HISTORY OF MEDIA IN AFRICA

WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF MEDIA IN AFRICA?
By Cassious David K

First, Media is the plural form of medium, which (broadly speaking) describes any channel
of communication. This can include anything from printed paper to digital data, and
encompasses art, news, educational content and numerous other forms of information.
Digital media, which makes up an increasingly vast portion of modern communications, is
comprised of intricately encoded signals that are transmitted over various forms of
physical and virtual media, such as fiber optic cable and computer networks.
The so-called “mass media” had to wait for the creation of new technologies before coming
to life. The first of these was paper, invented in China in about 100 BCE. However, another
1,500 years had to pass before Johannes Gutenberg built the first printing press. This meant
that books could be mass produced whereas before each one had to be handwritten.
Intellects argue that Africa was on the receiving end of influence and technologies from the
western world but today it can be argued that Africa is the co-creator of media in the world.
Media Background of Africa
PRINT MEDIA
Before beginning one should be able to understand that Africans were communicating long
before the coming of the Europeans to the continent and this print media is arguably the
oldest form of media we have in the world and specifically Africa.
Dr.Dennis Wilcox of San Jose University makes us to think that European influence has
played the main role in the way the African media looks today, though many can certainly
claim that that maybe the Europeans played a massive role but the Africans influence on
themselves reigns supreme as the content is majorly meant for Africans, by Africans and
about Africa.
Hieroglyphics from ancient Egypt can be deduced as one of the oldest forms of
communication used in ancient Africa dating back to over 7000 years ago, works of this
medium can still be traced today in Egypt, this form later on modified to a series of signs
known as bieratic which can be see as the ancient Egyptian cursive form of writing