HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM PENPLUSBYTES

 

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Season's greetings from @penplusbytes

 

 

List of Newspapers in Ghana December 2012

www.penplusbytes.org undertook a census of newspapers in Ghana over the period of October, November and December 2012. We undertook this study, because we wanted to find out more about population of newspapers in Ghana so that we can select a sample for our Media Monitoring Project linked to Ghana Elections 2012.


The results of our survey shows there are 36 active newspapers in Ghana as at December 2012, full list is provided below :

1 Daily Graphic
2 Daily Guide
3 The New Statesman
4 The Chronicle
5 Ghanaian Times
6 The Finder
7 The crusading Guide
8 The Daily Searchlight
9 The Enquirer
10 Daily Dispatch
11 The Punch
12 The Ghanaian Lens
13 The insight
14 Public Agenda
15 The Ghanaian Observer
16 Heritage
17 Free Press
18 Business & Financial Times
19 Network Herald
21 Business Week
22 The Informer
23 Ghanaian Palava
24 Weekend Finder
25 The Tide
26 The Armada
27 Daily post
29 Accra Daily Mail
30 Business Analyst
31 Daily Express
32 The National Democrat
33 The Globe
34 The Weekly Spectator
35 The Mirror
36 The Star

Exchange Program for Media Professionals from Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda and the United States

The Exchange Program for Media Professionals from Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, and the United States, is a four-part, two-way media program run by ICFJ and funded by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

This 18-month, multi-phase program is for 20 African media professionals and 20 of their U.S. peers. Five journalists will be competitively recruited from each of the four African countries- Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda. In the spring and fall of 2013, two groups of African journalists will spend approximately four weeks at American media organizations for practical fellowships and related programming. They will then join other Professional Fellows for a three-day Professional Fellows Congress in Washington, DC.

The goal of this program is to provide an opportunity for journalists to study and become involved in journalism as it is practiced in each other's countries. They will examine the role that journalists play in society and the challengers they face in doing their jobs. Some key themes of the program include the introduction to the United States and its media, the dual nature of U.S. News Media, social media strategies and digital tools for African journalists, and diversity.

After each visiting group of African journalists, a group of ten American journalists will travel to the partner African countries to work with the African counterparts. ICFJ expects the U.S. participants to gain appreciation for the countries and everyday lives of their counterparts, transmit their observations to their audiences, and to cement lasting ties with their African colleagues. The four African partner organizations are:

• The Media Foundation for West Africa (Accra, Ghana).

• The African Media Initiative (Nairobi, Kenya).

• The International Press Centre (Lagos, Nigeria).

• Makerere University (Uganda).

ICFJ's partners will assist with participant recruitment, screening, selection and orientation and will coordinate all activities with the Public Affairs Sections (PAS). They will also assist ICFJ in the participants' post-travel activities, including debriefing with PAS.

Applicants will be recruited through an open competition in each country. Selection will be based on their professional qualifications, relevant experience, leadership potential and commitment to enhancing mutual understanding between the people of their country and the program partner country.

African journalists can apply here. Deadline to apply is January 15, 2013

Applications for U.S. journalists will open in 2013. The program dates are TBD.

For more information, please contact ICFJ's Johanna Carrillo jcarrillo@icfj.org or Sameen Dadfarsdadfar@icfj.org.

http://www.icfj.org/our-work/exchange-program-media-professionals-ghana-kenya-nigeria-uganda-and-united-states

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International Institute for ICT Journalism
www.penplusbytes.org

Malawi: Online Journalist Arrested for Allegedly Insulting the President

Online journalist Justice Mponda was arrested Monday morning 15 October 2012, in Blantyre allegedly for insulting the president, publishing false information and criminal libel. Mponda works with the news website Malawi Voice.

Discussing the new development that came in the wake of a new electronic bill (E-bill), journalist Pearson Nkhoma writes:

…one can question whether Malawi is a democratic state or an authoritarian one which demands people to tow to the opinion of the government…..
Ironically, the Malawi Constitution, particularly Section 35 and 36, vehemently affirm that "every person shall have the right to freedom of expression" and that "the press shall have the right to report and publish freely, within Malawi and abroad, and to be accorded the fullest possible facilities for access to public information".

malawivoice.com journalist Justice Mponda. Photo courtesy of malawivoice.com

He continues:

Through its machinery, the Government of Joyce Banda sent two heavy armoured Land Cruisers to net Justice Mponda who has so far been charged for publishing false information and insulting the president.

The E-Bill seeks to regulate and control online communications in Malawi.

Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) has already expressed worry over the bill and condemned the arrest of Justice Mponda:

[…]the Malawi government today descended on the Media fraternity based on what the Malawi Chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) has called "outmoded pieces of legislation enacted during the colonial era to suppress dissent and promote colonial superiority".
Through its machinery, the Government of Joyce Banda sent two heavy armoured Land Cruisers to net Justice Mponda who has so far been charged for publishing false information and insulting the president.
So far, MISA has issued a strong-worded press statement calling for the immediate release of Mponda.
The statement revealed that MISA "is shocked and deeply saddened with the detention of…Mponda [on the basis of laws which are] archaic and retrogressive for our country".
According to Misa, "archaic laws have no role to play in a democracy".
The charter has far called upon government to desist from dragging the country to the colonial era by implementing such laws.

The E-Bill, among other things, defines:

[…]precisely the responsibility of technical service providers and editors of online contents.

The bill's chapter three of Part III, which has the headline 'Online user's protection and liability of intermediaries and content editors', defines who the editors are in Section 23.

The draft bill describe operators as intermediary, who are any legal or physical person or any entity that provides electronic communications services consisting of the provision of access to communication networks, as well as storing or transmission of information through communication networks.

The said section of the draft bill says the editors of online public communication services shall offer in an open standard, among others, their names, domicile, and telephone number.

Blogger Richard Chirombo on Zachimalawi quotes his Malawian friend living in South Africa who hopes that the case will be handled fairly:

I hope his charges of sedition, insulting President Joyce Banda and misinforming on the Malawi-Tanzania lake-boarder conflict are not authentic. I hope his case will be handled fairly, and that his lawyer will secure bail on second attempt. I feel personally involved and hope I will not be disappointed eventually.
Terrified!

Commenting on Malawi Voice Facebook page, John Kazibwe says:

Banda is following the path of her predecessors like Kamuzu and Bingu. She's indeed a true jezebel

Mafunga hopes for a speedy and fair trial:

Guys, let the law take its course. We need a speedy trial so we can know whats going on. Its not easy for a journalist of his calibre to tell lies, but its not impossible for him to do so. I hope the police has a valid case, otherwise, this is a very bad sign. I also hope Mr Mponda has solid grounds for his stories.
In any case, I hope he is treated with the fair conduct of "innocent until proven guilty"

Malawi Voice has been critical of Joyce Banda's government since she came to power:

Malawi Voice published an article that revealed that Joyce Banda [Malawi's President] had pardoned a serial rapist Agala Festone Kuiwenga, just a month after the Hig Court had extended his 8 year sentence by one more year due to the gravity of the offence he committed. She also pardoned George Allan Nyambi, a relation of Senior Chief Nyambia of Machinga. Nyambi was convicted of murder.
However, in an effort to silence the alternative voice, the Malawian Governmnet descended on the media practitioner on charges which include insulting the president, publishing false stories aimed at generating public anger against the president.

Mponda has been freed on bail and his court hearing has been set for 16 November, 2012.

http://globalvoicesonline.org/2012/10/17/malawi-online-journalist-arrested-for-allegedly-insulting-the-president/

--
International Institute for ICT Journalism
www.penplusbytes.org

In defense of journalism education: The 3 essentials it teaches

As fall semester 2012 moves toward mid-term, journalism education is gathering its defenses against assaults on its relevance.

Emory College announced last month that it is closing its program because journalism falls outside the school's emphasis on liberal education, according to Arts & Sciences College Dean Robin Forman.

"It's not our job, as a liberal arts college, to simply train people to be professional journalists — in the same way it's not our job to train people to be professional doctors or lawyers or businesspeople," Forman told a reporter from Creative Loafing.

He's not an outlier. Bill Cotterell, a retired political reporter from Florida went even further. He compared journalism education to driver's education, where the real learning comes from "trial and error."

"Anyone who's smart can learn the 5 Ws in a couple weeks. And if they learn from their mistakes, they can get good at telling you what's really going on," Cotterell wrote on Tallahassee.com.

The Nieman Journalism Lab has an entire series on re-inventing journalism education, including calls to teach coding, entrepreneurship, and other techniques for a profession in flux.

These critiques and suggestions, however, focus on journalism's products — the stories filed, the photographs taken, the apps created, or the content aggregated — while overlooking the conceptualization involved in the process. After almost 25 years as a reporter, I'm convinced a good journalism education turns out students who think carefully and deeply.

That might sound strange, given my background. I didn't go to journalism school. Instead, I stumbled into the field in my 30s, after a few years as a freelance writer. I needed more than a couple weeks to learn the 5 Ws and 1H, but a stint as a night cops reporter gave me some chops.

