KAS Media Africa

16/06/2026

Episode 1: Fake or Fact? Spotting Disinformation

We’ve partnered with Karen Allen International to create “Don’t Be a Useful Idiot: Stay Safe Online”, a six-part video series helping navigate today’s fast-changing digital world, from disinformation and deepfakes to scams and online safety.

We begin with the basics. What is disinformation and why does it matter?
🎥 Watch Episode 1 and learn how false information spreads and how to spot it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrUVR6PKETA&t=7s

Keep an eye out for new episodes released every Tuesday!

Not everything online is true.Disinformation is designed to mislea...

12/06/2026

Big things landing next week. 🚀

Disinformation, deepfakes, scams and algorithms are shaping how we see the world online.

To help navigate this reality, we are launching our new six-part animated video series on digital literacy and online safety - ‘Don’t Be a Useful Idiot: Stay Safe Online’.

🎥 The first episode, “Fake or Fact? Spotting Disinformation,” goes live next week!

Stay tuned.

05/06/2026

🌍 What incredible three days in Kigali, Rwanda for our International Roundtable Discussion „The Great Media Shift - the Role of Content Creators in the new Media World“. Media experts, journalists, media owners and of course content creators from Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda and Germany came together to explore how digital creators are reshaping news,and what this means for credibility, trust, and the future of Africa’s media economy.

From bold conversations on collaboration and media business models to deep dives into platforms and audience trends, the energy (and ideas!) in the room were undeniable. Huge thanks to all participants for the thought-provoking insights and real talk!

And a special thanks to our partner Fojo Media Institute for helping bring The Great Media Shift to life.

We wrapped up our agenda with a visit to the Genocide Memorial and the newsroom of The New Times.

28/05/2026

Ebola outbreaks don’t just pose health risks – they also trigger waves of disinformation. Our new report shows that disinformation in the health sector is not a new phenomenon, but has followed a recurring pattern for decades.

The study, authored by a security expert Dr Christopher Nehring, analyses the narratives, actors and dynamics behind health disinformation. It shows how recurring conspiracy patterns, economic incentives and political instrumentalisation shape the information environment in crises.

👉 Read the full report in English here: https://www.kas.de/en/web/medien-afrika/laenderberichte/detail/-/content/the-playbook-of-health-disinformation-and-the-ebola-outbreak-in-the-drc-and-uganda

👉 Read the full report in German here: https://www.kas.de/de/web/medien-afrika/laenderberichte/detail/-/content/das-playbook-fuer-gesundheitsdesinformation-und-der-ebola-ausbruch-in-der-dr-kongo-und-in-uganda

08/05/2026

Three days. Powerful conversations. Real impact. Our Workshop on Cyber Threats and Resilience for Media held in Gaberon, Botswana brought together media professionals from across Sub-Saharan Africa to tackle one of the most pressing challenges facing journalism today: navigating cyber threats and disinformation, and strengthening digital resilience.

From protecting sources to countering disinformation, participants explored practical tools, shared experiences, and built connections that will extend far beyond the workshop itself.
We welcomed participants from South Africa 🇿🇦, Kenya 🇰🇪, Ghana 🇬🇭, Zimbabwe 🇿🇼, Ethiopia 🇪🇹, Tanzania 🇹🇿, The Gambia 🇬🇲, Somalia 🇸🇴, Lesotho 🇱🇸, Nigeria 🇳🇬, and Malawi 🇲🇼 — a truly diverse and inspiring group committed to strengthening journalism in their regions 🌍✨

A special thank you to our outstanding facilitators Christopher Nehring, Alfonse Shiundu from Africa Check, Athandiwe Saba, and Moffin Njoroge from Code for Africa 🙌 for sharing their expertise, leading insightful discussions, and equipping participants with the skills to make a real difference.

And to all our participants — thank you for your energy, curiosity, and dedication. The future of resilient, trustworthy media is stronger because of you. 💪

03/05/2026

🌍 Today, the world marks World Press Freedom Day – under the global theme “Shaping a Future at Peace”.

