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A Guide to Reporting on Africa with Integrity

What kinds of ethical dilemmas do journalists navigate while covering
Africa for primarily Western audiences?

How can journalists do a better job of reporting on Africa without perpetuating
harmful narratives about the communities who live there?

And what actions should Western newsrooms take
to address institutional barriers which disproportionately impact
African journalists and media professionals?

These are some of the questions which motivated me to begin interviewing journalists with lived experiences covering various parts of East Africa for international news organizations, including many based in the United States.

Despite coming from a range of identities and backgrounds, the journalists I interviewed agreed that African journalists and media professionals face disproportionate barriers of access when compared to Western colleagues.

Many journalists also shared personal accounts of encountering dilemmas which do not neatly overlay with the ethical frameworks Western news organizations have traditionally relied on.

This guide is compiled from their observations and lived experiences. Please note that all but one journalist requested anonymity, citing fears of professional or political repercussions.

At its core, this reporting project is a exploration of the interactions, relationships and power dynamics which shape Western news organizations’ coverage of Africa.

Through this work, I hope to recognize the labor African journalists and media professionals have done, often without institutional recognition, to steer Western newsrooms toward more ethical and accurate representations of Africa.