Got a great idea for advancing the news media in Africa? You still have time to enter the African News Innovation Challenge—a global competition designed to spark cutting-edge projects that will strengthen African media. The deadline is midnight on July 10, 2012 (Central African Time).

Modeled after the highly successful Knight News Challenge and launched by African Media Initiative (AMI), the competition will award US$1 million in startup capital.

Bellagio, Italy—Journalists from across Africa announced the creation of the first continent-wide professional association of health journalists.

The new organization, the African Health Journalists Association, aims to improve the quality and quantity of reporting on health issues so that people across the continent can make healthy choices for their lives. The group’s media coverage will encourage the best possible public health programs and policies throughout the continent.

Africa’s first major contest designed to promote the development of digital media products and innovations is now accepting applications.

At the 14th annual National Freedom of Information Day Conference, held at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., ICFJ Program Director Jerri Eddings said that many governments in Africa have eased restrictions on journalists. Now, she said, journalists are learning to access new kinds of information and deliver it to an increasingly tech-savvy audience across the continent.

The Newseum's First Amendment Center reported on the event.