World Press Freedom Day underscores a fundamental truth: free, independent and professional media are essential to democracy, accountability and informed public participation. They help create the conditions for dialogue, trust and peaceful societies.

It reminds us that press freedom is not a given! It is a measure of democratic resilience and one of its earliest casualties when institutions weaken. Where democratic systems come under pressure, journalism often follows: quietly constrained through legal uncertainty, economic dependency and the erosion of public trust.

As our Director Hendrik Sittig writes in his recent contribution to the KAS New York UN Agora Blog:
“Press freedom is not a stable or permanent achievement, but remains closely tied to the overall constitutional health of political order. It is both a measure of democratic resilience and one of its earliest casualties.”
Read the full blog post on the KAS New York website: https://www.kas.de/en/web/newyork/un-agora-blog/detail/-/content/world-press-freedom-day-perspectives-from-asia-and-sub-saharan-africa

On World Press Freedom Day, we therefore look beyond symbolism toward commitment. Through its various projects, the KAS Media Programme Sub-Saharan Africa supports journalists, media professionals and media institutions across the region - strengthening independent media, fostering professional networks and contributing to press freedom as a cornerstone of peaceful, democratic societies.

30/04/2026

“For the first time in the history of the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) World Press Freedom Index, over half of the world’s countries now fall into the ‘difficult’ or ‘very serious’ categories for press freedom.”

Reporters sans frontières / Reporters Without Borders / RSF has released the 2026 World Press Freedom Index, showing that global press freedom has dropped to its lowest level in 25 years – a stark warning signal for democracies worldwide.

For us at the KAS Media Programme for Sub-Saharan Africa, these findings are a matter of serious concern and underline why strengthening free, independent and professional journalism remains central to our work.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, press freedom continues to face severe pressure. RSF reports that in most countries, journalists operate under “difficult” or “very serious” conditions, shaped by political interference, conflict, legal repression and economic vulnerability.

This deterioration is starkly illustrated by Niger, which recorded the steepest global decline in the 2026 Index, falling 37 places from 83rd in 2025 to 120th in 2026. This dramatic drop reflects intensified repression following the military takeover and a rapidly shrinking civic and media space.

🔗 Read the full 2026 RSF World Press Freedom Index analysis here:

For the first time in the history of the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) World Press Freedom Index, over half of the world’s countries now fall into the “difficult” or “very serious” categories for press freedom. In 25 years, the average score of all 180 countries and territories surveyed ...

18/04/2026

🌍 This week, the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB) marked its 20th Anniversary alongside its 17th General Assembly in Banjul, The Gambia, under the theme “Heritage, Innovation and Transformation.”

The gathering brought together public broadcasters, media leaders and partners to discuss sustainability, digitisation, content exchange and global cooperation.

KAS Media Africa was proud to actively support this event by fostering knowledge exchange and strengthening networks, including facilitating the participation of Director Generals from Europe and Africa.

This engagement allowed our Director, Hendrik Sittig
, to contribute to a panel discussion on the future of public service media and the role of African broadcasters in a rapidly changing global media landscape.

11/04/2026

🎉 Hooray! Yesterday we launched our new study on AI and journalism in South Africa - and what a great conversation it was!

We were thrilled to share the results of “Navigating Risks and Rewards: How South African Journalists Use AI in the Newsroom” and to hear so many thoughtful perspectives on how AI is already shaping newsroom practice. Huge thanks to the authors Karen Allen and Prof. Herman Wasserman.

A special thank you to our wonderful panelists:
• Dr Phathiswa Magopeni Tshangana (Press Council of South Africa)
• Lebogang Mokoena (Arena Holdings)
• Mamaponya Motsai (Fraycollege of Communications)

Our appreciation also to our moderator Liezle Wilson from the SABC for guiding the event.

🔗 You can read the full study available for download on our website
https://www.kas.de/en/web/medien-afrika/veranstaltungsberichte/detail/-/content/new-study-navigating-risks-and-rewards-how-south-african-journalists-use-ai-in-the-newsroom

10/04/2026

Join us for the launch of our new study: “Navigating risks and rewards – How South African journalists use AI in the newsroom”