AMLF 2010 to tackle African media funding

19 Aug 2010

The African Media Leaders Forum (AMLF) will meet in Yaoundé, Cameroon from 18-19 November 2010. The main theme of the forum is 'Funding African media in an age of uncertain business models'. The forum is being hosted by the Spectrum Media Group, one of the largest broadcasters on the continent, which operates out of West and Central Africa.

The forum is the flagship programme of the African Media Initiative (AMI) and is the only annual gathering of African media owners and operators from around the continent. "The main objective of the forum is to facilitate the emergence of an African media sector that is professional, financially sustainable, technologically adaptable
and socially responsible," according to Amadou Mahtar Ba, AMI CEO.

Increase in participants

Over 250 participants including CEOs, managing directors, publishers and media leaders from Africa and beyond are expected to attend. The organisers have reported an over five-fold increase in the number of participants attending when compared to the first AMLF which was held in Dakar, Senegal in 2008.

This year's forum will be organised around both plenary sessions and working groups that will run simultaneously. The topics will be Financing; Technology and New Business Models; and Ethics, Leadership and Social Responsibility.

The co-chairs of the 2010 forum are:

Joyce Barnathan, president of the International Centre for Journalist (ICFJ), USA,
Papa Madiaw Ndiaye, CEO and founder of the Advanced Finance & Investment Group, USA,
Reginald Mengi, executive chairman of IPP, Tanzania, and
Salim Amin, chairman, A24 Media and Camerapix, Kenya

"AMLF is honoured to have these leading professionals co-chair the 2010 forum. We believe that their skills, views and experience will provide invaluable input in discussions around how to improve the media landscape in Africa and how to empower media to play a greater role in promoting democracy, human development and economic growth on the continent," said Mahtar Ba.