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Anthropological Perspectives on the Religious Uses of Mobile Apps

Jacqueline H. Fewkes (ed.)

Cham: Palgrave Macmillan (2019), 248 pp.

Digital News Report 2019
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Nic Newman, Richard Fletcher, Antonis Kalogeropoulos, Rasmus Kleis Nielsen (eds.)

Oxford: Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (2019), 153 pp.

"Despite the efforts of the news industry, we find only a small increase in the numbers paying for any online news – whether by subscription, membership, or donation. Growth is limited to a handful of countries mainly in the Nordic region (Norway 34%, Sweden 27%) while the number paying in the US ... (16%) remains stable after a big jump in 2017. • Even in countries with higher levels of payment, the vast majority only have ONE online subscription – suggesting that ‘winner takes all’ dynamics are likely to be important. One encouraging development though is that most payments are now ‘ongoing’, rather than one-offs. In some countries, subscription fatigue may also be setting in, with the majority preferring to spend their limited budget on entertainment (Netflix/Spotify) rather than news. With many seeing news as a ‘chore’, publishers may struggle to substantially increase the market for high-priced ‘single title’ subscriptions. As more publishers launch pay models, over two-thirds (70%) of our sample in Norway and half (50%) in the United States now come across one or more barriers each week when trying to read online news. In many countries, people are spending less time with Facebook and more time with WhatsApp and Instagram than this time last year. Few users are abandoning Facebook entirely, though, and it remains by far the most important social network for news. Social communication around news is becoming more private as messaging apps continue to grow everywhere. WhatsApp has become a primary network for discussing and sharing news in non-Western countries like Brazil (53%) Malaysia (50%), and South Africa (49%). People in these countries are also far more likely than in the West to be part of large WhatsApp groups with people they don’t know – a trend that reflects how messaging applications can be used to easily share information at scale, potentially encouraging the spread of misinformation. Public and private Facebook Groups discussing news and politics have become popular in Turkey (29%) and Brazil (22%) but are much less used in Western countries such as Canada (7%) or Australia (7%). Concern about misinformation and disinformation remains high despite efforts by platforms and publishers to build public confidence. In Brazil 85% agree with a statement that they are worried about what is real and fake on the internet." (Summary, page 9) more

Data Journalism in the Global South
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Bruce Mutsvairo, Saba Bebawi, Eddy Borges-Rey (eds.)

Cham: Palgrave Macmillan (2019), xxxv, 334 pp.

"This volume seeks to analyse the emerging wave of data journalism in the Global South. It does so by examining trends, developments and opportunities for data journalism in the aforementioned contexts. Whilst studies in this specific form of journalism are increasing in numbers and significance, th ... more

WorldCat (9)

Listeners Perceptions of Forte FM’s Role in Facilitating Community Development in Alice, South Africa

Betina Mawokomayi, Oluyinka O. Osunkunle

Critical Arts: South-North Cultural and Media Studies, volume 33, issue 1 (2019), pp. 88-100

"This paper examined listeners’ perceptions of Forte FM’s role in facilitating community development in Alice, which is a small rural town under Raymond Mhlaba Municipality, South Africa. Forte FM is a community radio station located at University of Fort Hare, Alice campus, established to facil ... more

Road to 2030: Access to Information in the Driver’s Seat

Deutsche Welle DW Akademie;Free Press Unlimited;Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD) (2019), 68 pp.

"Spotlight report on the state of public access to information in Canada, Indonesia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Serbia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, and Ukraine prepared for the 2019 cycle of the Voluntary National Reviews and the 2019 UN High Level Political Forum." (Subtitle)

Vergeben und vergessen? Erinnerungskultur

iz3w, issue 373 (2019), pp. 16-37

"In den 1980er Jahren verstärkte sich das Unbehagen an der Gedenkkultur mit ihren Heldenerzählungen und nationalen Beschränkungen. Mit der größeren Komplexität des Gedenkens und der Hinwendung zu den sozialen Kosten historischer Ereignisse prägte sich eine neue Erinnerungskultur aus. Diese is ... more

Global Information Society Watch 2019. Artificial Intelligence: Human Rights, Social Justice and Development
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Association for Progressive Communications (APC);Article 19;Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) (2019), 87 pp.

