Her Media Diary

Dr Yemisi Akinbobola
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Monthly

Her Media Diary is a podcast by African Women in Media (AWiM) focused on women in media, journalism, storytelling, and digital content across Africa and the global diaspora. The podcast explores gender and media, women’s leadership in journalism, media safety, representation, media policy, advocacy, and feminist storytelling. Each episode features conversations with African women journalists, media professionals, content creators, editors, researchers, and gender advocates working across newsrooms, digital media, podcasts, film, and communications. Topics include women’s voices in media, gender equality, freedom of expression, online and offline safety, narrative power, media accountability, and social change. Her Media Diary is designed for journalists, media practitioners, feminists, researchers, students, and anyone interested in African media, women’s rights, storytelling, and gender justice. The podcast documents how women are shaping media systems and public narratives, while building a safer, more inclusive media ecosystem.

  1. Umu Thoronka Case: Wrongful Dismissal & Sexual Harassment Inside Sierra Leone's Press Freedom Crisis

    Jun 9

    Umu Thoronka Case: Wrongful Dismissal & Sexual Harassment Inside Sierra Leone's Press Freedom Crisis

    Eastina Taylor-Tucker is the president of Women in News Media Sierra Leone (WIMSAL), a seasoned broadcaster and advocate who has worked with BBC Media Action and stands at the center of one of West Africa's most significant press freedom cases in recent years. A 2018 Mandela Washington Fellow,Eastina has spent her career challenging structural inequalities in newsrooms and fighting for the safety and dignity of women journalists across Sierra Leone. In this episode, Dr Yemisi Akinbobola interviews Eastina to explore her journey to becoming a leading voice for gender justice in media. She shares how she entered journalism at 19, aced an interview despite being told she was too young and too small, and went on to work across Christian radio, mainstream media, community radio mentorship with BBC Media Action, and eventually as station manager of one of Sierra Leone's largest commercial stations. A significant portion of the conversation focuses on the case of Umu Thoronka, a WIMSAL member and journalist who faced wrongful termination from Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation. Eastina walks listeners through the years-long advocacy effort led by WIMSAL, including engagement with the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Human Rights, the Independent Media Commission, and ultimately an ECOWAS court process. She explains how Umu was dismissed via phone call without warning after covering a presidential press conference and posting about being denied the opportunity to ask questions. The backlash Umu faced included death threats, online abuse, and physical intimidation, all for exercising her right to free expression. Eastina also opens up about her own experience of sexual assault by a colleague, an incident she kept silent about for years due to fear, shame, and the knowledge that speaking out often leads to disbelief and isolation. Eastina closes with a powerful call to action for policymakers, media owners, and editors. She urges them to stop treating gender-based violence as a misunderstanding or private issue and to recognize it as a serious workplace and human rights crisis. She envisions a media landscape where women are respected as professionals first, where harassment complaints are handled confidentially and independently, and where leadership undergoes mandatory gender sensitivity training. Protecting women journalists, she argues, is not just about protecting women. It is about protecting the credibility and future of journalism itself. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: Building a Career in Sierra Leone's Media Landscape 00:01:30 Growing Up in Freetown: Early Signs of a Communicator 00:05:50 From School Plays to Radio: Breaking Into Media at 19 00:09:41 Facing Inequality in Mainstream Media: The AYV Experience 00:10:38 Mentoring Community Journalists: Six Years with BBC Media Action 00:11:39 On Our Radar and Capital Radio: Leading a Major Media House 00:17:59 The Umu Thoronka Case: Wrongful Dismissal and Sexual Harassment 00:20:45 Death Threats, Intimidation, and a Phone Call Dismissal 00:24:54 Fighting for Justice: From IMC to ECOWAS Court 00:27:01 The Epidemic of Silence: Sexual Harassment Across Sierra Leone's Newsrooms 00:29:48 The Kigali Declaration: What It Takes to Operationalize Gender Safety 00:34:45 Eastina's Story: Sexual Assault and the Price of Speaking Out 00:42:08 Men Who Believed: Finding Support in Unexpected Places 00:43:27 Advice to Her Younger Self: Trust Your Voice and Protect Your Mental Health 00:44:50 What Genuinely Safe Newsrooms Look Like: A Call to Action 00:47:39 Closing: Protecting Women Journalists is Protecting Press Freedom If this episode resonated with you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear it. Your support helps amplify conversations that strengthen media ecosystems across Africa. If Umu Thoronka's story moved you, follow the case by searching her name online. If you are a woman in a newsroom who recognizes these experiences, reach out to organizations like WIMSAL or your local media associations. You are not alone, and you are not wrong for wanting better. Interested in joining a future episode of Her Media Diary? Email yemisi@africanwomeninmedia.com Her Media Diary is produced by African Women in Media (AWiM). Follow African Women in Media (AWiM): Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/share/1ARgsBptVC/) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/african-women-in-media/) TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@realawim?_r=1&_t=ZS-93QVDxwCcv1) X (Twitter) (https://x.com/RealAWiM) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/africanwomeninmedia?igsh=MXA4NTc4NjF1NTFnbQ==)

