Media Newsletter - 28 February

1. Journalism trends: Podcasts are taking Africa by storm as more storytellers turn to the medium to build digital communities and possible revenue streams. Nairobi-based Africa Podfest has been tracking the development of podcasting in Africa since 2018, when the organisation launched their crowd-sourced database of African podcasts and podcasters. Co-founder Josephine Karianjahi says the number of African podcasts in their database has grown significantly, while audiences are hungrier than ever for diverse African stories and voices.

2. Who’s funding? This one is for journalists with five years of experience reporting on public policy. Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government is offering a live-in residency to research and write a paper on media and politics. There’s a $30,000 stipend. Deadline: 15 March. More info.

3. Training opportunity: Africa’s narrative is already shifting. The continent’s art, culture, innovation, heritage and the voices that are traditionally silenced are growing and gaining momentum. A24 Media launched a three-month digital storytelling course to educate, inspire and empower aspiring storytellers and platform founders. Applications are open to storytellers living anywhere on the African continent.Deadline: 11 March. For more info contact info@a24-media.com.

4. In the spotlight: We love witnessing shifting narratives, something that sports journalist Juliet Bawuah is well-known for as the founder of the Africa Women’s Sports Summit. The platform encourages inclusion, longevity and excellence for African women in sports. Her extensive experience has turned her into the go-to resource and correspondent on sport within the continent outlets like BBC, TRT World, Premier League TV, and LaLiga TV. She has also been part of the judging panels at CAF and the Ballon d’Or. She was recently included in SuperSport’s Define your Great campaign that celebrates individuals who positively impacted sports in Africa.

5. Take back the pen: In a news and storytelling world that portrays Africa as broken and Africans as dependent, Bird disrupts the stereotypical narrative with stories that show an alternative Africa. Home to the Nigerian animation film that beat Pixar. The smokeless and energy-efficient stoves are saving lives and trees in Ivory Coast. An Africa with the fastest crypto adoption rate globally, recording 1,200% growth between July 2020 and June 2021. These are some of the alternative stories published by Africa’s story agency for content that goes beyond conflict, disease, corruption, poor leadership and poverty.

Read more here — more on how you can join Bird here.

Follow @Africanofilter and @birdstoryagency on social media for hot opportunities and alternative stories of Africa.