Media organisations and practitioners from across the continent will converge in Nairobi in two weeks to celebrate the power and diversity of African storytelling.
The event, the Africa Media Festival, the first of its kind, will provide an opportunity for stakeholders in the sector to share new trends, technologies and networks.
The event will take place at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Upper Hill from February 14- 15.
The festival will have a lineup of speakers from South Africa, Nigeria, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zimbabwe and Sierra Leone.
The festival themed 'Reimagine Media', will bring together the media community from across the continent to deliberate on the current and future of the African Media Landscape.
AMF is keen on creating a space for discussions on Innovations and forward-thinking initiatives within different facets of media play.
"We invite media players from across different media spaces, journalists, podcasters, authors, and illustrators to join us and address cultural, social, political and economic issues around contemporary issues affecting Africa," Executive Director Baraza Media Maurice Otieno said.
The festival will offer participants an opportunity to exchange ideas, and strategies and discuss innovation in journalism, education and business across a range of sectors including print, broadcast, music, technology and film.
The festival is sponsored by Baraza Media Lab and other partners like Continent News, Mozilla, Paukwa and Luminate among others.
Alice Munyua, Director of Africa Innovation Mradi, Mozilla said they will assist in leveraging resources through partnerships and knowledge by providing grants, fellowship opportunities, research and advocacy.
“Our aim is to highlight and mitigate the harms and solos caused by technology and artificial intelligence to collectively build a healthier internet ecosystem,” she said.
Luminate’s regional communications manager Audrey Kawira said they envision a future where everyone has the power to shape society.
“Our work focuses on people most affected by discriminatory laws, policies and practices. This includes underrepresented groups such as women, youth and religious, ethnic and other minorities,” she added.
She noted that their priority countries include Nigeria and Kenya, along with some targeted regionally focused work in South Africa.
Luminate is a global foundation that works to ensure those underrepresented have the information, rights and power to influence the decisions that affect their lives.
The Media Council of Kenya representative at the meeting, Leo Munyao said there is a need to widen the base of media regulation with the advent of citizen journalism.
“The country should find a way of regulating citizen journalism as the Internet now makes everyone a journalist,” Munyao stated.
He added that the new media has given citizen journalists power that previously belonged to traditional media.
