Yet again, a short 10 minute film debates the issue of media messages and images in relation to the Third World. Launched on January 11th, the film – Famine, War and Corruption: The British Media’s Portrayal of the Global South features interviews with journalists and filmmakers, including Jon Snow (journalist and news presenter, ITN), Caroline Nursey (director, BBC Media Action) and Richard Kavuma (journalist, The Observer, Uganda). Needless to remark, the verdict is not positive and reinforces ongoing dis-satisfaction with coverage.
The film, produced by the UK’s Institute for Development Studies can be viewed below:
Watch out for the longer interviews with each contributor (Snow is excellent):
- Jon Snow, journalist and news presenter, ITN
- Richard Kavuma, journalist, The Observer, Uganda
- Seja Majeed, filmmaker and activist
- Deborah Doane, Director, World Development Movement
- Caroline Nursey, Director, BBC Media Action
- Charlie Beckett, journalist, Director, POLIS
- Richard Sambrook, former Director, BBC Global News
The film would make for an excellent education resource for exploring the issue, especially when backed up by additional resources such as those available at Canadian organisation Media Awareness Network.
For an Irish voice on the issue, see the joint Africa Centre- Dochas seminar discussions from 2009.