Along the way, I learned that powerful journalism springs from questioning and probing, skills I was taught as a liberal arts major. If I wanted a memorable article, I had to do more than get quotes from the school board meeting. I had to challenge assertions, perceptions and assumptions – including my own.

Otherwise, I wasn't a journalist. I was a stenographer.

Why journalism education works

When I began to teach about 10 years ago, I pledged to produce critical thinkers who could work as competent, committed journalists. I never assumed my students would go straight into the profession. (In fact, a former student became a rock musician before ending up at Fortune Magazine.) And if they did, I didn't assume they'd stay in a single medium; in 2001, we were talking convergence. While I didn't skimp on mechanics, I knew my students could go wherever they wanted if they had a substantial intellect.

That's also the aim of a liberal education, according to the Association of American Colleges and Universities. On its site, the AAC&U writes:

"A liberal education helps students develop a sense of social responsibility, as well as strong and transferable intellectual and practical skills such as communication, analytical and problem-solving skills, and a demonstrated ability to apply knowledge and skills in real-world settings." (Emphasis mine)

I imagine Emory University agrees with that definition because the university belongs to the association. I just wish Forman and others — including some professional journalists — understood a good journalism education already accomplishes those goals in three important ways.

1. A good journalism education teaches students to search for answers.

Journalism calls the search "reporting." Other professions simply call it  "research." The name doesn't matter as much as the expectation that students will develop the practice and carry it into their professional and personal lives.

Robert Hernandez communicates that expectation when he challenges his students to "Google it" instead of relying upon him for the answer.

"At first, they thought I didn't know the answers and I was using the search engine to cover up my shortcomings," he wrote for the Nieman Journalism Lab. "But those who have truly embraced the Web know what that simple phrase really means: Empower yourself."

2. A good journalism education teaches students to ask the fundamental questions of all intellectual inquiry.

Journalists are so busy extolling the practical applications of the 5 W's and 1 H, we forget how powerful they are. Adrian, at lifehack.org, explained the importance of the sequence in a 2007 post on New Year's resolutions. "All six questions are essential. Missing any of them leaves a gap that must be filled by assumptions or imagination," he wrote.

Any profession or field of study can teach students to employ the interrogative words. In journalism, however, they're inescapable. Habitual use of the 5 W's and 1 H, paired with the push to discover answers, can result in the greatest benefit of a good journalism education.

3. A good journalism education develops intellectual curiosity.

Chalk it up to practice, the 10,000 hours of repetition necessary for mastery. After spending four years immersed in inquiry and investigation, curiosity becomes second nature.

Can a prospective journalist learn these skills on the job? Yes, but news outlets aren't in the teaching business. They're in the publication and sales businesses. They're in the delivering-content to-an-audience business.

Like Bob Cohn, editor of Atlantic Digital, they're looking for folks who "have the right sensibilities – and the skills to succeed in this new age," not for folks who have to learn them.

A journalism program is a dedicated learning environment where students flourish or flounder. A good program should be judged by whether its students have learned to think, regardless of the field they enter or the jobs they eventually hold.

Afi-Odelia Scruggs, an independent journalist in Cleveland, Ohio, has taught journalism to high school and college students in northeast and central Ohio. She has a Ph.D in Slavic linguistics from Brown University.

credit : http://www.poynter.org/how-tos/journalism-education/190429/in-defense-of-journalism-education-the-3-essentials-it-teaches/

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International Institute for ICT Journalism
www.penplusbytes.org

China-Africa reporting grants

 

 

 

Ghana - Call for participation : Data Journalism bootcamp

October 24 - 26, 2012. Ghana's first data journalism bootcamp is offering free seats to 20 journalists, 20 developers / coders, and 20 members of civil society who are interested in building apps for civic media / open data audiences.

The 3-day event will launch in Accra at Central University College (shuttle service will be provided) on October 24 -26, 2012, and is underwritten by the National Information Technology Agency, the Ghana Open Data Initiative, The World Bank Institute, Google, and the African Media Initiative.

The Bootcamp will be led by senior trainers from Google, the Open Knowledge Foundation, The World Wide Web Foundation, and The Guardian.

The Bootcamp will bring together journalists with and developers / coders to work in teams to build news-driven mobile apps and civic engagement websites using readily available resources, plus data from the World Bank Institute and the Open Knowledge Foundation in Germany, and other global organisations. The best project from the bootcamp will qualify for a $2000 seed grant, to allow the team to build a fully-functional prototype.

