The Squeeze On African Media Freedom

Bibliographic Data

ID6287944
AuthorsJeff Conroy-Krutz (corresponding author)
Year2020
Volume31
Issue2
Pages96-109
Publication date2020-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of democracy (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1045-5736 • E-ISSN: 1086-3214
PublisherProject MUSE (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1353/jod.2020.0024
OpenAlexW3015486333
LanguageEN
Citations received10

Nearly thirty years after governments loosened control over broadcasters and publishers, Africa's media face increasing threats. New laws are resulting in the imprisonment of journalists and closure of media houses, while internet shutdowns and "social-media taxes" are increasingly common strategies to limit the mobilizing and informational potentials of digital technologies. These challenges are occurring in the midst of eroding public support for free media, as the latest Afrobarometer data show increased backing for government restrictions across the continent. Africans' confidence in their media seems to be declining, potentially due to concerns over bias, hate speech, and disinformation

Closure (psychology · Development economics · Digital media · Disinformation · Economics · Face (sociological concept · Freedom of the press · Government (linguistics · Imprisonment · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Social media · Sociology · The Internet · Economic Growth and Development · Law

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