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Chap. 10 – Africa

Chap. 10 – Africa. Global Public Relations. The UN and others generally group the African continent into five regions. This chapter addresses the four regions excluding Northern Africa, collectively called Sub-Saharan Africa. General Shared Characteristics.

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Chap. 10 – Africa

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  1. Chap. 10 – Africa Global Public Relations

  2. The UN and others generally group the African continent into five regions. This chapter addresses the four regions excluding Northern Africa, collectively called Sub-Saharan Africa.

  3. General Shared Characteristics • Poverty, low life expectancy, low literacy • Poor health & nutrition, prevalence of diseases such as malaria and HIV/AIDS • Exploitative colonial experience at the hands of several European nations • National boundaries without regard to ethnic, tribal, linguistic divisions

  4. Africa’s Importance • Strategic assets • Chromium, cobalt, manganese, platinum • Gold, oil • Fertile land • Seeds of democratic governments, market economies

  5. Challenges for Public Relations • Limited communication infrastructure • Government influence, even control over media in many countries • Complex cultural constructs • More than 2,000 languages and dialects spoken

  6. Nature of PR in Africa • Emphasis on nation building, development communication • Primarily in government sector; information model • Programs and campaigns benefit from folk media, “pavement radio” • Opportunities growing as reforms take hold and spread

  7. The Example of Ghana • Former British colony; first in Sub-Saharan Africa to achieve independence (1957) • Familial relationships, clan relationships highly important • Modernization challenging complex cultural mosaic

  8. PR in Ghana • Gov’t PR centralized in Information Services Department • Early links to journalism • Professionalization thanks to PRAG (now IPR) • Mostly male, mostly low- to mid-level managers, mostly press agentry • Gaining respect and recognition

  9. South Africa • Multi-cultural, multi-lingual • Leading economic power in region • Lingering high unemployment and poverty • Dutch and British colonial past, plus aparteid • Quest for consensus in new era (since 1994)

  10. PR in South Africa • Western influence superimposed on African cultural traditions • “Wine-and-dine” image in the past, but professionalism more prevalent now • Helping build trust, promote social progress and CSR • Well-established higher education curricula • PRISA leading the way

  11. Kenya • Also a former British colony, until 1963 • Unsteady democratic growth since independence, but stability gaining • Recent unrest appears to be on the mend • Still, corruption is perceived as a problem • Poverty and unemployment remain endemic

  12. PR in Kenya • Early use was to manage public opinion • Personal relationship building central to practice • PRSK helping to advance practice • Hosted first gathering of African practitioners • Less associated with propaganda than in the past; university programs expanding

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