Some of the news-driven civic apps and 'utility news' sites built in similar data journalism initiatives elsewhere in the world include Where Did My Tax Dollars Go and the Lord's Resistance Army Crisis Tracker and County Sin Rankings.

Bootcamp participants will also be invited to join the newly inaugurated HacksHackers chapter in Accra, so that they can continue to expand their data literacy skills.

To confirm your seat, you must commit to attend all three days of the Bootcamp . You should reserve your seat by completing the online registration here: http://data.gov.gh/conference/

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International Institute for ICT Journalism
www.penplusbytes.org

1st Workshop on Geospatial Science and Technology held in Accra

 

1st Workshop on Geospatial Science and Technology held in Accra

 

Accra, Ghana 4^TH October, 2012

 

 

The Africa Media Forum for Geo-information Systems (AMFGIS) in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the International Institute of ICT Journalism (Penplusbytes) is held its first workshop on Geospatial Science and Technology for journalists in Accra on Tuesday 2nd October, 2012.

 

Under the theme "Harnessing Geospatial Science and Technology for Socio-economic Development – The Role of Ghanaian Media", the workshop aims at educating journalists on the use of Geo-spatial Information in the Newsroom by focusing on topics such as Introduction to Concepts of Geospatial Technologies, Case Studies of GIS Applications in Ghana with special emphasis on how to generate compelling stories.

 

"After a successful launch of Africa Media Forum for Geo-information Systems (AMFGIS) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia  in September 2012;  a direct outcome of first ever two-day training of trainers  organized by the ICT, Science and Technology Division of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), we are pleased AMFGIS is holding this major capacity building opportunity for journalists, in Ghana" Kwami Ahiabenu, II Co-Chair of AMFGIS said.

 

He added "Geospatial science and technology have a lot of opportunities to stimulate Ghana's socio-economic development and journalists have an important role to ensure increased awareness of these opportunities and the workshop is coming at a right time in this direction".

 

Ms. Aida Opoku-Mensah, Director of ICT and Science & Technology Division (ISTD), UNECA stated that "Africa and Ghana cannot do without the use and exploitation of geospatial technology, whether for its use in elections that ensures the accurate mapping of constituencies, or mapping disease-prone areas for decision-making, as well as assessing the environmental impacts of mining, oil exploration. The main challenge is to get policy/decision-makers understanding the strategic importance of surveying, mapping, GIS, GPS, earth satellite observation and other forms of geospatial technology for proper and effective development planning. It's high time we got politicians, legislators and planners having a holistic approach to the use of technology to countries' advantage".

 

 

30 journalists, drawn from print, radio, television and online media houses in Ghana participated. Mr. Mawuttodzi Abissath a participant from the Information Services Department (ISD) says "this workshop is an eye opener and will go a long way to broaden my horizon in my journalism practice, especially the use of technology in development, not only in Ghana but in Africa as whole and I hope similar workshops will be held on regular basis to keep journalists abreast with the latest developments in the geospatial space."

AMFGIS seeks to promote collaboration, information and knowledge sharing on geospatial information, science and technology issues and its impact on country socio-economic development.

 

 

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International Institute for ICT Journalism
www.penplusbytes.org

African Media Get to Grips with Geospatial Science

Addis Ababa, 18 September 2012  (ECA) - Media professionals endorsed today, the establishment of the African Forum for Geospatial Information systems. The conclusion followed two days of training aimed at improving the quality of geoinformation, Geospatial Science and Technology reporting and the impact of this area of work on the livelihood of African citizens,

The first of its kind, the two-day training of trainers was organized by the ICT, Science and Technology Division of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). Participants hailed from western, southern and eastern of Africa.

Speaking at the opening session of the training workshop, Aida Opoku-Mensah, Director of the ICT, Science and Technology Division said that geospatial technology, or geomatics used the measurement, analysis and visualization of spatial features or phenomenon.

"As a tool, geomatics is enormously important for decision-makers across a wide range of disciplines, industries and sectors," she said and added: "The tool is radically changing the way information is used for development planning."

"What Journalists in Africa need to understand is how geospatial technology supports the management of Africa's development, said Ms Opoku-Mensah. For instance, in the mining sector, resources on the earth's surface require sophisticated technology to discover, extract, and manage and since mining is inherently spatial, requiring accurate knowledge of areas of the earth's surface and subsurface, geospatial technology is best suited to oversee all phases of mining operations", she emphasized.