    50 min
  2. Beyond SEO: Why Answer Engine Optimization is the Future of Digital Visibility

    May 26

    Beyond SEO: Why Answer Engine Optimization is the Future of Digital Visibility

    Adanna Adindu is a content strategist, SEO expert, and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) specialist who helps brands transition from invisibility to visibility in the digital space. As a self-described "abnormal Gen Z," she combines classical sensibilities with cutting-edge digital expertise, working remotely from Nigeria for international clients across B2B SaaS, iGaming, medical tourism, fintech, legal, and tax advisory industries. A trained lawyer turned content strategist, she has developed over 120 long-form SEO articles that have increased organic traffic for clients by up to 35 percent. A significant portion of the conversation focuses on the visibility penalty women face in media and business. Adanna shares her experience leading a team of 14 male editors. She recounts the toxic backlash she received as a TV host, where viewers attacked her appearance rather than engaging with her analysis. She also describes the sexual harassment she faced while running an online menswear business during COVID, with male customers requesting hotel deliveries and unsolicited advances. These experiences fueled her determination to build authority on her own terms. Adanna introduces listeners to Answer Engine Optimization, a field beyond traditional SEO that focuses on making content rank not just on Google, but inside AI overviews, chatbots, and generative engines like ChatGPT and Perplexity. She explains how she planned her friend's wedding by sourcing all vendors through AI, and why brands that ignore AEO risk becoming invisible in a world where users no longer scroll past page one or even past AI-generated summaries. She breaks down the secret to content that ranks and converts: real human stories, structured formatting, and headings framed as problems or questions that signal value to both machines and human readers. Adanna also tackles the fear that AI will replace human writers. She argues that while AI will take over some jobs, it creates opportunities for humans to transition into editors, proofreaders, and strategists who add the human voice machines cannot replicate. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: Building a Media Career Without the Noise 00:00:53 Growing Up Igbo: Family, Presence, and the Power of Being Seen 00:05:58 The Abnormal Gen Z: Why She Doesn't Fit the Mold 00:10:02 From Law to Content: Connecting the Dots Across Industries 00:12:50 Leading Men: The Toxic Reality of Being a Female Editor 00:15:35 The Visibility Penalty: Backlash, Body Shaming, and Standing Firm 00:17:37 Selling Men's Clothes Online: Sexual Harassment in Business 00:20:16 AWiM Learning Platform: Courses for African Journalists 00:21:11 Building Authority from Nigeria: Remote Work and International Clients 00:27:27 AEO, SEO, and LLMs: Writing for Machines and Humans 00:31:17 Will AI Take Over Writing? The Human Eye Still Matters 00:33:31 The Secret to Ranking: Real Stories, Real Trust, Real Results 00:35:36 From Invisible to In-Demand: Why Brilliant Nigerians Stay Buried 00:38:05 Balancing Art and Algorithms: Storytelling Meets SEO 00:41:24 Move With the Trends, Maintain Your Unique Voice 00:42:25 Parting Words: Start Building Today, the Fast Lane Isn't Sustainable If this episode resonated with you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear it. Your support helps amplify conversations that strengthen media ecosystems across Africa. Interested in joining a future episode of Her Media Diary? Email: yemisi@africanwomeninmedia.com Join the ongoing conversation using #HerMediaDiary. Her Media Diary is produced by African Women in Media (AWiM). Follow African Women in Media (AWiM): Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/share/1ARgsBptVC/) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/african-women-in-media/) TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@realawim?_r=1&_t=ZS-93QVDxwCcv1) X (Twitter) (https://x.com/RealAWiM) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/africanwomeninmedia?igsh=MXA4NTc4NjF1NTFnbQ==)

