Media influence as foreign policy: China’s journalist training in Africa w/Dr Emeka Umejei

About this episode

In 2022, Freedom House released a report titled “Beijing's Global Media Influence 2022”, highlighting the numerous ways in which the Chinese government seeks to influence media across the world. They stated that China’s main tactics were the mass distribution of content, harassment and intimidation of outlets that publish negative news, disinformation campaigns, and training for media workers and officials in different locales. The provision of free or subsidised training for local journalists in the Global south is a foundational aspect of China’s efforts to ‘tell China’s story well’ through legitimate means. By co-opting local voices, China is able to disseminate its own message through local partners in an organic way and free of charge. But what does this training look like? Who is participating and what are they learning? And how does China ensure that after journalists return home, they continue to talk about China in the right way? Today’s guest is here to discuss this and more. Dr Emeka Umejei is currently Senior Research Associate at the University of Johannesburg. He has a PhD in Journalism and Media Studies and has taught in institutions across Africa including the Un