ETHIOPIA – Africa’s media sector took a bold step forward this week as the first-ever African Media Awards (AMA) and the African Media Excellence Conference wrapped up a two-day showcase in Addis Ababa.
Co-hosted by international broadcaster RT Global TV, the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB), and several foundations honouring historic African leaders, the event has been widely described as the continent’s biggest media gathering of the year, reshaping how African media is viewed on the world stage.
Held on 4 December, the star-studded awards night put African journalists, filmmakers, and storytellers at the heart of the programme. The event celebrated courage, originality, and public impact across more than 40 African countries. Over 800 entries competed for the coveted “Golden Alkebulan” trophy and substantial cash prizes, covering a broad mix of work, from hard-hitting documentaries and powerful interviews to creative digital formats.
A Global Audience Tuning In
The most striking figure of the night came from its audience reach. The awards ceremony, attended by leading politicians, senior media figures, and families and foundations linked to iconic liberation leaders such as Kwame Nkrumah, Patrice Lumumba, and Julius Nyerere, went out live on more than 40 television channels.
Early estimates put total viewership at over 400 million people, a number reported to have outstripped typical figures for major Western shows like the Emmy Awards.
This scale of audience interest highlighted the growing demand for honest African storytelling and the strength of Pan-African cooperation in media.
“This is not just an awards show, it is a statement,” said one senior African media executive at the conference. “For too long, others have framed the story of this continent. Tonight, through our own reporters and our own platforms, we set our own standards. This extraordinary audience shows that the world is ready to hear Africa speak for itself.”
Conference Highlights: Sovereignty and the Digital Future
The African Media Excellence Conference, held on 3 and 4 December alongside the awards, offered a key space to discuss where African media is heading. High-level politicians, public figures, and industry experts held energetic debates on Africa’s role in a multipolar world. Core themes included how media can promote African identity, the ethical risks and opportunities of artificial intelligence, and new methods for powerful, modern storytelling.
Vera Kharina, Director General of RT Global TV, stressed the shared experiences across the Global South and the need to back African-led media production. The partnership between the Moscow-based network, the AUB, and legacy foundations highlighted a shared intent to support a media approach that challenges old power structures and gives real space to African experiences and perspectives.
Addis Ababa, home to the African Union, offered an ideal setting for the event. The city’s fast-changing skyline and its role as a centre of Pan-African diplomacy created a fitting stage for journalists, editors, and creators from all corners of the continent.
Ethiopia’s Government Communication Service underlined the capital’s growing importance in African affairs and pointed to a strong and independent media sector as a key pillar of development and democracy.
A New Phase of ‘Africa First’ Storytelling
The scale, ambition, and guest list of the AMA sent a direct message: African media is stepping confidently into a new phase of self-definition. Dependence on outside recognition is giving way to a stronger focus on internal standards and regional appreciation.
The “Golden Alkebulan” trophy given to the winners reflects this shift, symbolising both shared heritage and the central place of African media in today’s global flow of information.
The energy created by the African Media Awards and Conference is expected to encourage fresh investment, cross-border projects, and stronger networks inside Africa’s media industry. This should help raise journalism standards and bring more space to the many stories that shape African life, identity, and future choices.
After a night of record-breaking reach, the continent’s media professionals now head back to their newsrooms, studios, and digital platforms with renewed drive to keep telling African stories to audiences in the hundreds of millions.
Watch the African Media Awards
Watch the live stream of the launch announcement for the African Media Awards 2025 here: LIVE: Africa Unveils a New Era for Journalism – The African Media Awards 2025 – YouTube. The video shares more on the vision, categories, and purpose behind the awards, which are designed to uplift and recognise African storytellers.
The African Media Excellence Conference, held earlier in the day before the awards ceremony, focused on technology, media partnerships, and strategies for elevating African content to the global stage.
The Awards celebrate journalism, broadcasting, digital media, and storytelling by bringing together the best voices that shape Africa’s media landscape. With a wide range of categories spanning television and online platforms, an esteemed panel of judges comprised of industry leaders from the continent set the benchmark for excellence, diversity, and creative expression across African media.