    44 min
  3. When Gender Progress Faces Pushback: Five Taikeaways from CSW70

    May 5

    When Gender Progress Faces Pushback: Five Taikeaways from CSW70

    In this special episode, Dr Yemisi Akinbobola takes listeners behind the scenes of the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70), held at the United Nations headquarters in New York in March 2025. Dr Yemisi opens with a striking moment from day one, where WABC TV anchor Sade Baderinwa reminded the delegates that when justice fails, women pay the price. But the most powerful intervention came from Malala Yousafzai, who challenged the world to confront selective justice. She spoke about Afghan women being barred from medical training and how the oppression of women is frequently excused as culture. Malala called it what it was: gender apartheid. In her words, speeches do not protect girls. Law, accountability, and political courage do. The theme of CSW70 was strengthening legal systems and eliminating discriminatory laws. Yet, as UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous admitted, no country fully meets its obligation to ensure women's full access to justice. For the first time in 70 years, the agreed-upon conclusions were adopted by vote rather than consensus, with the United States raising objections over gender ideology, sexual health rights, and even the word intersectionality. UN Secretary General António Guterres spoke plainly during a town hall, urging everyone to stop using diplomatic language. He said that when we push against patriarchy, patriarchy pushes back. Throughout the week, Dr Yemisi attended critical side events, including one hosted by South Africa, reflecting on lessons from its G20 presidency and the historic 1956 women's march against apartheid. She also attended the screening of Daughters of Chibok, a documentary about mothers told to wait patiently while their daughters remained missing, a heartbreaking reminder of the 2014 abductions in Nigeria. Another session focused on just transitions in energy and AI, highlighting how women in Nigeria's Niger Delta hold communities together while being shut out of decisions regarding the oil on their land. A pivotal conversation took place at the BBC Studios event on AI, deepfakes, and digital safety. Statistics show that 90 to 95 per cent of deepfakes are sexualized images targeted at women. Behind those numbers were names: Fatou Baldeh, a Gambian women's rights activist who faced threats of rape and death for campaigning against female genital mutilation, and investigative journalist Abena Zara, whose family history was fabricated by AI-generated misinformation. Both women faced horrendous attacks for daring to speak up. AI is not neutral. It has been weaponized to discredit women truth tellers. Dr Yemisi closes with five truths from CSW70; listen to the full episode to learn those truths. Chapters 00:00:00 Defending Gender Progress at CSW70 00:01:27 When Justice Fails, Women Pay the Price 00:03:07 Consensus Broken After 70 Years 00:04:18 The UN Secretary General's Warning 00:05:34 South Africa's Legacy and the 1956 Women's March 00:07:01 A Call to Action for African Media 00:08:16 Leadership, Purpose, and the Mothers of Chibok 00:09:05 Women Shut Out of Oil Decisions in Niger Delta 00:11:20 When AI Becomes a Weapon Against Women 00:12:24 Five Truths from CSW70 If this episode resonated with you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear it. Your support helps amplify conversations that strengthen media ecosystems across Africa. Interested in joining a future episode of Her Media Diary? Email: yemisi@africanwomeninmedia.com (mailto:yemisi@africanwomeninmedia.com), and join the ongoing conversation using #HerMediaDiary. Her Media Diary is produced by African Women in Media (AWiM). Follow African Women in Media (AWiM): Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/share/1ARgsBptVC/) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/african-women-in-media/) TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@realawim?_r=1&_t=ZS-93QVDxwCcv1) X (Twitter) (https://x.com/RealAWiM) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/africanwomeninmedia?igsh=MXA4NTc4NjF1NTFnbQ==)

    16 min
  4. From Vibe Coding to Data Sovereignty: An AI Roadmap for African Journalists

