BBC World Have Your Say in Sierra Leone: Is the global media too negative about Africa?

http://www.facebook.com/worldhaveyoursay

Every time the BBC World Have Your Say team goes to Africa, we hear criticism from some listeners & viewers who feel we concentrate on the negative stories about the continent and ignore the positive ones. Ros Atkins speaks to people in Freetown, Sierra Leone, about whether they think the international media is reporting enough good news stories from Africa.

We meet WHYS listener Al-Hassan, tour operator Abimbola Carrol, SLBC Director General Elvis Gbanabom Hallowell, journalism tutor Theo Nicol, BBC Africa's Josephine Hazeley, civil war survivor Jusu Jarka, businessman & TV host Joe Abass Bangura and Mariama Khaifornah, a journalism trainer with BBC Media Action.

This film will be broadcast on World Have Your Say on BBC World News on May 4th 2012 at 1500GMT.

• Category

  News & Politics

[Victor Abedi-Lartey]

ASK THE BBC JOURNALIST WHY THEY DID NOT COVER THE OCCUPY WALL STREET (OWS) PROTEST IN USA? ONLY RUSSIA TODAY.DID FROM THE BEGINNING UNTIL THE US GOV'T CRASHED THEM OUT PITIFULLY.

LIBYA ON FIRE WAS SHOWN EVRY SECOND TILL THEIR MISSION WAS ACCOMPLISHED. PROPAGANDIST WESTERN MEDIA.

[AmedmackieTV]

THE WEST ENJOYS REPORTING NEGATIVE STORIES ABOUT AFRICA BECAUSE THIS WAY THEY EASILY INTERFERE AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR MISFORTUNES, BUT LIKE THE JOURNALIST WAS SAYING TO THE WOMAN, " DONT JUST FOCUS ON THE NEGATIVE ISSUES, JUST LIKE THE LAWS OF ATTRACTION GOES, NEGATIVE ATTRACT NEGATIVE, GET IT?

[hmunkey]

Because the OWS protest was very small with only a few thousand protesters in a city of 10 million, in a country of 300 million. The fact that it got any coverage at all was more than enough, especially if you consider the fact that every single day there are 1000+ events in the USA that have more people involved.

[Prince Weigler]

I totally agree with the woman and her question, why should we look into the bright side, when our people are suffering, this man is talking about spend more time in infrastructure, HAVE A DAMN LOOK AND I DONT SEE THAT MUCH GOING ON. ALL YOU SEE IS THE COUNTRY GETTING WORST AND THINGS GETTING EXPENSIVE LIKE RENT AND FOOD. STOP BLIND FOOLING THE PEOPLE BECAUSE WE ARE WATCHING ALL THE FACT. DONT FORGET THAT BAD NEWS IS A BITTER REALITY ABOUT SIERRA LEONE. DEPRESSING STORIES WAKES US UP. SO IT DOES

[medjah100]

Its not that we Africans don't want you guys(the West) to tell the truth. However, you know fully well that too much of negative news will not do any country any good. It will discourage investors and of course prevents tourists to visit such countries. We are friendly and resilient people. It will do us good if you focus on that.

[themrduragss]

Yes...that is basically what I said! 

[xr2kid]

They need to help each other you cannot count on the Western nations to help.

[bluehost11]

WHEN YOU USE CAPITALS YOU SOUND LIKE A CRAZY PERSON

[themrduragss]

This why Africa needs to find its self confidence..Africa does not need the western world.