http://www.commissionforafrica.org/english/report/intro duction.html (accessed 2005–03–19).
- Sobowale, I. A. (1985) ‘The Historical Development of the Nigerian Press’. In Frank Ugboajah (ed.) Mass Communication Culture and Society in West Africa. Oxford: Hans Zell. Pp.
- The Media, African Union, NEPAD and Democracy (April 2003) address by South African president Thabo Mbeki at SANEF conference http:// www.sarpn.org.za/documents/d0000281/P278 AU NEPAD.pdf (accessed March 22, 2005).
- The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) October 2001 http:// www.nepad.org.ng/PDF/About%20Nepad/nepadEngversion.pdf (accessed 2005–03–14).
- The Ulaanbaatar Declaration, Fifth ICNRD September 2003 http://www.icnrd5- mongolia.mn/ (accessed 2005–03–14).
- Togo: Africa’s Democratic Test case http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/ 4243477.stm (accessed 2005–03–14).
- Ugboajah, F. (1985) ‘Oramedia in Africa’ in (ed) Mass Communication Culture and Society in West Africa. Oxford: Hans Zell.
- UN Platform for Action and the Beijing Declaration (1996) New York United Nations Department of Public Information.
References
Adebanwi, W. (2004) ‘The Press and the politics of Marginal Voices: Narratives of the experiences of the Ogoni of Nigeria’. Media Culture and Society 26(6):763–83.
Amin, S. (1997) ‘Reflections on the International System’. In Peter Golding and Phil Harris (eds)
Beyond Cultural Imperialism. London: Sage.
Ayedun-Aluma, V. S. (1996) ‘The Role of the Press in Promoting Democracy’ in Ismail Ibrahim and Tunde Akanni (eds) The Mass Media and Democracy. Lagos: Civil Liberties Organisation.
Barnett, T. (1997) ‘States of States and Third Worlds’. In Peter Golding and Phil Harris (eds) Beyond Cultural Imperialism. London: Sage.
Bourdieu, P. (2000) ‘Introduction to Distinction’. In M J. Lee (ed) The Consumer Society Reader. Oxford: Blackwell.
Curran, J (2000) ‘Rethinking Media and Democracy’. In James Curran and Michael Gurevitch (eds) Mass Media and Society. London: Arnold.
Fiske, J. (1996) Media Matters: Race and Gender in US Politics. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
Golding, P., and Elliot P. (1979) Making the News. London: Longman. Habermas, Jurgen (1996) ‘The Public Sphere’. In Marris, P & Thornham, S, (eds) Media Studies: A reader. Edinburgh: University Press. Pp.
Hall, S. (1981) ‘Notes on Deconstruction ‘The Popular”. In R. Samuel (ed.) People’s History and Socialist Theory’. London: Routledge.
Kellner, D. (2003) Media Spectacle. London: Routledge.
Olukotun, A. (2000) ‘Thoughts on a Media in Transition’. In Lanre Arogundade and Bose Eitokpah (eds) Media in Democracy: Thoughts and Perspectives.
Lagos: International Press Centre and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung. Pp.Our Common Interest: Report of the Commission for Africa March 2005 http://www.commissionforafrica.org/english/report/intro duction.html (accessed 2005–03–19).
Sobowale, I. A. (1985) ‘The Historical Development of the Nigerian Press’. In Frank Ugboajah (ed.) Mass Communication Culture and Society in West Africa. Oxford: Hans Zell. Pp.
The Media, African Union, NEPAD and Democracy (April 2003) address by South African president Thabo Mbeki at SANEF conference http:// www.sarpn.org.za/documents/d0000281/P278 AU NEPAD.pdf (accessed March 22, 2005).
The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) October 2001 http:// www.nepad.org.ng/PDF/About%20Nepad/nepadEngversion.pdf (accessed 2005–03–14).
The Ulaanbaatar Declaration, Fifth ICNRD September 2003 http://www.icnrd5- mongolia.mn/ (accessed 2005–03–14).
Togo: Africa’s Democratic Test case http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/ 4243477.stm (accessed 2005–03–14).
Ugboajah, F. (1985) ‘Oramedia in Africa’ in (ed) Mass Communication Culture and Society in West Africa. Oxford: Hans Zell.
UN Platform for Action and the Beijing Declaration (1996) New York United Nations Department of Public Information.