Themedia in Africa is expanding rapidly due to advances intelecommunications, especiallymobile phones and theinternet. In newspaper reporting, many Africans have won international media awards. In writing both prose and poetry, many awards have also been won by Africans, and Africa now claims aNobel Laureate in Literature, Prof.Wole Soyinka ofNigeria.
In 1794 the firstprinting press arrived inAfrica delivered toFreetown,Sierra Leone, but was destroyed by aFrench raiding party before it was ever used. When another press arrived in 1800 thenewspaper theSierra Leone Advertiser began being printed.[1]
Historically,Nigeria has boasted one of the most free and resilient newspaper presses of any African country, even under its past military dictatorships, most of whom have shown an intolerance of the press. In the rest of the continent, vibrantjournalism is also getting to be the order of the day. As in more developed countries, many journalists, in a bid to uphold the integrity of the profession, have preferred to go to jail rather than betray the confidentiality of a source.
In 2005, journalists representing 23 African nations met inCameroon and established the Society for the Development of Media in Africa (Société pour le Développement des Médias Africains, SDMA).[2]
Articles on the media of each African country appear with the title "Media of [name of country]", for example:Media of Nigeria,Media of Côte d'Ivoire,Media of Burkina Faso.
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