Live From Africa: A Handbook for African Radio Journalists

This handbook, published by the Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR), is a practical, hands-on manual designed to help local journalists in societies undergoing major crisis and change. In particular, it is written for radio journalists working in Africa. According to the IWPR, "Africa is, in terms of development, now the most important region in the world - and, in terms of audience reach, radio is by far the most important mass medium in Africa." Its objective is to support journalists to achieve high international standards of accuracy, objectivity and impartiality.

The handbook outlines the core internationally recognised standards of journalism and provides essential guidance on many of the basic techniques of reporting. It reviews reporting on general, political, and human rights issues. It has sections on location recording and computer-based audio editing. It provides guidance on safety and security and on sensitive reporting in conflict areas, as well as on libel issues. Developed out of the radio journalism workshops that were run as part of IWPR’s Uganda Radio Network project, the handbook also reviews the particular requirements for reporting for IWPR.

Each chapter provides exercises, discussion sections and further references. The handbook can be used either on its own or in coordination with an international trainer.

The contents include:

• Why be a journalist?
• International standards
• What makes news and how is it reported on radio
• Story sourcing
• Building the story
• Interviewing
• Writing for radio
• Voicing and presentation
• Programming
• Introduction to libel
• Election Reporting
• Human rights and journalism
• Journalist safety
• Reporting for IWPR
• Field recording techniques
• Introduction to digital editing
• Appendix 1 - glossary of radio terms
• Appendix 2 - International News Safety Institute safety code
• Appendix 3 - the I-River MP3 player/recorder