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What is the Influence of Chinese Media in West Africa?

There is a disagreement between Ghanaian journalists and policymakers and their Nigerian counterparts over the perception of Chinese media sources.

<p>China&#8217;s Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets Ghana&#8217;s President Nana Akufo-Addo at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, on September 1, 2018.</p>
China’s Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, on September 1, 2018. Jason Lee/Reuters

By experts and staff

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This study contributes a West African perspective to the growing academic scholarship on audience perception of and influence of Chinese media in Africa through an analysis of semi-structured interviews with journalists and policymakers in Ghana and Nigeria (N=53). The findings of this study suggest that there is a disagreement between Ghanaian journalists and policymakers and their Nigerian counterparts over the perception of Chinese media sources. However, there is unanimity over distrust and use of Chinese media sources largely because of the authoritarian origin of Chinese media organizations.

For the full paper about the influence of Chinese media in West Africa, see here.