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Chap. 10 – Africa

Global Public Relations

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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.

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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

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Africa’s Importance

Strategic assets Chromium, cobalt, manganese, platinum Gold, oil Fertile land

Seeds of democratic governments, market economies

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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)

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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

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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

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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