Similarly, projects such as roads and waterways require geospatial technologies for planning, construction and implementation", she added and noted that unfortunately, the geo-information sector is not effectively communicating with the general public, leading to low uptake of geospatial science and technology sector in Africa and its contribution to Africa's development. As such, said Ms. Opoku-Mensah, the engagement of media professionals and researchers become vital to overcome this communication gap.

Mr. Mekonnen Teshome, President of the Ethiopian Association of Science Journalists (EASJ) said that the organization of this training workshop "comes at the right time when we African Journalists are well organized and seeking for better information on science and technology."

He underlined that the workshop will "greatly add to media professional career development." He also noted that a better understanding of geospatial technologies would assist with effective reporting on the subject.

Mr. Kwami Ahiabenu, Director of Penplusbytes and chair of the meeting said that all over Africa, technology is playing an important role in transforming life, society and economy of its nations. He underscored that Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) are becoming important tools for effective and efficient strategic planning and decision-making processes at all levels, ensuring development and growth is a reality for all citizens.

He emphasized that awareness creation and advocacy about GIS success stories and its huge potential in the near future becomes very urgent and “we are excited that UNECA is taking a bold step to provide skills and knowledge needed by journalists in Africa in order for them to perform this important function.

Mr. Sultan Mohammed, Director-General, Ethiopian Mapping Agency (EMA) in his keynote speech emphasized that only societies using information efficiently and wisely will succeed in their development endeavors. He noted that more than 80% of all the data and information generated and disseminated nowadays is location based information involving geospatial information.

He underscored that Location based Geospatial information services, which are a coalescence of fields such as surveying, mapping and remote sensing, have matured and become key contributors to evidenced based policy making processes. They can be used to understand and integrate social, economic, and environmental perspectives at specific locations at local, regional and global scales.

He concluded that the workshop is timely and will enhance the capacity of the media in promoting Geospatial Information advocacy and awareness in the Continent.

A number of recommendations were adopted to promote Geospatial science journalisms for sustainable development. The African Media Forum for Geospatial Science and Technology was formed and members were required to promote the creation of National Geospatial Science Journalists Association in their respective countries.

http://new.uneca.org/ArticleDetail/tabid/3018/ArticleId/1976/African-Media-Get-to-Grips-with-Geospatial-Science.aspx

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International Institute for ICT Journalism
www.penplusbytes.org

Highway Africa 2012 - Africa Rising; and the Arab Spring

The 16^th edition of Highway Africa will feature an amazing array of activities from talks by distinguished speakers, training workshops, book launches and networking opportunities.

Along with the 2012 conference theme: Africa Rising? How the Media Frame the Continent's Geopolitics, Trade and Economic Growth, is a series of seminars that will examine the emergence of the BRICS countries and the effect this has had on African media.  

Head of Research Unit for Media in the South and Rhodes University professor Herman Wasserman will convene the seminar series entitled 'The Rise of the Rest': Journalism in the BRICS Countries.

Delegates will flesh out questions about the role the media can play in developing economies and the benefits journalism can gain from BRICS partnerships.

The perceived rise of Africa comes at a time of increased internet usage on the continent.  Highway Africa sponsors Telkom and MTN will present on broadband usage in Africa.

The HA director Chris Kabwato said that broadband technology will play a vital role in the future of the African continent. "We need to look at how these technologies are going to transform African economies and stimulate innovation," Kabwato said.    

Another sub-theme for this year's conference is what we can learn from the Arab Spring. Rhodes University Media Studies scholar, Admire Mare will lead a discussion on Political Rising – Technology and Social Change - Lessons from the North on the lessons learnt from the uprisings.

About Highway Africa

 

The Highway Africa Centre is a programme of the School of Journalism at Rhodes University. The Highway Africa Conference is the flagship event of Rhodes University and since its launch in 1997, it has grown to become the largest annual gathering of African journalists on the continent. The focus of Highway Africa is on the impact of the internet and mobile technologies on journalism and the media.

 

Media Inquiries: Ms Anele Ngwenya, Mobile: 0844051589

E-mail: a.ngwenya@ru.ac.za

Website: http://highwayafrica.com

 

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International Institute for ICT Journalism
www.penplusbytes.org

pPress Release : The 2012 edition of Highway Africa will kick off with South Africa’s first data journalism boot camp for journalists.

The 2012 edition of Highway Africa will kick off with South Africa's first data journalism boot camp for journalists.

The intensive three-day workshop will be launched at Rhodes University, four days before the start of the Highway Africa conference between 5 and 7 September.

The event will offer 30 journalists and 30 coders free training and the opportunity to work together in building news driven mobile applications (apps). Participants will also get the chance to develop civic engagement websites using limited resources. The best project from the workshop will be awarded $1000 (R8300) seed money to build a fully functional prototype.

