Dependency theory, often used to explain continued domination of Third World economics by Western powers, argues that the continued Western control of Third World news flow and even mass media content can be explained by looking at the structures that control mass media institutions. One of these structures, the journalism education system in Africa, is directly modeled after those in the West, particularly those in the United States. Curriculum, texts, faculty, and even research methods in these programs are based on Western assumptions in spite of attempts to Africanize, and competency in a European language (usually English or French) is required for admission to any mass communication program in Africa, even below the university level. Debate over journalism education in Africa has been vigorous, focusing currently on its lack of relevance--that is, its non-African basis. For dependency theorists, the scholarly detachment that forms the basis of Western higher education is out of touch with the social realities of the Third World. The difficulties many African journalists have with the American model are related to two basic conflicts: the struggle between those supporting the gatekeeper/objectivity role and those supporting the advocacy role, as a more appropriate model for developing nations; and the debate over deciding "what is news." African journalism programs are expected to produce journalists who will support development policies of African governments, while Western journalism programs see journalists as independent and even adversarial to government. However, alternative models, which are conceived within a socialist rather than a capitalist political structure, have not been successfully realized, and the American model of professional journalism education, with its emphasis on practical training and technical/professional performance is still widely accepted in Africa. (Forty-three footnotes are appended.) (NKA)