"Artificial intelligence (AI) is now receiving unprecedented global attention as it finds widespread practical application in multiple spheres of activity. But what are the human rights, social justice and development implications of AI when used in areas such as health, education and social service ... more

End of Project Evaluation of the BBC Media Action 'Radio Waves' and 'Tikambe' Projects in Zambia

Kimiko Hibri Pedersen, Birgitte Jallov, George Sichone, Mary Mutupa

Stockholm: Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) (2019), vii, 55, 60 pp.

"This evaluation covers two independent projects implemented by BBC Media Action in Zambia. Tikambe provides information to young people about sexual reproductive health and rights and youth-friendly services via different platforms. Radio Waves supports independent media as a platform for dialogue ... more

The Economic Contribution of Copyright-Based Industries in Botswana

Patrick Malope et al.

Geneva: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO);Botswana Institute for Development Policy Analysis (BIDPA) (2019), vi, 64 pp.

"The results of the study indicate that copyright industries make a significant contribution to the national economy of Botswana. In 2016, these industries contributed 5.46 per cent to value added and 2.66 per cent to the total labor force; meanwhile, in foreign trade they contributed 1.28 per cent ... more

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A Clash of Cultures: Pirate Radio Convergence and Reception in Africa

Hayes Mawindi Mabweazara

In: The Routledge Companion to Alternative and Community Media

Chris Atton (ed.)

London; New York: Routledge, paperback ed. (2019), pp. 494-504

What Motivates ICT4D Champions?

Jaco Renken

Dar es Salaam: 15th International Conference on Social Implications of Computers in Developing Countries (ICT4D) (2019), 12 pp.

"The paper seeks to identify the factors that motivate a person who champions ICT4D initiatives. Given the important contributions of ICT4D champions to initiative success, better understanding of their motivations holds the potential to identify, develop and deploy such individuals more effectively ... more

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Anti-Corruption Tabloid Journalism in Africa

Brian Chama

Cham: Palgrave Macmillan (2019), x, 219 pp.

"Defining tabloid journalism practice as an infotainment genre, the book examines corruption exposure by tabloids in Arabic, Portuguese and Francophone speaking countries across Africa, making it a unique addition to the field. In doing so, it also builds an understanding of the evolution of anti-co ... more

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Recognition and Transformation: Beyond Media Discourses on the BRICS

Tom Dwyer, Olivier Arifon

Global Media and Communication, volume 15, issue 1 (2019), pp. 27-47

"Based on literature review and interviews with journalists, we argue that the BRICS countries are constructing a collective vision, guided by logics of recognition and of transformation. The production of discourse reaches its high point during the BRICS leaders’ summits. To go beyond analysis of ... more

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Publics in Africa in a Digital Age

Journal of Eastern African Studies, volume 13, issue 1 (2019), pp. 1-213

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Redefining Community: Community Radio Licencing in Zimbabwe at Crossroads

Last Alfandika, Sarah Kimberly Muchetwa

African Journalism Studies, volume 40, issue 3 (2019), pp. 42-56

"The promulgation of the Broadcasting Service Act (BSA), which contains a three-tier model of the broadcasting system, was supposed to revolutionise the broadcasting media sphere in Zimbabwe. It was supposed to change the dynamics of radio broadcasting in Zimbabwe by increasing the opportunity for p ... more

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New Media and the Mediatisation of Religion: An African Perspective

Gabriel Faimau, William O. Lesitaokana (eds.)

Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing (2018), xi, 173 pp.

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Communication in International Development: Doing Good or Looking Good?
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Florencia Enghel, Jessica Noske-Turner (eds.)

London; New York: Routledge (2018), xiv, 182 pp.

"International development stakeholders harness communication with two broad purposes: to do good, via communication for development and media assistance, and to communicate do-gooding, via public relations and information. This book unpacks various ways in which different efforts to do good are com ... more

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African Digital Media Review (3)

African Journalism Studies, volume 39, issue 1 (2018), pp. 1-128

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Pressefreiheit: Nicht überall erhältlich

iz3w, issue 365 (2018), pp. 13-36

"Die iz3w erscheint in einem Land mit einer »guten Situation« für Presseerzeugnisse (globaler Index der Reporter ohne Grenzen). In vielen Ländern ist die Lage infolge von Repressionen »sehr ernst«, zum Beispiel in China, in Iran oder Sudan. Auch in Ländern zwischen diesen Extremen kann freier ... more