How African governments use advertising as a weapon against media freedom

A picture of Kenyan journalists demonstrating against draconian law seen to be curtailing the freedom of press passed by last Kenyan parliament in Nairobi. The same parliament has passed another law giving high fines and strict jail terms to journalists who expose them. (Photo: Denish Ochieng/ Standard)

National governments remain the single largest source of revenue for news organisations in Africa. In Rwanda, for example, a staggering 85-90% of advertising revenue comes from the public sector.

In Kenya, it’s estimated that 30% of newspaper revenue comes from government advertising. In 2013, the government spent Ksh40 million in two weeks just to publish congratulatory messages for the new President Uhuru Kenyatta.