The boot camp will be led by experienced trainers from Google, the Open Institute and the Open Knowledge Foundation. The workshop is also supported by the World Bank Institute, rDNA, the African Media Initiative, the International Centre for Journalists and the Rhodes University School of Journalism and Media Studies.

Director of the Centre for Economics Journalism in Africa, Reg Rumney said democracy needed informed citizens in order for it to work.

"Transparency is essential for combatting corruption and making governments accountable," Rumney said. "We have all this data out there but data is not knowledge. You need people

that will covert data into useful information. I think the workshop will teach journalists the skill of processing raw data into useable information."

In recent months, central and local governments around the world have opened data and enabled free access to the public. While this has resulted in intense excitement from civil society organisations, much of the public has been left behind. Data Journalism enables journalists to develop such data into useable information for ordinary people.

Success stories include utility news sites and information apps such as Where did my tax dollars go?, the Lord's Resistance Army Crisis Tracker and the Country Sin Rankings.

Highway Africa and the consortium behind the data journalism boot camp hope to expand the project into a long-term training programme for South African and African media professionals.

About Highway Africa

The Highway Africa Centre is a programme of the School of Journalism at Rhodes University. The Highway Africa Conference is the flagship event of Rhodes University and since its launch in 1997, it has grown to become the largest annual gathering of African journalists on the continent. The focus of Highway Africa is on the impact of the internet and mobile technologies on journalism and the media.

Media Inquiries: Ms Anele Ngwenya, Mobile: 0844051589

E-mail: a.ngwenya@ru.ac.za

Website: http://highwayafrica.com

--
International Institute for ICT Journalism
www.penplusbytes.org

Call for Proposals: First Crowdsourced Journalism Awards for Africa

The Big Picture Digital Journalism Project – an innovative new project conceptualized by Internews Europe and funded by the International Press Institute through its Innovative News Contest award - is launching Africa's first crowdsourced journalism awards. These 'Big Picture Awards' will serve to strengthen African journalist's capacities in the use of crowdsourced journalism tools and techniques by supporting the development of the most innovative crowdsourced journalism project ideas from Africa.

 

The awards consist of a 15,000 Euro grant, which will be shared out among the top three crowdsourced journalism project ideas from Africa; technical advice on project startup and one-on-one mentoring on project development for the top three concepts.

 

How to apply

Apply online by submitting a brief summary (not more than 2 pages long) of your crowdsourced journalism concept proposal structured as follows;

 

• Title
• Objective (include where and when the project will be implemented)
• Which crowdsourcing tool(s) will be used / developed
• Who are the beneficiaries
• What are the planned activities
• What are the expected results
• What resources are needed

 

All entries should be submitted through the Big Picture Digital Project website. The deadline for submission of entries is close of business on August 21, 2012.

 

Project concepts which emphasise partnerships between journalists and technologists; enhance audience engagement; and maximize on the widespread use of mobile phones in Africa, are encouraged. All entries should incorporate the use of crowdsourced tools or techniques for journalism.

 

Who can apply

The awards are open to anyone with an innovative idea for a crowdsourced journalism project. However, preference will be given to entrants from the projects target countries i.e. Central African Republic, Cote d'Ivoire, Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya.

 

The Judging Process

Winning projects will be selected by a panel of highly esteemed, international journalists and technologists including Ethan Zuckerman – Director of MIT's Center of Civic Media among others.

 

Notification Process

Announcements on the winning concepts will be made on or before September 10th. An awards ceremony will be held in Nairobi, Kenya on 30th September to promote the winning crowdsourced journalism concept ideas.

 

Apply online

Click here to apply online

 

 

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About The Big Picture Digital Journalism Project

The Big Picture Digital Journalism Project is an innovative new project conceptualized by Internews Europe (www.internews.eu) and funded by the International Press Institute (www.ipinewscontest.org) through its Innovative News Contest award. The project goal is to strengthen African journalists' capacities through training in the use of crowdsourced journalism techniques which aim to leverage citizen participation and increase the representation of local voices and perspectives through both traditional and new media channels.

 

About Internews Europe

Internews Europe is a European non-profit organisation established in 1995 to help developing countries establish and strengthen independent media organisations in order to promote freedom of expression and freedom of access to information (www.internews.eu).

 

About The International Press Institute

The International Press Institute is a global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists dedicated to safeguarding press freedom, protecting freedom of expression, freedom of information and the improvement of the journalism practice (www.freemedia.org). IPI runs a media innovation contest dubbed the IPI News Innovation Contest (www.ipinewscontest.org).

