Soul Beat Africa

• SUPPORTING MEDIA DEVELOPMENT - evaluating impact of media assistance, and assessments of media environments in Africa...
• THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA in HIV prevention and child rights...
• GUIDES AND RESOURCES to support journalists reporting on a range of development challenges...

• 1. Evaluating the Impacts of Media Assistance: Problems and Principles [January, 2015] By Jessica Noske-Turner"While some form of evaluation has always been a requirement of development projects, in the media assistance field this has predominantly been limited to very basic modes of counting outputs, such as the number of journalists trained or the number of articles produced on a topic. Few media assistance evaluations manage to provide sound evidence of impacts on governance and social change." This paper suggests that the problem of impact evaluation of media assistance should be understood to be more than a simple issue of methods. We need to look at how donor interests and bureaucratic systems shape evaluation practices, and how the continuities in the positioning of media assistance goals and objectives influences evaluation design.
  
• 2. So This is Democracy? State of Media Freedom and Freedom of Expression in Southern Africa [2015]This is an annual publication produced by the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) to record and reflect on incidents of media freedom violations in the previous year. The publication is based on daily monitoring, research, and analysis gathered in the 11 Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) countries where MISA operates. The theme for the 2015 edition is "photojournalists under fire."
  
• 3. African Media Barometer [2005 - ongoing]The African Media Barometer (AMB) is designed to be an in-depth and comprehensive description and measurement system for national media environments on the African continent. It seeks to guide organisations working in media development and can serve as a practical lobbying tool for media reform.
  

• 4. HIV and Stigma: The Media Challenge [September, 2014]By Sophie ChalkThis report provides an overview of media initiatives that seek to reduce HIV-related stigma and explores what works and what doesn't. As stated in the report, "the media has a key role to play in challenging ignorance, prejudice, and fear, while also providing accessible information to support people in accessing sexual and reproductive health and HIV services."
  
• 5. Engaging Local Media in VMMC Scale-Up: A Case Study from Kenya [October, 2013]By Ida Jooste, Silas Achar, Nicholas Mbugua, and Elizabeth GoldThis case study discusses how media can play a positive role in promoting voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) as part of HIV prevention efforts, or can have a negative influence by fueling fears and discouraging VMMC through sensationalist, inaccurate, or negative coverage. The study documents the experience of engaging with the media during VMMC rollout to Kenya's traditionally non-circumcising communities, highlighting the lessons learned, to assist other countries in their VMMC scale-up efforts.
  
• 6. Protecting the Rights of Children: The Role of the Media - Lessons from India, Kenya and Brazil [2014]By Susan Angle, Thomas Baerthlein, Neeti Daftari, Brice Rambaud, and Niousha RoshaniFrom Internews Europe, this report summarises research in Kenya, India, and Brazil "to understand how to harness the power of traditional media (TV, newspapers, and radio) and new media (Internet and mobile phones) to amplify the voices of advocates and children, improve media coverage and transform child protection." The research report seeks to "understand current media practices and how media intersect with youth and advocates' voices to form an 'information ecosystem' that can hinder or help child rights protection".
  
• 7. The Role of Media in Child Protection: Challenges and Opportunities in Uganda: Baseline Survey Report on Media and Child Protection in Uganda [September, 2013]This report discusses findings of a study exploring child protection in the media in Uganda. The study examined the policy and legal environment, media coverage, and the relationship between civil society organisations, government, and media as it relates to child protection. The research is intended to provide baseline data for the "Strengthening Media Agency for Child Protection" project being implemented by Panos Eastern Africa.
  

• 8. A Journalist's Toolkit: Reporting on the Post-2015 Development Agenda [2014]By Christine Warwick and David ThomasThis toolkit is intended for journalists who are covering, or would like to cover, stories relating to sustainable development and the design and implementation proposed for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and related framework of policies. It has been prepared to help clarify background issues and provide some international facts and figures to guide journalists reporting on the post-Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) agenda and the proposed SDGs.
  
