BBC World Service | Africa editor's blog https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/ This is the African News and Current Affairs blog from the BBC World Service. Team members will be blogging about things that catch their eye and discussing the African stories that have got people talking. en Copyright 2010 Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:01:33 +0000 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=4.1 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss getting more social BBC News has today appointed its first social media editor, to develop the way we gather news from our audiences, and make more of our journalism available on social networks.

Read all about the new post here

Social media is changing the way news is collated, distributed and consumed in a very far-reaching way.

As digital technology continues its advance across Africa, how will it change the role of BBC Africa News and Current Affairs as a news provider for the continent?

Our twitter feed can react the quickest to breaking news, while and our programmes, blog and magazine can provide the detail, context and analysis and there are yet more platforms for us to explore.

Plus, our audience will surely become more involved in the process, identifying the stories that you want told and telling us how you want us to tell them.

exciting times

]]> Caroline Jones (BBC World Service) https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/11/getting_more_social.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/11/getting_more_social.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:01:33 +0000 Man fear Troubled times for African men?

... been listening to Gladys Njoroge's report from the men-who-feel-under-attack debate in Nairobi. One bloke was near to tears at the thought of being surplus to his girlfriend's requirements because she could pay her own rent. bless!

Gladys's report

Do African women need a fella in modern society where they have financial independence? What's you view?

Isn't it about negotiating a relationship with roles both partners are comfortable with?

Come on guys - stop feeling sorry for yourselves - manhood isn't a mono-dimensional thing!

]]> Caroline Jones (BBC World Service) https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/11/man_fear.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/11/man_fear.html Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:55:29 +0000 Holes in the road We're running a series of on air features about traffic congestion and the problems confronting drivers in Africa's major cities.

Louise Redvers, our correspondent in Angola, snapped this unfortunate scene on one of the capital's poorly maintained roads.

Luanda_pothole.jpg

Listen to her report


World Service Africa

]]> Caroline Jones (BBC World Service) https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/11/potholes.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/11/potholes.html Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:39:08 +0000 Question for Nneka? When the best african act was announced at this year's MOBO awards (music of black origin), i was completely in the dark.

Not that I'm a proper african music afficianado or anything, but I'm kinda like a tree growing in the path of an African music river - a lot comes my way.

Well, I was obviously looking the other way with ear plugs in when Nneka whooshed past me selling great articulated truck loads of her single Heartbeat.

The track has been massive here in the UK providing Nneka with some much deserved commercial success after plugging away at her art for 5 years, getting good critical notices but sales not matching.

But anyway - back to the Mobo awards announcement - I'm like -" who??"

A quick youtube search and an educational chat with my colleague, Bola Mosuro and I'm a Nneka convert.

Her album "No Longer At Ease" showcases a variety of styles, pop, funk, reggae, hip hop. Her style defies definition but is rooted, with love, in Lagos - her home town. Her attachment to Lagos, the heartbeat city of Nigeria, is evident in the choice of shoot locations for her music videos, which celebrate the city.

Heartbeat - official video

Her evident commitment to her African audience is great news for us at Network Africa because our invitation to her to perform on the programme got the nod despite a very tight touring schedule!


Bola will be interviewing the singer so if there is something you would like to ask Nneka, post it here and we'll give it to Bola to insert into the conversation.

]]> Caroline Jones (BBC World Service) https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/11/question_for_nneka.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/11/question_for_nneka.html Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:50:47 +0000 Welcome to BBC ID BBC iD is the new sign in system for BBC Online. It's currently being rolled out across all services that require a user to register or sign in.

On Monday November 2nd we'll be switching all of the BBC's blogs to BBC iD from the previous BBC membership system. And in the New Year our message boards and other communities will be heading down the same route.

Read more about BBC iD on the BBC Internet Blog.

If you have any problems commenting on the blogs under the new system, please take a look at the FAQs.

]]> Caroline Jones (BBC World Service) https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/10/welcome_to_bbc_id.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/10/welcome_to_bbc_id.html Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:31:45 +0000 fun and games the us assistant secretary of state has called a press conference this morning to announce a travel ban on an unnamed senior kenyan government official. the reason for the cloak-and-dagger tactics is that the person in question hasn't been informed yet apparently. and the point is?

]]> Nick Ericsson (BBC World Service) https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/10/fun_and_games.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/10/fun_and_games.html Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:40:48 +0000 flashback just back from zim - and shivering in a london 'autumn'. miss the jacarandas already. Overall impressions in brief: from people we spoke to - the country reached rock-bottom last year, and is now on the mend. Lots to be positive about - but there is still a whiff of paranoia in the air.

have a look and listen: Zimbabwe Live

]]> Nick Ericsson (BBC World Service) https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/10/flashback.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/10/flashback.html Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:37:39 +0000 tireless just done the first edition of Focus on Africa from Harare, Zimbabwe. The country's Justice Minister Ptrick Chinamasa appeared on the programme. He arrived two hours ago - was on air with Focus on Africa for 15 minutes and is STILL here doing countless interviews with other outlets - either he loves to explain himself or is addicted to the limelight. Anyway, the man has energy, whatever his public persona around the world. As I write this he is scolding the West for its double-standards - got to love the theatrics of it all.

]]> Nick Ericsson (BBC World Service) https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/10/tireless.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/10/tireless.html Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:08:49 +0000 new dawn just coming down from a morning of live broadcasts fron Harare - incredible! Smack bang in the centre of the city. Quote of the morning: "This country can't be run like a tuckshop anymore." Lots of positive stories too - seems like things are getting back to life.

]]> Nick Ericsson (BBC World Service) https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/10/new_dawn.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/10/new_dawn.html Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:19:47 +0000 the big day will you be celebrating kwame nkrumah's 100th birthday today? or not?

]]> Nick Ericsson (BBC World Service) https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/09/the_big_day.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/09/the_big_day.html Mon, 21 Sep 2009 02:30:49 +0000 up in lights see how we put together 'focus on africa'

https://nontonwae.pages.dev/worldservice/africa/2009/09/090916_focus_day.shtml

]]> Nick Ericsson (BBC World Service) https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/09/up_in_lights.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/09/up_in_lights.html Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:16:45 +0000 grow your own nice story on network africa and focus on africa today. there's been lots in the media about the US first lady and her prize veggie patch on the lawns of the white house. africa has its own success stories. two big prisons in mozambique will also start growing their own produce . . .

at the same time, the world has lost a man who some say saved more lives than any other:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8253005.stm

]]> Nick Ericsson (BBC World Service) https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/09/grow_your_own.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/09/grow_your_own.html Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:50:06 +0000 empty words top story this morning - boat tragedy in Sierra Leone. 8 bodies recovered, 116 missing.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8247287.stm

and the government spokesman tells us that life jackets are compulsory in the country

]]> Nick Ericsson (BBC World Service) https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/09/empty_words.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/09/empty_words.html Thu, 10 Sep 2009 04:31:20 +0000 less is more on zimbabwe and sadc - at least president zuma is "less biased" than former president mbeki was towards president mugabe.

http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=81014

so that's a good thing . . . right?

]]> Nick Ericsson (BBC World Service) https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/09/less_is_more.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/09/less_is_more.html Thu, 10 Sep 2009 04:25:25 +0000 number crunching It's 9/9/9 today in case you haven't noticed. let's hope Africa gets lucky

]]> Nick Ericsson (BBC World Service) https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/09/number_crunching.html https://nontonwae.pages.dev/blogs/africa/2009/09/number_crunching.html Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:31:47 +0000