    Apr 21

    From Vibe Coding to Data Sovereignty: An AI Roadmap for African Journalists

    Zain Verjee is the founder and CEO of the Zain Verjee Group, a communications advisory firm transforming how organizations tell stories in Africa and beyond. As a former CNN anchor and correspondent, she covered major global events and interviewed world leaders. Today, she is also co-founder of The Rundownb Studio, where she helps storytellers and newsroom leaders leverage AI responsibly in modern communications. As an executive fellow at Harvard University's Tech for All Lab, her work centers inclusivity, innovation, and equitable narratives particularly for Africa. In this episode, Dr. Yemisi Akinbobola sits down with Zain to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping newsroom workflows, the ethical guardrails African media must establish now, and whether AI will democratize storytelling or deepen inequalities. Zain speaks passionately about the critical difference between misinformation and disinformation, emphasizing that every individual must become more responsible in what they share online. A significant portion of the conversation focuses on the data sovereignty crisis facing the continent. Zain warns against digital colonization, where African data is extracted, repackaged, and sold back at premium prices, much like minerals were in the past. She argues that African women have a competitive advantage in this AI driven era because they possess cultural intelligence that no existing AI model has. She challenges women in media to build their own tools, learn prompt engineering and context engineering, and stop waiting for permission from institutions or developers. Zain closes with a powerful vision of 2036 Africa, where the continent has leveraged AI to solve agricultural and health challenges, where the first billion dollar company built by one person comes from Africa, and where African storytellers control their own narratives through data ownership and technological self sufficiency. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: AI, Misinformation, and the Future of African Journalism 00:00:40 Meet Zain Verjee: From CNN Anchor to AI-Powered Storytelling Pioneer 00:02:11 Early Memories and Growing Up in Kenya 00:03:54 What's Changed and What Remains: Journalism Then and Now 00:06:29 Understanding Misinformation vs Disinformation: Your Phone is Lying to You 00:09:07 The First AI War: Content Creation in the Middle East Conflict 00:12:23 Why Africa Needs Its Own Storytelling Infrastructure 00:14:32 The Data Set War: Who Controls Africa's Story in AI? 00:16:40 Forget Wikipedia: Build Your Own 00:17:55 The Opportunity for African Women in AI: Barriers Have Collapsed 00:19:37 Cultural Intelligence: Africa's Competitive Advantage 00:20:15 International Women's Day Message: Don't Wait for Permission 00:22:43 What African DNA Means in Communication and AI Strategy 00:26:12 The Rundown Studio: Training Storytellers for the AI Era 00:29:58 Data Sovereignty and Digital Colonization: Who Owns African Data? 00:34:19 Essential Skills for Young African Journalists: From Prompt Engineering to Vibe Coding 00:38:45 From Vibe Coding to Agentic Engineering: The Future of AI Newsrooms 00:40:19 2036 Vision: Africa's AI-Powered Future 00:42:30 Closing Reflections: AI as a Power Shift for African Narratives If this episode resonated with you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear it. Interested in joining a future episode of Her Media Diary? Email: yemisi@africanwomeninmedia.com Check out the free tool (Signal HQ) built by Zain and The Rundown Studio to aid public awareness and smart information sharing here: https://signal.therundown.studio/) Follow African Women in Media (AWiM): Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/share/1ARgsBptVC/) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/african-women-in-media/) TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@realawim?_r=1&_t=ZS-93QVDxwCcv1) X (Twitter) (https://x.com/RealAWiM) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/africanwomeninmedia?igsh=MXA4NTc4NjF1NTFnbQ==)

