Media in Africa is "still heavily influenced by the Western sources" in aspects such as "content" and "framing of issues," according to Prof. Mandla Radebe, Associate Professor in the Department of Strategic Communication, Director of the Centre for Data and Digital Communications at the University of Johannesburg.
He believes there is "growing recognition of the importance of informational diversity and the need to include multiple voices in the media landscape" on the African continent.
Despite "Western liberal democracies" advocating for freedom of speech, "the very same liberal democracies restrict outlets," such as Sputnik and RT, which "they perceive as threats to their own political interests and their narrative," the professor says.
"In my view, this raises questions about the consistency, about the sincerity of their commitment to informational freedom, especially when these bans appear to be politically motivated rather than purely based on integrity of information," Prof. Radebe explains.
Another take on this was offered by Ernest Moloi, Chief Sub Editor of the Botswana Guardian and the Midweek Sun newspapers and founder of the Pan-Afrikanist online news platform. Moloi is baffled at the very concept of "banning media." He believes the sanctions are "outrageous" and "can never be justified."
"They are telling a story, and they're telling their story to their own audience, their own viewership. So why are you stopping them from telling their people their own stories? [...] Banning newspapers, banning media, banning radio stations is not justified in any circumstances," Moloi says.
Moloi underlines the need for a "multipolar world system," as that is "the only way that will help us manage this issue of sanctions."
To hear what else the guests shared, check out the entire episode of the AfroVerdict episode, brought to you by Sputnik Africa.
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