Digital storytelling is the name of the game in the 2021 Africa Cup Of Nations (AFCON).
The tournament has kicked off in the host country Cameroon and using an array of digital and social media platforms, African journalists have given audiences access to game scores, match reports, post-match comments, video highlights and every imaginable statistic almost as soon as the final whistle is blown.
Working across platforms and leveraging the power of social media, African sports journalists have taken it beyond the pitch to bring audiences a more entertaining tournament.
This is according to Ghanaian sports journalist Ayishatu Ali.
“Journalists are now reporting issues outside the field of play […] They give insight into the life of players and referees and information on the continent at large and the countries participating. We now also have the cultural aspect of it and a more entertaining tournament,” she said.
As a Statista article indicates, the use of new technologies has transformed the way that fans experience live sport, both inside and outside the stadium.
“During a December 2019 survey conducted by Capgemini, 67 percent of respondents aged 18 to 27 stated that they watched sports content via social media such as YouTube, Twitter, or Facebook. Overall, an average of 69 percent of sports fans worldwide stated that emerging technologies had enhanced their overall viewing experience,” reads the report.
This has improved audience experience and added engagement.
The digital era is presenting sports newsrooms with constant challenges, challenging sports journalists to use a multitude of skills to bring a much more entertaining game and improved audience experience and added engagement.
According to Stats Perform’s 2021 Fan Engagement Report, though the technological evolution in sport is set to accelerate, the ongoing challenge is attracting and retaining enthusiasts in an ultra-competitive entertainment space.
African journalists flying the AFCON flag
"We value the competition but we are journalists and still report the truth and it is something I applaud journalists in the continent for."
In the lead up to the 33rd AFCON tournament there appeared to be some unfair criticism levelled at the organisers by some Western journalists.
That’s according to Zimbabwean journalist Tafadzwa Chigandiwa.
“African journalists promoted and defended the tournament and I think that's how they intervened to protect it from being treated as one of the worst tournaments in the globe,” he said.
An article published by The Week points to the bias and racism in some western media towards AFCON as the build-up to the continental showpiece was overshadowed by player call-up debate with media, football coaches and managers arguing against the release of European-based players.
Ali applauded African journalists’ enthusiasm, professionalism and commitment toward AFCON.
“We take pride in the tournament, even more than the world cup and so journalists give more and go out of their way to protect the integrity and the AFCON brand because this is our own.”
“We value the competition but we are journalists and still report the truth and it is something I applaud journalists in the continent for. We give the world the information, the entertaining aspect and the accurate analysis and that has been the best practice,” Ali said.
Fact-checking is important in digital sports reporting
The challenge for sports media is ensuring there is constant, up to date and accurate information whilst maintaining high journalistic standards and quality of work.
A recent City Press article describes the emergence of fake football news pages on social media as a ‘pandemic’ as “doctored quotes purported to have been uttered by popular personalities [...] pose a direct threat to journalism.”
Ugandan freelance journalist Cephas Tendereza said in an era where vicious false information circulates on social media, fact-checking remains important.
“Don't post anything when you know you are not sure about it, do your research, this includes checking multiple sources to verify facts,” he said.
Bring woman sports journalists to the fore
In recent times, sports broadcasting has become more accessible to women. However,
numbers show that there is still a noticeable gap with few women sports’ journalists for example.
UNESCO has also weighed on gender equality in sports media.
Ali says women journalists should be given equal opportunities to do sport reporting because they are just as competent as men.
“Gender balance is important and I believe that there are so many female reporters, I dare say, who are better than their male counterparts. Given equal opportunity you will even see females leading commentary in AFCON or men's World Cup,” she said.
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