International Media and Respect for Journalism Standards in Reporting Africa Crisis

Good day Dear PW VOF Sisters, as you all know, many of our leaders (Africans especially) say, the international media community (CNN, BBC, NY Time etc) is biased in reporting on Africa issues. For instance, in Zimbabwe 2008, just the time Zim was experience severe economic crisis and also a post-election violence, President Mugabe accused the ‘Western Media’ for propagating unfair information about the Cholera outbreak, while in 2010/ 2011 then President Gbagbo of Cote D’Ivoire made a statement condemning western media exaggeration in reporting on the 2010 post-elections violence etc.

Besides politicians condemnation to most western media, other civil society agencies have also condemned western medias' unfair and inaccurate information sharing about Africa.

But where I am confused is – almost all journalists and journalism institutions abide strongly to the fundamental values of good journalism: Accuracy, Impartiality and Fairness. This VOF training has even highlighted without comprise, to any form of unethical practices. And that truth is essential and central to any journalistic works. That the role of the media is to look for the truth, reports based on facts and evidence.

So, I wish to know to what extent is a news report seen to be accurate, faired and impartial drawing example from the aforementioned African cases (and many). Better still, any context of interest.

Thanks