• 9. Sex Workers and Sex Work in South Africa: A Guide for Journalists and Writers [December, 2014]By Nomonde Nyembe, Rachel Zacharias, Ayesha Krige, Marlise Richter, Lesego Tlhwale, and Mateenah HunterThis guide was produced to help journalists and writers to report on sex work in South Africa in a respectful and sensitive way. Produced by Sonke Gender Justice, the Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce, Sisonke Sex Workers Movement, and the Women's Legal Centre, it sets out basic facts about the sex work industry and contains sections on appropriate terminology, use of images, and respectful interviewing techniques.
  
• 10. Reporting Atrocities: A Toolbox for Journalists Covering Violent Conflict and Atrocities [2014]By Peter DuToit Produced as part of Internews' Project on Conflict and Media during 2012-2014, this toolbox for journalists "uses the principles of conflict-sensitive journalism (CSJ) to teach reporters how to cover even the most senseless acts of cruelty in a way that contributes to peacebuilding. It includes theoretical background, practical tips, and additional resources available to journalists reporting on conflict, or those who may need to in the future."
  
• 11. Covering Outbreaks of Infectious Diseases: A Guide to Better Journalism - Lessons Learned from Global Coverage of the Ebola Virus Crisis [February, 2015]Based on lessons learned from media coverage of the 2014 Ebola epidemic in West Africa, this guide was produced to help journalists and the media industry to "deliver a more public-interest oriented service geared towards combating the spread of the disease." According to the guide, the quick spread of Ebola, as well as the prevalence of other viral diseases in Africa, point to a need to improve preparedness, and this includes ensuring that the media is equipped to play their public interest role when there is a disease outbreak.
  
• 12. Climate Change in Africa: A Guidebook for Journalists [2013]By Mike Shanahan, Willie Shubert, Cameron Scherer, and Teresa CorcoranPublished by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), this book was produced for journalists and editors, and teachers and trainers of journalists, to support improved media coverage of climate change in Africa. According to the publication, climate change poses a clear danger to lives and livelihoods across Africa. Journalists have critical roles to play in explaining the cause and effects of climate change, in describing what countries and communities can do to adapt to the impacts ahead, and in reporting on what governments and companies do, or do not do, to respond to these threats.
  
• 13. Reporting on Humanitarian Crises: A Manual for Trainers and Journalists and an Introduction for Humanitarian Workers [April, 2014]By Jacobo Quintanilla, Jesse Hardman, Matt Abud, Alison Campbell, and Deborah EnsorPublished by Internews, this manual and set of handouts are designed to prepare journalists to cover natural and manmade disasters in a more informed, balanced way and to show how a utilitarian approach to information content and dissemination can be an effective life saver. It is intended to function as both an educational guide that journalists can read and learn from and as an outline for a workshop focusing on the training of local reporters.
  
• 14. Reporting Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights of Sexual Minorities: A Media Training Manual for Journalists in the SADC Region [2013]By Last Moyo, Delene van Dyk, Malala Mwondela, and Mamoletsane KhatiPublished by Panos Institute Southern Africa, this manual was produced to build the capacity of media to counter hate speech, discrimination, and violence against sexual minorities, particularly in relation to their sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR).
  
• 15. Undercover Guide for Investigative Reporters [2014]By Anas Aremeyaw AnasPublished by the Forum for African Investigative Reporters (FAIR), this guide is designed to help journalists to use undercover investigative techniques. The booklet is based on the experience of the author, a Ghanaian journalist and lawyer, drawing on his experience of working undercover, and offering tips and advice on how to go undercover to get the truth.
  
• 16. Cross-examination for Investigative Reporters - Guide [2013]By Heinrich B'hmkePublished by FAIR, this manual discusses various techniques used to build a story, analyse information from sources, and possibly discredit lying interviewees through cross-examination. Used as part of a course offered by the author, the manual is based on some of the same principles used in legal proceedings which rely on cross examination to weigh evidence.
  

• The Soul Beat 227 - Media for Development - Resources for Journalists
   
• The Soul Beat 199 - The Role of the Media in Promoting Democracy and Governance