    44 min
  5. Give to Gain: Redefining Philanthropy for Women's Movement

    Mar 8

    Give to Gain: Redefining Philanthropy for Women's Movement

    Binaifer Nowrojee is the president of the Open Society Foundations, the world's largest private funder dedicated to advancing human rights, equity, and justice. She is an international human rights lawyer whose career spans strategic litigation, advocacy, research, and philanthropy across Africa and Asia Pacific. Earlier in her career, she investigated sexual violence during the Rwandan genocide with Human Rights Watch, contributing to the first convictions recognizing rape as a weapon of war. Today, she continues to influence global conversations on rights, accountability, and the redistribution of power. In this special International Women's Day 2025 episode, Dr. Yemisi Akinbobola sits down with Binaifer to explore the global theme Gift to Gain and what it truly means for African women, institutions, and the future of gender justice on the continent. A key focus of the episode is intergenerational collaboration. Binaifer speaks passionately about the moral imagination of Gen Z African women and how older feminists must remain humble enough to learn from new organizing strategies while also offering the institutional support and legal infrastructure built over decades. She closes with a vision of African women putting their heads and hands together across sectors, lifting the continent through passion, commitment, and a shared humanity that rejects single stories and celebrates multiplicity. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: Give to Gain and Gender Justice in Africa 00:00:56 Meet Binaifer Nowrojee: First African Woman President of Open Society 00:02:24 Growing Up as a Minority: Identity and Early Awareness of Injustice 00:03:32 From Dictatorship to Democracy: The Pro-Democracy Movement in Kenya 00:05:17 Books, Writers and Awakening: Shaping a Feminist Consciousness 00:06:24 College in America: Finding Her Voice Through Anti-Apartheid Activism 00:07:35 Audre Lorde and Feminist Identity: When I Dare to Be Powerful 00:08:35 Human Rights Watch and Rwanda: Documenting Sexual Violence as a War Crime 00:10:54 What Give to Gain Means: Standing With Women on the Front Lines 00:12:42 Leadership at Open Society: A Different Kind of Philanthropy 00:14:35 Charlotte Maxeke's Legacy: If You Rise, Bring Someone With You 00:15:42 Glass Cliffs and Backlash: The Reality for Women in Power 00:18:31 Beyond Funding: What Meaningful Giving to African Women Really Requires 00:20:30 Gen Z Leadership and Moral Imagination for a New World 00:21:49 The Kigali Declaration: Addressing Gender Violence in Media 00:23:01 From Recipients to Shapers: African Women and Philanthropic Power 00:24:30 What Governments Must Give: Access, Opportunity and Getting Out of the Way 00:26:21 The Danger of a Single Story: Why Who Tells the Story Matters 00:27:37 Intergenerational Collaboration: What Each Generation Brings 00:30:05 A Vision for African Women: Passion, Commitment and Shared Humanity 00:31:28 What Philanthropy Must Give Up: Humility and the Power of Listening 00:32:25 Closing Reflections: Demanding Structural Change, Not Just Celebration If this episode resonated with you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear it. Your support helps amplify conversations that strengthen media ecosystems across Africa. Interested in joining a future episode of Her Media Diary? Email: yemisi@africanwomeninmedia.com (mailto:yemisi@africanwomeninmedia.com) You can also listen via our partner radio stations across Africa, and join the ongoing conversation using #HerMediaDiary. Her Media Diary is produced by African Women in Media (AWiM). Follow African Women in Media (AWiM): Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/share/1ARgsBptVC/) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/african-women-in-media/) TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@realawim?_r=1&_t=ZS-93QVDxwCcv1) X (Twitter) (https://x.com/RealAWiM) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/africanwomeninmedia?igsh=MXA4NTc4NjF1NTFnbQ==)

