Editor,

Reference is made to Ashish J. Thakkar’s article, "Time to change the Africa Narrative” (The New Times, January 23).

I fully agree with Ashish Thakkar. But I feel he shouldn’t be satisfied with just gripping no matter how justified he is in doing so. Rather, he should go about mobilising fellow African entrepreneurs with equally deep pockets to put together the resources required to set up a rival network to provide news, analysis and produce programmes that better reflect the continent’s situation, progress and prospects. 

This would hit the likes of the BBC, VOA, France 24 and their radio versions where it hurts most – their audiences. It would also give Africans their own alternative to the Al Jazeera, CCTV and Russia Today which have given their countries and regions greater voice in the media market and an effective counter to the dominant Western media narratives and misrepresentations regarding developments in their countries and/or regions.

Not so surprising when you think seriously about it, you only need to look at these broadcasters’ staffing to notice how they are packed with recruits from Western media houses who would no doubt have moved to their new employers, with the attitudes and biases of their previous news organizations.

And our African entrepreneurs need not see their expansion into the media as a hobby or some kind of philanthropy, but more as a strategic business necessity. I wonder how many points are shaved from their rates of return, the higher cost of capital and business they have to face as a result of the headwinds they encounter as because of the negativity generated in their main markets by the negative perceptions created and perpetuated about Africa by the inept or deliberately misleading global media.

Investing in a media organization that puts forward correct (not complacent or caricature) news and information about developments on the continent makes strategic business sense.

I hope Ashish would seriously consider mobilising fellow African entrepreneurs to think about undertaking such an investment. Such a project would not only do good; it would also do well.

Mwene Kalinda