All-women news source launches in Somalia to cover inequality
Journalism used to be called the Fourth Estate, referring to its political and societal influence within a country. It has the power to expose injustices and sound a call to action from the people. Finding solutions to endemic problems often starts by identifying them in the media. For a fair Read More...
Mocking the news is hard work at satirical newspaper The Onion
Carolyn Steel | August 2009 issue Onion writer Todd Hanson, in a lighter moment. Photograph: Carol R. Hartsell How do humor writers deal with the constant pressure of trying to be funny on deadline? "Mocking each other and having dangerous levels of psychiatric pathologies is probably the main Read More...
Katya Andresen: Networking for good
Entrepreneur and bestselling author Seth Godin believes we need to look for the good in the world like Katya Andresen does through her work at Network for Good. Dan Schank | Jan/Feb 2009 issue Katya Andresen considers her impatience an asset. A restless spirit led the Reuters news service Read More...
The media should show Africa some love
In his book Don't Africa Me, Nigerian-born Paschal Eze, a former newspaper editor, criticizes the media for ignoring the positive news coming out of Africa. Marco Visscher | October 2008 issue Paschal Eze, author of Don't Africa Me. Photo: Sandra Dyas How do the media damage Africa’s Read More...
Confessions of a foreign correspondent
Despite being African, I still reinforced all the Western media's stereotypes about the 'Dark Continent.' Regina Jere-Malanda | September 2004 issue Looking back on many years I worked as a ‘foreign correspondent’ for Western media in South Africa, I now realise that I was not only paid for Read More...
Arab journalists struggle for press freedom
Despite interference from Arab regimes and the U.S., hope can be found in the internet, satellite dishes and the "Al-Jazeera effect" Marco Visscher | November 2004 issue A joke circulated recently at a meeting of editors from the Middle East noted that their work was being monitored by Read More...
Stop the presses!
News gives people a false sense of wisdom. Knowing what goes on in the world does not make anyone more knowledgeable about what really matters. In fact, suggests Ode editor Marco Visscher, less news is a prerequisite for greater wisdom. How about tuning in to our own lives, instead of the lives of Read More...