Media players in Africa advised to embrace crowd funding for sustainability

By Catherine Ageno Media institutions in Africa are advised to source funds through crowdfunding, subscription models, and partnerships with non-profits to ensure media sustainability. According to Dr Yemisi Akinbobola Co-founder and CEO of African Women in Media (AWiM), many African media organisations are operating in a precarious financial environment, where advertising revenue is limited and funding is uncertain. In a statement issued ahead of the upcoming AWiM24 conference, she expresses concern that the lack of funding can sometimes lead to ethical compromises, blurring lines between advertising and editorial content, and dependence on financing from politically motivated sources. “The compromise of journalistic ethics consequently contributes to the prevalence of misinformation in the media. It also undermines people’s trust in the press, distorts […]