100 Most Influential Africans - Media
100 Most Influential Africans - Media
What is influence and how do you measure it? It will always be
hard to agree on a common understanding and meaning of influence.
Understandably, this always generates wide debate. How do we determine
these people’s influence? And why does it matter that we assemble this
list, you may ask. One yardstick we used was to emphasise that influence
is not about popularity and popularity is not always influential. The
influencer’s impact on public, social and political discourse, however,
is what largely helps us determine their influence. Over the next few
pages, you will find a breadth and wealth of Africans of all
nationalities and ages, both women and men, whose actions and reach, we
have determined, significantly impacted and realigned the continent’s
landscape in their fields of endeavour. They contributed in redefining
the African narrative in 2013 and we feel they will play a big role in
2014 - hopefully, for Africa’s good.
Redi Tlhabi, TV Host - South Africa
Every week, she stirs up a new discourse about Africa and
the global world with her show, South 2 North, an African current
affairs programme which airs on Al Jazeera English. The show explores
different themes from week to week on an eclectic mix of issues, from
politics to music, art, health, science, technology. She is also the
presenter of the popular Redi Tlhabi show on Talk Radio 702, listened to
by millions of South Africans every morning. Her debut book, Endings
and Beginnings, about making a painful journey back to her death-marred
childhood in Orlando East, during apartheid rule, has recently been
published and there are already reports that it is being adapted into a
feature film. Watch this space.Koos Becker, Media Mogul
In 2013, CEO Jacobus Petrus “Koos” Bekker’s worth was
elevated to billionaire status after he transformed the Cape Town-based
Naspers media company into the world’s largest emerging market media
company. Becker took control of the company in 1997, and started
investing heavily in digital technology, which has paid off. M-Net, the
pay TV channel popular across Africa, is one of the continent’s most
influential media groups, and the only truly global one. Naspers’
investments into an array of global companies focusing on the internet
have transformed the group’s fortunes.
“South Africa is a bit of a laggard because of
our poor broadband infrastructure, which is a function more of
regulation than anything else. For the first time our e-commerce
business in Indonesia had more hits from mobile phones than from PCs and
in Nigeria the trend is very sharp.”
Komla Dumor, Newscaster - Ghana
Komla Dumor, Newscaster - Ghana
“There’s so much more to tell about Africa than the usual stories about war, famine and disease.”
Khanyi Dhlomo, Medi
Khanyi Dhlomo is one of Africa’s leading female media
moguls. She is the founder and managing director of Ndalo Media, which
publishes high-end business and lifestyle magazines, Destiny and
Destiny Man. Dhlomo was the founding editor on both titles. Ndalo Media
also publishes the South African Airways inflight magazine, Sawubona.
She made history in 1995 when she became the first black newsreader for
the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC1). She later moved on
to become the editor of True Love magazine.
She is undoubtedly one of the most successful women in
Africa. One of her defining moments in 2013 was the launch of her
controversial luxury fashion store, Luminance.
“I am an entrepreneur at heart and enjoy bringing innovative business ideas to life that address a gap in the market.”
Alex Okosi, Media Executive - Nigeria
Alex Okosi, Media Executive - Nigeria
Credited as the man who brought MTV Base to Africa, Alex
Okosi is responsible for managing the development and growth of Viacom’s
multichannel entertainment portfolio that includes MTV Base, Comedy
Central and Nickelodeon, which spans across 48 countries in sub-Saharan
Africa. Under his leadership, the network has reached over 90 million
viewers across the continent. MTV Base has made an undeniable impact on
contemporary African music with its commitment to talent development,
world-class audio and glossy video production values that have
contributed to the appealing aesthetics of what viewers hear and see
today. An advocate and supporter of initiatives that motivate, empower
and educate Africa’s youth, Okosi has been the driving force behind
popular shows such as Shuga, the award-winning TV drama and multimedia
campaign designed to change the sexual behaviour of African youth.
“I believe it’s a lot easier to be successful
through your own voice. You don’t have to wake up in the morning and try
to be someone else. You are able to use your culture and who you are to
tell your story. The reality is we are telling our own stories now, in a
way that’s accessible and we are not losing the meaning and we are not
losing our voice.”
Julie Gichuru, Journalist - Kenya
Julie Gichuru, Journalist - Kenya
A lawyer turned journalist, Julie
Gichuru has worked across different media platforms, print, radio and
broadcast, making her a household name in Kenya. She is continuously
working on redefining the style and delivery of news in the country. Her
courteous and amicable interview technique has occasionally been
criticised for lacking journalistic punch and depth, although it is this
approach which has endeared her to Kenyan hearts. This mother of 5 has
won wide acclaim and is regularly invited to host and speak at
international events – she is no doubt deserving the praise of being a
true ambassador for Africa. She is also very active through her
foundation across different areas, from maternal healthcare to capacity
building in the areas of health and hygiene.
“If you look closely, stories around Africa
replicate, slowly, the mindset is changing and Africans realise that
they must make connections to go forward.”
Amadou Mahtar Ba, CEO, AMI - Sengegal
Amadou Mahtar Ba, CEO, AMI - Sengegal
Amadou Ba is still one of the region’s most influential
media men. As head of the African Media Initiative (AMI), he is possibly
the best connected person in the media sphere, with access to the
biggest media owners operating across the continent. The Senegalese
founder of AllAfrica.com has also become the go-to man for many
media-related issues, including press freedom and the development of the
media sector, be it in terms of finance, capacity building or the
strengthening of journalistic ethics in Africa. Ba is increasingly using
his clout to press African leaders to pay more attention to the
development of the media industry.
“Technology saves lives. That’s why the media must tech-adapt to also stay relevant.”
Mosunmola Abudu, TV Host - Nigeria
Mosunmola Abudu, TV Host - Nigeria
Moments with Mo, a TV lifestyle talk show that
has gained popularity and prominnence over the last few years, has this
year spread its wings further as host Mosunmola Abudu, better known as
Mo, launched her own TV channel - EbonyLife TV. It has been received
with high acclaim and is expected to do even better in 2014. Moments with Mo
was the first syndicated daily talk show on African regional
television, broadvcasting in 48 countries. Mo has hosted some of the
most famous faces from both Africa and internationally. One such
international figure is former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton.
"If you can think it...you can do it."
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