Africa’s News Voice ‘This is Africa’ to Launch English and French Content Offering
On the 11th of August, African news and content website This is Africa will be launching a brand new site, featuring content in both English and French. This is Africa (TIA) is an online forum for Africans, by Africans, reflecting upon and engaging with the identity, heritage as well as the continent’s rightful political, economic and cultural position in a globalised world.
This site attracts a high caliber of contributors from across the continent, producing a scope of relevant, engaging and authentic content, the likes of which has rarely been seen on any other Africa-focused online forum.
The team behind TIA are extremely proud of their offering, which offers a unique, alternative voice to Westernised news portals and against an African backdrop is set to pave the way for journalism that is cutting edge, contemporary and exemplary. With content both in English and in French, TIA will be firmly rooted within an African context, offering discourse and opinion on emerging trends, state of affairs and practices within the realm that outlines and reflects upon the African condition, be it economic, political or cultural.
“Our content is about Africa, written by Africans. It is information for a global audience written by journalists from across the continent. Our contributors are inspired and passionate – they are opinion-makers, they document the stories, cultures, traditions and conditions of Africa. Together they ensure that the voice of This is Africa rings strong and clear. Through them we are giving the continent a voice, one which is Africa’s very own,” says TIA operations director, Nancy A. Onyango.
The African population is growing rapidly, with no sign of slowing down over the next decade. With 62% of the population – more than 600 million people – under the age of 25. With this in mind, it is imperative that Africa guide the talent and vitality of its youth to create significantly higher levels of prosperity and equality, in order to avoid the latent risks of high unemployment and social instability.
Today’s young Africans are part of a ground-breaking generation, a generation that is the most globally connected ever to have lived on the continent. Hence the importance of African-owned media spaces, for Africans by Africans, that reflect not only the papradigms, but the paradigm shifts of its diverse population.
Connectivity through mobile phones and wifi is driving social and economic transformation; and this has opened up the opportunuity for a new type of media – media as an online platform – which is set to drive this transformation. In no other time in history has access to media been as important as it is now, during a time where breakthrough innovations, entrepreneurial nimbleness and the energy of Africa’s youth is at its peak.
Furthermore, the escalation in internet accessibility has laid the path for the rapid uptake of online media. In fact, according to Nielsen’s Africa Prospects Indicators (APi) report, 40% of consumers now access the internet using their mobile devices, with this as high as 70% in Kenya and Zimbabwe, 67% in Ghana and 65% in Nigeria.
By 2025 half of sub-Saharan Africa’s billion strong population will have internet access, with 360 million via smartphones. Through this burgeoning connectivity, Africans have increasingly more access to information, which is creating huge opportunities.
“We are witnessing the explosion of entrepreneurial and creative endeavour, the mass urbanisation of the under-30s and the enormous desire for information, which are all extremely positive conditions for shaping a better future,” outlines Natascha Jacobsz, Project Manager from RNW Media.
“We believe informed people are better equipped for shaping a better future and, therefore, it is imperative that we help them get access to the information they need and the conversations they care about. We’re proud to support TIA and are particularly thrilled with the launch of the bilingual website as it will help build the This is Africa brand and expand its reach and impact even further,” continues Jacobsz.
The aim of This is Africa is to provide contextually rooted content that is original in the form of opinion and lifestyle-focused multimedia pieces that include articles, videos, cartoons and picture essays. The themes are relevant to its readers, such as identity, sex and reproductive health rights, arts and culture, transitional democracies, anti-radicalization, migration, business and innovation, and events.
Authenticity and credibility lies at the heart of This is Africa, as it features real life accounts and experiences of the continent, as well as reflections on the people and events shaping its future.
“As the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nairobi, we are excited to be part of such an important initiative to bring a new voice to the continent, showcasing some of the best writers in Africa, telling a contemporary, pertinent and authentic African narrative,” says Deputy Ambassador to the Netherlands in Kenya, Mariëlle Geraedts.
The TIA website raises the bar in terms of contemporary African journalism; journalism that is informative, gritty, innovative and that challenges the status quo while enhancing the reader’s ability to understand, question and challenge the world around them. The website is rooted in Africa, by Africans and is testament to the quality of journalism on the continent.
The TIA launch is proudly supported by RNW Media, Netherlands Embassy Nairobi, Trace TV East Africa, Ghetto Radio, HEVA Fund, KikoRomeo and Africa Media Initative.
