African media should step up to the plate

It is unobjectionable that the media or the Fourth Estate, as it is referred to, has enormous political and social power, thanks to the fact that it can be used to shape society while imparting news of note and commentary of interest.Thus, echoing President Paul Kagame’s call, African media ought to tell the African story. But to achieve that, our media ought to counter the so-called world information order, which has in the past seemed to serve the interests of the West, thereby totally taking no notice of the various nuances of the continent. But again, for this to happen, our governments ought to value the role of the media. But this partnership should be based on mutual respect and trust.The western media’s fascination with all manner of negative things ought to be challenged by disseminating the positive stories that are coming out of Africa. In that way, western media cannot afford to mark down the progress Africa is making without risking their own relevance.Nonetheless, as our media continues to grow; its parameters ought to match the role of governance without any ulterior motives. Never has this come truer than the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi which the media instigated. Instead, our media should use such cavalier energy to fast-track the integration process of not just the East African countries but the continent as a whole.

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African media should step up to the plate