Constructive journalism
By Liu Jian
For Lovering Sichizya, a 37-year-old Zambian journalist working with the Zambia News and Information Services, a one-year master’s program in China has brought fresh enthusiasm for his chosen profession.
“The most interesting thing I’ve learned in China is how the media can contribute to the solution of social dilemmas in society, using the constructive journalism approach,” he told ChinAfrica, adding that constructive journalism is a new concept he learned here.
Constructive journalism seeks to move away from focusing on conflict and negative coverage, to a more solution-focused reporting style that engages people affected by issues and presents suggestions of how to fix what’s broken.
Sichizya came to China thanks to the International Master in International Communication for Developing Countries. Sponsored by China’s Ministry of Commerce, the annual one-year master’s program is in its fifth year, having been organized by the Communication University of China (CUC) since September 2011.
“We have been able to immerse ourselves in China - the people, language, culture and political landscape,” said Sichizya. “This program provides an authentic narrative of China and its people from firsthand accounts.”
Over the past five years, more than 60 African journalists from 20 countries have participated in this program, according to Zhang Yanqiu, the program’s director and director of Africa Communication Research Center at CUC.
“African correspondents are keen to be involved with Chinese media to both learn more about what is taking place in China and have an opportunity to contribute authentic news about what is happening in Africa on the ground,” said Zhang.
Growing media footprint
From March 1, 2016, more than 20 journalists from mainstream media in African countries began to participate in a variety of media events through a 10-month exchange program, the China Africa Press Center Program, which includes classroom teaching, spot interviews and an internship with the Chinese media.
Organized by the China Public Diplomacy Asso-ciation (CPDA), the program aims to provide African journalists with better access to China-related news, as per the commitment made at the Fifth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in 2012 to promote China-Africa practical cooperation, said Lu Fengding, Vice President of CPDA. The program was launched in February 2014.
“The program offered not only an in-depth revision of my knowledge, but also the discovery of numerous wonders. Traveling to about 10 provinces has enlightened me a lot about this ancient civilization and its magnificent cultural heritage,” said Zekarias Woldemariam, the publications editor with Ethiopia’s Government Communications Affairs Office, who participated in the program in 2015. “My journey to China can be taken as only a beginning. Exploring more about China will remain a lifelong interest,” he added.
It’s all part of the increasing collaboration between the Chinese and African media outlets in recent years. Major Chinese media outlets have established a sound infrastructure and a broad range of channels on the continent.
China Radio International began broadcasting from Nairobi a decade ago, while Xinhua News Agency has set up more than 20 bureaus across the continent. In 2012, China Central Television (CCTV) established a CCTV Africa base in Nairobi, and the ChinAfrica magazine, a monthly publication in English and French, opened its Africa Bureau in Johannesburg, South Africa. In addition, China Daily, China’s biggest English-language newspaper, launched its first African edition in December 2012. How can the China-Africa story be better told?
Sichizya emphasizes the need for more positive stories to improve public perception of the continent, stories highlighting peace in Africa versus turmoil, something that ties in with the concept of constructive journalism.
“The Chinese media and its engagement with Africa should be seen from a constructive journalism perspective, which focuses on one problem for a period of time to stimulate discourse that can lead to a solution,” said Zhang.
She believes constructive journalism enables media to empower people, and information can be used constructively while remaining accurate and critical where necessary. “[What] Chinese media is doing in Africa is to construct and reconstruct, not deconstruct,” said Zhang.
“Constructive journalism is an alternative approach to challenge the enduring stereotypes and effectively narrate true stories for better understanding between China and Africa,” said Simon Matingwina, a Ph.D. student from Zimbabwe at CUC.
His views were echoed by Paul Ntambara, a reporter with The New Times in Rwanda, who participated in the China Africa Press Center Program last year.
“The Chinese approach has been more about reporting with a view to finding solutions to problems, while the Western style has done little in this regard,” Ntambara said, adding that what China has done is to create mutual understanding in its partnership with the African media. He felt African journalists have been given a voice to tell their own stories objectively on the global stage, via the Chinese media outlets.
Meeting challenges
“Much is being done in terms of Chinese media reporting about China in Africa, but less is being done in terms of African media reporting about Africa in China,” said Sichizya, adding that more collaboration and networking is needed to foster the cooperation between the two.
“We need more collaborative efforts where African journalists are able to collaborate with Chinese journalists to report about African issues in China.” he said. Sichizya called for African journalists to engage more interactively and use available opportunities to increase reporting on African issues for different media in China.
This process also needs to be reciprocated. Sichizya said one of the ways to empower African media would be to have more African media organizations set up bureaus in China.
Chinese reporters face many challenges in Africa. “Poor infrastructure and low Internet access and logistical support inhibit journalists’ effectiveness in coordinating and reporting on the ground,” said Zhang Zizhu, global TV news network Phoenix InfoNews Channel’s special correspondent in Nairobi.
“This is compounded by budget constraints,” she added.
Shu Zhan, former Chinese Ambassador to Eritrea and Rwanda, suggested that more human interest stories be included in reporting. “Instead of writing stories sitting in the office, Chinese reporters should have more opportunities to go to African countries, interview people and write more feature stories, for example, what Chinese medical teams and Chinese agricultural technicians are doing there,” he told ChinAfrica. “Chinese media can also invite more African journalists to write articles for them.” CA
Guest speakers discuss how the China-Africa story can be better told at the China-Africa Journalism Forum in Beijing in May 2016