“How Long Have Africa's Presidents Held Office?” The answer to this question can be found at VOA Africa Division’s newest data visualization project that won second place in the data visualization category at the Africa Media Awards in Johannesburg, South Africa on September 30.
The awards were presented during the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers’ (WAN-IFRA) first Digital Media Africa Conference. WAN-IFRA describes the Digital Media Awards as “the most prestigious competition in the industry for publishers to benchmark their digital offerings.”
VOA’s Digital Team, Africa Division journalist Salem Solomon and University of South Florida St. Petersburg Assistant Professor Casey Frechette developed the project, which highlights how long African presidents have held power. “This means a lot, because it shows that the Voice of America is serious about covering the continent in a way that goes beyond sensational headlines and tired clichés,” said Solomon. The infographic puts a spotlight on the state of democracy across Africa. Upcoming elections in countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo continue to raise concerns about term limits and constitutional law.
VOA’s project was the only work developed outside of Africa that was nominated for an award.
