Kerleone and Zephyrin, to be honest I disagree. Maybe you are right for parts which might result that Africa except for some northern and southern states is still the "mysterious" part of the world and not in the focus of lots of people and tourism. But within the last months I did see and I do see a lot about this continent.
There were reports on an earthquake, about the outbreak of a vulcano, about airplanes falling from the sky, about the misery in countries where people don't have anything to eat, where they are dying of AIDS, where dictators rule the people, where there's also hope, where there's civil war, where western and African (!) companies exploit mines and natural ressources on the back of African people, where there is hope, on music and other everyday life, etc.
Regarding to other natural desasters, caused by the people or e.g. climatical changes, I have seen various documentaries e.g. on the Sambesi, the Nile, nomads with growing herds of cattle, etc. There are reports on the steady deforestation of the Congo and the growth of deserts.
Maybe you are right and in the everyday news on ARD, ZDF, NTV and N24 Africa is not represented as other continents, but there are a lot of reports and news ... for example on Phoenix, ARTE, German CNN and at midday on ZDF.
For sure no less than about serious topics in South America, which I might judge a little better than Africa.
Maybe the problem though is that for example the Americas and Asia are way much "alike" to our type of life in regard of technical development, economic structures, etc. This for sure only remains in our heads. Although not been to lots of African countries I imagine that "development" is as far as in certain Asian or Latin American countries, still to us people, folk life, etc. are "too" different and remaining "mysterious", without falling into categories like racsim or wild African animals (!).
To get back to your mentioned questions: I don't think there is a lack of media interest. I do see lots of various topics on Africa - whatsoever: politics, economy, everday life, the people, nature, disasters, etc. pretty neutral without the sensational spirit of journalism.