    34 min
  6. A Queer Feminist's Fight for Digital Safe Spaces

    Mar 3

    A Queer Feminist's Fight for Digital Safe Spaces

    Charity Nafula is a queer feminist, certified accountant, podcaster, and passionate advocate for digital dignity. As the Executive Director of Queer Prism 256, Charity uses podcasting and art to amplify the everyday lives of marginalized women in Uganda, creating intentional safe spaces for queer women to share their stories without fear of judgment or exposure. In this episode, Dr Yemisi Akinbobola sits down with Charity to explore her journey from growing up in a religious home in Uganda to discovering her sexuality in secondary school, and eventually joining the LGBTQ community in 2015. Charity opens up about the moment she first saw pride coverage in the news and her deep desire to be part of it, even when she couldn't physically attend. She reflects on how she never saw her identity as something negative, which gave her the courage to step fully into advocacy work that now spans accounting, activism, and storytelling. A significant portion of the conversation focuses on the intersection of technology, AI, and gender-based violence within queer communities. Charity shares harrowing examples of tech-facilitated GBV—from being outed on TikTok alongside other queer activists, to the fear of being blackmailed, doxxed, or having her home vandalized. She describes the anxiety of relocating for safety, and the devastating impact on friends who risked losing their marriages and children due to online exposure. Charity calls out how social media platforms and AI tools are weaponized against marginalized communities, and challenges tech companies to prioritize ethical design, survivor-centered surveys, and proactive safety measures before launching new platforms. Charity also envisions what a queer feminist AI tool could look like—one rooted in storytelling support, mental health resources, counter-misinformation capabilities, and radical inclusivity. Charity's message is clear: queer people are not defined by their sexuality; they are parents, taxpayers, contributors to the economy, and deserving of dignity, safety, and representation. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: Amplifying Marginalized Voices Through Media 00:01:14 Growing Up and Discovering Identity in a Religious Home 00:03:58 Wearing Many Hats: Activism Meets Accounting 00:05:18 Being Visible as a Queer Woman in Uganda 00:06:19 Creating Queer Prism 256: A Safe Space for Women 00:07:44 What a Safe Space Really Means: Trust and Accountability 00:09:29 Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence: The Daily Reality 00:13:19 The TikTok Outing: A Personal Story of Fear and Survival 00:16:57 Source Her: Connecting Journalists with African Female Experts 00:18:13 AI, Deepfakes, and Digital Surveillance: Weaponizing Technology 00:18:48 What Tech Companies Must Do: Centering Survivors and Safety 00:26:37 Algorithmic Erasure and Hate Speech Amplification 00:27:10 Media's Role: Reporting for Change, Not Just Clicks 00:31:23 Designing a Queer Feminist AI Tool: Healing and Storytelling 00:35:12 Final Message: Be Kind, Be Human, Report with Empathy 00:38:27 Closing Reflections: Designing Differently for Joy and Care If this episode resonated with you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear it. Your support helps amplify conversations that strengthen media ecosystems across Africa. Interested in joining a future episode of Her Media Diary? Email: yemisi@africanwomeninmedia.com (mailto:yemisi@africanwomeninmedia.com) You can also listen via our partner radio stations across Africa, and join the ongoing conversation using #HerMediaDiary. Her Media Diary is produced by African Women in Media (AWiM). Follow African Women in Media (AWiM): Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/share/1ARgsBptVC/) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/african-women-in-media/) TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@realawim?_r=1&_t=ZS-93QVDxwCcv1) X (Twitter) (https://x.com/RealAWiM) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/africanwomeninmedia?igsh=MXA4NTc4NjF1NTFnbQ==)

    40 min

  7. Trailer

    Asking the Uncomfortable Questions About Women in Media - Official Trailer

    Subscribe and follow Her Media Diary on all your favorite podcast platforms. Tune in via our partner radio stations across Africa, and join the ongoing conversation using #HerMediaDiary. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: The Uncomfortable Questions We Need to Ask 00:00:14 Who Protects Women in Media? Safety and Consequences 00:00:20 Representation and Solutions: Who Decides Our Stories? 00:00:34 Meet Dr. Yemisi Akinbobola: Experience Across Media Systems 00:00:48 The Visibility Paradox: Labour, Power and Safety 00:00:55 Centering the Conversation: Voices of Successful African Women 00:01:08 Inside and Outside: Interrogating Media from Critical Distance 00:01:21 Why This Matters: Uncomfortable but Necessary Questions 00:01:29 What You'll Gain: Tools, Orientation and Understanding 00:01:42 Join the Conversation: Where to Listen and Learn More If you'd like to join a future episode of this podcast, send an email to yemisi@africanwomeninmedia.com (mailto:yemisi@africanwomeninmedia.com). Or visit our website at www.hermediadiary.com Her Media Diary is produced by African Women in Media (AWiM). Follow African Women in Media (AWiM): Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/share/1ARgsBptVC/) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/african-women-in-media/) TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@realawim?_r=1&_t=ZS-93QVDxwCcv1) X (Twitter) (https://x.com/RealAWiM) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/africanwomeninmedia?igsh=MXA4NTc4NjF1NTFnbQ==)

    2 min
  8. The 'Single Story' is Killing Africa: Can AI Change the Narrative?

