Every year at G8 time our screens are full of (unelected, fund-raising) spokespeople from Africa charities demanding more aid.  The message from Live8 is that we need to give yet more billions to salve our consciences and provide sticking plaster for a continent ‘ravaged’ by HIV, poverty, war and exploitation. It’s a simplistic and self-defeating narrative that always ends in disappointment when either the G8 nations fail to deliver or when the money disappears down the plug-hole of corruption, incompetence and dependency. So good to hear a refreshing view on the G8/Africa media circus by Chukwu-Emeka Chikezie. He’s not arguing against aid as such, more the way that it is seen as the only solution. POLIS will launch its report on the role of the African media in development and democracy on June 27th – email us at polis@lse.ac.uk if you want to come to the launch event.