Africa's media freedom crisis has a new name: advertising. Governments use advertising to spread their political agenda. Still, in recent months, the government has withdrawn government ads from the commercial press and agreed to launch a free newspaper articulating their policy agenda. Similarly, in South Africa, the government's communications arm has cancelled all African advertising in local newspapers. These measures have sparked a backlash among media freedom advocates, including African Union and Amnesty International.

1. —Foremedia Group
African
Advertising

2. Africa's media freedom crisis has a new name: advertising.
Governments use advertising to spread their political
agenda. Still, in recent months, the government has
withdrawn government ads from the commercial press and
agreed to launch a free newspaper articulating their policy
agenda. Similarly, in South Africa, the government's
communications arm has cancelled all African advertising
in local newspapers. These measures have sparked a
backlash among media freedom advocates, including African
Union and Amnesty International.
African governments use Advertising as a
tool versus Media freedom

3. Introduction - In Kenya, the government funds
over 60% of all ad revenue
In Kenya, government money accounts for more than 60% of
advertising revenue. Consequently, government-owned newspapers
receive more government funding than independent ones. This
situation disadvantages independent press and increases the
pressure on media outlets. In Tanzania, the ruling party maintains
near-monopolistic control over ads in the media, in part to ensure it
does not fall prey to bribery.

4. Advertisement is still
seen as a threat to
media freedom
Although an increasing number of African countries have
liberal constitutions, some governments still see African
Advertising as a weapon against media freedom. In
Nigeria, for example, where state-owned media dominates
most markets, a government-owned newspaper receives
the majority of ad revenue. The fixed-line monopoly Telkom
is widely regarded as impeding growth in many African
countries, and mobile network operators are gaining
ground in the internet market.

5. Uganda, the world's largest funder of the press
and a leading stifler of!
The attacks on Uganda's news media are part of a broader trend across
the continent. In Tanzania, government-owned newspapers dominate the
market, while state-owned newspapers receive most government
advertisement revenue. In Kenya, the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi party's
communications arm announced the suspension of local television
stations covering the opposition leader's ‘inauguration’ in January 2018.
This trend is not exclusive to East Africa.

6. CONCLUSION
In Africa, state-owned newspapers lead the market and receive most government
advertisement revenue. In contrast, the state-owned newspapers are receiving only a
small proportion of government advertisements. This means that the government can
use African Advertising as a tool to discourage critical coverage.

7. CONTACT
ForeMedia Group
Location: Nigeria
Email Id: info@foremediagroup.com
Contact: 44 208 158 5552
Website: https://foremediagroup.ng/

8. Thanks