Africa's Media Image - by Beverly Hawk (Hardcover)

About the Book

This collection, arranged and edited by Beverly G. Hawk, examines media coverage of Africa by American television, newspapers, and magazines. Scholars and journalists of diverse experience engage in debate concerning U.S. media coverage of current events in Africa. As each African crisis appears in the headlines, scholars take the media to task for sensational and simplistic reporting. Journalists, in response, explain the constraints of censorship, reader interest, and media economics. Hawk's book demonstrates that academia and the press can inform each other to present a fuller and more sensitive picture of Africa today.

This volume will be of interest to scholars and practitioners in African studies, African politics, journalism, and international relations.

Book Synopsis

This collection, arranged and edited by Beverly G. Hawk, examines media coverage of Africa by American television, newspapers, and magazines. Scholars and journalists of diverse experience engage in debate concerning U.S. media coverage of current events in Africa. As each African crisis appears in the headlines, scholars take the media to task for sensational and simplistic reporting. Journalists, in response, explain the constraints of censorship, reader interest, and media economics. Hawk's book demonstrates that academia and the press can inform each other to present a fuller and more sensitive picture of Africa today.

This volume will be of interest to scholars and practitioners in African studies, African politics, journalism, and international relations.

Review Quotes

?. . . examines media coverage of Africa in American TV, newspapers, and magazines.?-Communication Booknotes

?Africa's Media Image is a comprehensive, interdisciplinary, authoritative, and scholarly survey of the complexities of African media coverage; it is highly recommended for library purchase or as a reading supplement for courses in mass communications, African studies, or international relations.?-Journal of Third World Studies

?Beverly Hawk has produced an important collection of views and perspectives on the issue of how we perceive Africa, its people and their problems. This volume will be of particular interest to North American journalism students and to western reporters and news organizations.?-Africa Today

?Hawk presents a wide-ranging collection of essays on historical and contemporary topics. Media researchers, Africa specialists, editors, and correspondents debate the media's coverage of Africa and its effect on American views of the continent. The result is an important contribution to research on American journalism.?-Society of Professional Journalists (on presentation of SDX Award)

?This is easily the best book on the market about how the Western media have covered or failed to cover Africa. Africa's Media Image has done much to underline the faulty reporting that the continent has suffered. It has identified some of the problems. By documenting the problems, this book has opened the door to trying to find some solutions that would help improve coverage of Africa and other Third World areas.?-Journal of Third World Studies

?This volume will be of particular interest to North American journalism students and to western reporters and news organizations interested in breaking the destructive cycle of reporting and stereotyping so vividly described by its editor.?-Africa Today

." . . examines media coverage of Africa in American TV, newspapers, and magazines."-Communication Booknotes

"Africa's Media Image is a comprehensive, interdisciplinary, authoritative, and scholarly survey of the complexities of African media coverage; it is highly recommended for library purchase or as a reading supplement for courses in mass communications, African studies, or international relations."-Journal of Third World Studies

"Beverly Hawk has produced an important collection of views and perspectives on the issue of how we perceive Africa, its people and their problems. This volume will be of particular interest to North American journalism students and to western reporters and news organizations."-Africa Today

"Hawk presents a wide-ranging collection of essays on historical and contemporary topics. Media researchers, Africa specialists, editors, and correspondents debate the media's coverage of Africa and its effect on American views of the continent. The result is an important contribution to research on American journalism."-Society of Professional Journalists (on presentation of SDX Award)

"This volume will be of particular interest to North American journalism students and to western reporters and news organizations interested in breaking the destructive cycle of reporting and stereotyping so vividly described by its editor."-Africa Today

"This is easily the best book on the market about how the Western media have covered or failed to cover Africa. Africa's Media Image has done much to underline the faulty reporting that the continent has suffered. It has identified some of the problems. By documenting the problems, this book has opened the door to trying to find some solutions that would help improve coverage of Africa and other Third World areas."-Journal of Third World Studies

About the Author

BEVERLY G. HAWK is an Assistant Professor of Political Science and Public Affairs at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. She holds a masters degree in African Studies from Howard University and a doctorate in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research concerning U.S.-African relations explores the image of Africa in the United States and its effect on government policy.