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International Institute for ICT Journalism
www.penplusbytes.org

1st West Africa science journalists conference (WASJC)

1st West Africa science journalists conference (WASJC) - 26-28 November 2012, Cotonou, Benin

In order to promote the role of science journalists in science, society and media and a dialogue on the role of science and technology in society and public policy, Benin association of science journalists and communicators will hosts the 1st West Africa Science Journalists Conference (WASJC), from 26 to 28 november 2012, in Cotonou, Benin, in partnership with Nigeria, Niger, Togo national science journalists associations.
The conference will focus on the role of science journalism s in sustainable development. The meeting will bring together about 100 science journalists, science communicators, researchers, scientists, academics, research centers, scientific communication agencies, organizations of research funding and students from west African countries. National association will bring their members to participate to the conference.
Science Journalism is not yet entrenched in most media outlets across Africa. AJCSB believes the needs and demands placed on science journalists in Africa are growing, and science journalists should play a role in sustainable development.
The event aims to promote the role of science journalists in science, society and media and a dialogue on the role of science and technology in society and public policy. In Cotonou, participants will all interact with the best of West Africa and world science journalists and science communicators, and discuss how science journalism will boost sustainable development in the region face with multiple problems especially poverty. All this to achieve a common purpose: ever more quality and quantity science story in West Africa.
Specific objectives include:
• Provide West Africa science journalists the opportunity to exchange and to network;
• Provide West Africa science journalists the opportunity to meet, exchange experiences with other colleagues, and learn from experienced science journalists from other parts of the world;
• Strengthen the skills of West Africa science journalists in the coverage of science issues;
• Strengthen the capacity of West Africa science journalists to have a deeper understanding of a particular science topics (to be determined);
The activities of the conference include:
- Training
- Plenary session
- Workshop
- Visit
- Exposition
People wishing to give papers or organize complete sessions for the program are welcome. The deadline for proposal submission is August15, 2012.
The theme of the conference is:"Science journalism as driving force of sustainable development in West Africa"
The conference programme and speakers presentations will be available on the conference ( http://ajcsb.org/wasjc/ )and AJCSB ( www.ajcsb.org ) website before November 10, 2012. Daily updates will be communicated via Twitter and facebook.
To register to the conference, download the registration form here. The deadline for registration is November 15, 2012.
Scholarships will be available for journalists. The criteria for benefit for the scholarship will be share later.
All information about how to attend the conference are available on the web site http://ajcsb.org/wasjc/

For more information, please contact Christophe D. Assogba, President AJCSB
AJCSB, 03BP3273 Cotonou
Tél: (229) 97648206
E-mail: wasjc@ajcsb.org or contact@ajcsb.org
Site Web: http://ajcsb.org/wasjc/
www.ajcsb.org

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International Institute for ICT Journalism
www.penplusbytes.org

Workshop for journalists and civil society actors on Ghana Election 2012

Accra, June 21, GNA-The International Institute for ICT Journalism
(Penplusbytes) would on Thursday June 21, hold a workshop on
"Connecting civil society and media for credible 2012 Ghana
Elections." in Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region.

The workshop forms part of African Elections Project (AEP), "Enabling
Peaceful Transparent and Credible Elections in Ghana Using New Media
Project" with funding from STAR-Ghana, a release issued and copied to
the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday by Mr Kwami Ahiabenu II, Team
Leader, Penplusbytes said in Accra.

It would bring together journalists and civil society actors around
the upcoming elections from the Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Northern, Upper
East and Upper West Regions.

The next workshop is expected to be held in the southern sector of Ghana.

The Connecting Media And Civil Society for Credible 2012 Ghana
Elections workshop aims at facilitating an effective and efficient
civil society interaction with the ultimate objective of serving
citizens better by providing them with an elections information
resource that would enable them make informed choices and sensitise
the electorate against electoral violence.

"Based on African Elections Project experience in covering the Ghana
2008 elections, it was noticed that majority of civil society and
media interaction was through traditional media press releases, press
conferences, Radio, TV and Print interviews.

This workshop is intended to bring the media, civil society
organisations and citizens together to deliberate on better ways of
exchanging information and knowledge, using integrated ICT platforms
to ensure Ghana goes through peaceful, transparent and credible
elections in December 2012" Mr Ahiabenu indicated.

Key presentation would be made by the Brong Ahafo Regional Director of
Electoral Commission, Mr Samuel Boadu whilst Professor Peter Amponsah,
Head of Communications of the Department of the Catholic University
would moderate a focus group discussion on "How to effectively
facilitate better working relations between the media and Civil
society through networking".

