Media Accountability and Corruption in Africa

Ufuoma Akpojivi is an independent researcher and research fellow at the University of South Africa, South Africa.Tendai Chari is an Associate Professor and a National Research Foundation (NRF) C1 rated researcher at the University of Venda, South Africa.

• ForewordProf. Kwame KarikariIntroductory Chapter: Media and Corruption in Africa: Between the Watchdog and the EnablerUfuoma Akpojivi and Tendai ChariSECTION I: Media Representation of CorruptionChapter 1: The Racialization of Corruption in South Africa: A Case Study of News24Dr Aiseng Kealeboga and Ms Lethabo NgoashengChapter 2: Unmasking Mozambique: Media Narratives on CorruptionProf Dercio Tsandzana Chapter 3: (Re)imagining Discourses of Political Corruption in the Malawian NewspaperDr Victor ChikaipaSECTION II: Media Corruption and AccountabilityChapter 4: After the Satchwell Report into Ethical Breaches in the South African Media: Now What?Prof Glenda Daniels Chapter 5: Commissioned Investigative Reporting and Accountability in Africa: A Zimbabwean Case StudyProf Tendai Chari Chapter 6: Media and the Fight Against Corruption in Cameroon: Roles, Challenges, and Faults in Exposing the CDC Land-Grabbing Saga 2014-2021 Prof Kingsley Ngange, Prof. Stephen Moki and Prof. Jonas Matute Chapter 7: Southern African Media Council: An Analysis of Media Councils and the Responsiveness to DigitalizationDr Taryn De Vega SECTION III: Media Capture, Social Media and Journalistic Safety Chapter 8: Its’s Our Turn to Eat, Ethnicisation of Corruption: Activism and Fight to Save Nigeria Prof Ufuoma AkpojiviChapter 9: Media as Watchdog: Journalistic Practices and Safety of Media Practitioners in Ghana Dr. Akwasi Bosompem Boateng Chapter 10: The Fourth Estate Under Siege: Political Capture of Media Stalwarts in GhanaDr Jacob Nyarko and Samuel Danso

The chapters in this book articulate well a key role of the media act as watchdogs for the public interest especially on corruption and malfeasance in society. Its coverage of media across the African continent illuminates well the dynamics and complexity of pursuing accountability in the Global South. Yet the book is not a rosy eyed view of the media because it raises the question who will watch the watchdogs for their own corruption that betrays the public trust. In this regard it avoids the often simplistic view of the media as the good guys chasing the corrupt bad guys in society.