    Feb 17

    The 'Single Story' is Killing Africa: Can AI Change the Narrative?

    Moky Makura is the Executive Director of Africa No Filter, a donor collaborative working to shift stereotypical narratives about Africa through storytelling, research, and advocacy. With a rich career spanning media, philanthropy, and narrative change, Moky has dedicated decades to challenging the single story told about the continent. In this episode, Dr. Yemisi Akinbobola sits down with Moky to explore her personal journey from growing up in Lagos to becoming a leading voice in the fight against African stereotypes. Moky traces her awakening back to the 1985 Live Aid concert, a moment that crystallized how Africa was being depicted to the world—not as a diverse continent of 54 countries, but as a monolithic place defined solely by poverty and crisis. A significant portion of the discussion focuses on artificial intelligence and its implications for African journalism. Moky introduces the Africa Bias Buster, an AI tool developed by Africa No Filter that doesn't write stories for journalists, but instead identifies biases in their reporting—flagging missing voices, problematic framing, and stereotypical language. She explains the journey of building this tool, the challenges of training AI with better narratives about Africa, and why existing AI platforms still perpetuate limited, stereotypical views of the continent. Moky also addresses the changing philanthropic landscape and how Africa No Filter is adapting by seeking African funding and launching Opportunity Africa—a brand campaign positioning the continent through the lens of opportunity, progress, and innovation rather than dependency and crisis. She argues passionately that narrative change is not PR, but a platform on which all development work must stand, because unless Africans believe in their own continent, no intervention will truly succeed. Moky challenges journalists to look back at their body of work and ask: what single story have I been telling about my country? Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: AI, African Newsrooms & Narrative Change 00:01:25 Meet Moky Makura: From Lagos to Global Narrative Change 00:03:03 The Live Aid Moment: When Stereotypes Took Hold 00:06:06 The Power of Narrative: How Stories Shape Beliefs and Actions 00:10:11 Moky's Personal Mission: From Living It to Africa No Filter 00:12:48 African Newsrooms as Part of the Problem 00:16:02 AI Readiness in African Newsrooms: Challenges and Opportunities 00:17:56 The Africa Bias Buster: Building an AI Tool for Better Journalism 00:19:18 Training Journalists: The Story Telling Skills Gap 00:23:41 Building the Bias Buster: The Technical Journey 00:29:57 Whose Perspective? Defining Bias from an African Lens 00:33:35 The Funding Landscape: Philanthropy, Politics & African Media 00:35:49 Opportunity Africa: Branding the Continent for Young People 00:38:11 Closing Reflections: The Journey Continues If this episode resonated with you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear it. Your support helps amplify conversations that strengthen media ecosystems across Africa. Interested in joining a future episode of Her Media Diary? Email: yemisi@africanwomeninmedia.com (mailto:yemisi@africanwomeninmedia.com) You can also listen via our partner radio stations across Africa, and join the ongoing conversation using #HerMediaDiary. Her Media Diary is produced by African Women in Media (AWiM), and this episode is sponsored by Luminate Follow African Women in Media (AWiM): Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/share/1ARgsBptVC/) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/african-women-in-media/) TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@realawim?_r=1&_t=ZS-93QVDxwCcv1) X (Twitter) (https://x.com/RealAWiM) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/africanwomeninmedia?igsh=MXA4NTc4NjF1NTFnbQ==)

    40 min
See All (69)

Trailers

About

Her Media Diary is a podcast by African Women in Media (AWiM) focused on women in media, journalism, storytelling, and digital content across Africa and the global diaspora. The podcast explores gender and media, women’s leadership in journalism, media safety, representation, media policy, advocacy, and feminist storytelling. Each episode features conversations with African women journalists, media professionals, content creators, editors, researchers, and gender advocates working across newsrooms, digital media, podcasts, film, and communications. Topics include women’s voices in media, gender equality, freedom of expression, online and offline safety, narrative power, media accountability, and social change. Her Media Diary is designed for journalists, media practitioners, feminists, researchers, students, and anyone interested in African media, women’s rights, storytelling, and gender justice. The podcast documents how women are shaping media systems and public narratives, while building a safer, more inclusive media ecosystem.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr Yemisi Akinbobola
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    69
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Her Media Diary