AEP established in 2008 is coordinated by Penplusbytes and covers
elections using Information and Communication Technologies across the
continent.

It has successfully covered elections in Botswana, Namibia, Ghana
(2008), Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Mauritania, Mozambique, Malawi, Togo,
Niger and Liberia.

STAR-Ghana is a multi-donor pooled funding mechanism supported by
DFID, DANIDA, USAID and the EU to increase the influence of civil
society and parliament in the governance of public goods and service
delivery with the ultimate goal of improving the accountability and
responsiveness of government, traditional authorities and the private
sector.

GNA


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International Institute for ICT Journalism
www.penplusbytes.org

Knight Foundation awards $1.37 million to six media innovators

Six innovative media ventures, including a web service to coordinate disaster relief efforts that was founded by two sisters whose Massachusetts home was destroyed by a tornado, will share $1.37 million in prize money from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

The winners of the Knight News Challenge: Networks were revealed Monday at the MIT-Knight Civic Media Conference at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The challenge is one of three being held by the foundation this year, each designed to promote innovations in the dissemination of news and information.

Recovers.org, the disaster relief coordination website, was founded by Caitria O'Neill, a 2011 graduate of Harvard University; her sister Morgan O'Neill, who is studying hurricane dynamics at MIT; and engineer Alvin Liang, according to a release from the Knight Foundation, which awarded the team $340,000.

Among the other winners:

Behavio, a platform for smartphones running on Google Inc.'s Android operating system that is designed to make better use of the sensors built into cell phones and other devices. Co-founded by Nadav Aharony, a product manager at Android who recently completed his dissertation at the MIT Media Lab, Behavio is meant to provide app developers and journalists better tools for understanding trends and behaviors in individuals and communities, based on the data collected by smartphones. The foundation awarded $355,000 to Behavio.

Peepol.tv, winner of a $360,000 prize, is a streamlined platform for collecting and viewing live streaming breaking news from around the world. Peepol.tv was co-founded by Felipe Heusser, a Berkman Fellow at Harvard University.

The foundation also awarded prizes to Signalnoi.se, a tool to allow journalists to track social network reaction to news stories; The Tor Project, a nonprofit that provides software and research to help protect online privacy; and Watchup, an application for Apple Inc.'s iPad tablet computer that aggregates news videos into a single interface.

In the six years that it has run the News Challenge, the Knight Foundation has reviewed more than 13,000 applications and provided $27 million to 80 projects, according to the release.

http://bostonglobe.com/business/technology/2012/06/18/knight-foundation-awards-million-six-media-innovators/tuNKXQSQJT0mAyAoV4f7NJ/story.html

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International Institute for ICT Journalism
www.penplusbytes.org

Uganda : Training Financial & Economic Reporting

Start date: 25 Jun 2012 | End date: 29 Jun 2012

Location: Kampala, Uganda

Language: English

Application deadline: 31 May 2012

This course is designed to help journalists in Africa to strengthen their reporting on financial and economic topics by developing their understanding and skills. "Learning by doing" is a core part of the programme, which includes practical exercises and live reporting. The course also focuses on improving coverage of national and international financial issues through detailed briefings, presentations by guest speakers and, where appropriate, a reporting visit to a financial institution. In-depth discussions will explore ways of tackling subjects such as resource exploitation, economic governance and capital flight from developing countries.

Eligibility:

For this Thomson Reuters Foundation programme, applicants must be English-speaking professional journalists in Africa who are currently working as journalists or regular contributors to print, broadcast or online media organisations in English. They must be able to demonstrate a commitment to a career in journalism in their country, must have at least two years' professional experience and have a good level in spoken and written English.

Funding:

Thomson Reuters Foundation offers bursaries for journalists from the developing world/countries in political transition working for organisations with no resources for training. Bursaries would include economy class travel expenses, transfers and accommodation. This arrangement is subject to variation.

Submissions:

    A biography of up to 250 words outlining your career.

    A submission of 250-400 words on "an aspect of global finance which has a direct impact on your national economy and which you believe is under-reported or insufficiently understood."

    Two recent examples of your published work, preferably relevant to the course for which you are applying, with a brief summary in English (if necessary). TV/Radio journalists can send in their scripts and a brief summary.

http://www.trust.org/trustmedia/journalism-training/courses-detail.dot?id=2317be28-71c9-4158-bd9b-d6b849a73155

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International Institute for ICT Journalism
www.penplusbytes.org