Good question raised in this Economist piece: Have the media, even the omnipresent BBC and CNN, overlooked good news in Africa in favor of the usual roll call of famine and atrocities?

Perhaps, but one commenter gets right to the heart of the issue:

In addition to whatever racial, ethnic, continental, etc. biases may be at work here, it is worth noting that in every country, what makes news is bad news. “If it bleeds, it leads” is a policy in almost every newsroom on the planet — unless restricted by government orders. An occasional “feel good” story may slip in, but usually well after all of the bad news of the day.

If you follow the news, you could believe that Africa is full of violence and disaster. But then, you could also believe that American cities are as well.

via Africa’s reputation—deserved or not: Continental bias? | The Economist.