Africa Is a Country

BBC’s Special Focus on Africa

BBC’s Special Focus on Africa

By
Tom Devriendt

To mark 80 years of international broadcasting, the BBC World Service is hosting a day of live programming today. And we’re part of it. During the 5-6pm time slot (that’s 5-6pm GMT; 12-1pm EST) Focus on Africa will take a look at “the creative energy and entrepreneurship coming out of Africa.” Some topics up for discussion are: Whether the world still needs an international broadcaster; What is the role of the BBC?; What are the stories the BBC should cover, and the voices you should hear?; What values and ideas do we all share, and are these the same as our audience?

Sean Jacobs will be guest editing the program (and repping Africa is a Country), looking at the role social media has played in news reporting. He will be joined by blogger Tomi Oladepo.

Twitter handles to follow and participate in the discussion are @BBCAfrica, @BBCAfricaHYS, @bbcworldservice and @AfricasaCountry.

* Update: you can now listen to a recording of the program here.

Further Reading

No one should be surprised we exist

The documentary film, ‘Rolé—Histórias dos Rolezinhos’ by Afro-Brazilian filmmaker Vladimir Seixas uses sharp commentary to expose social, political, and cultural inequalities within Brazilian society.

Kenya’s stalemate

A fundamental contest between two orders is taking place in Kenya. Will its progressives seize the moment to catalyze a vision for social, economic, and political change?

More than a building

The film ‘No Place But Here’ uses VR or 360 media to immerse a viewer inside a housing occupation in Cape Town. In the process, it wants to challenge gentrification and the capitalist logic of home ownership.