"A vision that started three long years ago is finally coming to reality. A24 Media will change the face of journalism in Africa and will truly give us Africans control over our stories," remarked Salim Amin, chairman of A24 Media at the launch event in Nairobi.
A24 Media is Africa's first online delivery site for material from journalists, African broadcasters and NGO's from around the continent. The organisation aims to build its capacity of reporters and photographers to compete globally for share of voice for African issues.
Content generators will need to send their material to the main office in Nairobi where it will be verified and re-edited as necessary in an attempt to create slick, marketable and branded stories. A24 plans on checking and verifying stories for balanced, accurate and independent content, in order to maintain high technical and journalistic quality. The company aims to promote a culture of journalistic excellence by providing feedback to contributers.
The content will then be globally marketed to broadcasters through a website developed to enable broadcasters to view and purchase high-quality video for broadcast on their TV channels. Access to local content has traditionally been a barrier for broadcasters seeking to provide an authentic African perspective on issues affecting the continent. Journalists often have no means to distribute their content to broadcasters so broadcasters then have to pay high rates for international crews to cover local stories.
A24 Media is attempting to redefine the media landscape in Africa by putting the contributor in control. The revenue will be split on a 60:40 basis in favour of the contributor who will also continue to own the copyright of the original footage.
Journalist Wilberforce Okwiri commented: "For too long I've been paid a pittance for my work, which is often researched and filmed in hostile environments where I run great risks to bring the story to the audience. I also give up the right to my work when I sell it so I'm limited in how I can earn a living. A24 Media completely changes things for me and opens up opportunities that I never dreamed were possible."
A24 Media has recruited a heavy-weight editorial advisory board comprised of journalists and broadcasters. Chris Cramer, chairman of the A24 Media Editorial Advisory Board, lauded the initiative for providing a long awaited platform for the African media, noting, "A24 will give Africa its own voice for the first time and will empower the continent's journalists to tell their stories to the world."
John Owen, a fellow member of the avisory board, highlighted the vision of A24 Media to inspire audiences about African stories: "At long last a truly pan-African news agency that exists to commission the stories about Africa that inspire rather than horrify and most importantly to pay African journalists fairly for their work. It's a tribute to Salim, Asif and others at A24 Media who have made the dream a reality. I am proud to be associated with this history-making project."
Transparency is to guide all interactions on the site and journalists and advertisers are able to download and review contracts directly from the website.
With its business model, A24 Media hopes to ensure that journalists, African broadcasters and NGOs receive comprehensive exposure for their content, heightening their ability to continue sending high-quality content to A24 Media and to reach a global audience with their stories.
