East African Regional Media Training Workshop

East African Regional Media Training Workshop
Date: 25th -26th June 2005
Venue: African Regional Centre for Computing (ARCC) Nairobi, Kenya
Program duration: Two days
Theme: The role of the Media in enabling the growth of the Information Society


INTRODUCTION

Across the African continent more and more news outlets are using technology while others are vigorously generating ICT content. Though the process is somewhat slow and the African media has a long way to go before it becomes ICT centric, the future looks bright. In order to stimulate the use of ICT in the newsroom and develop the skills of the media in generating and publishing ICT content, the International Institute for Information and Communications Technologies – www.penplusbytes.net in close partnership with Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) www.icann.org organized a two day workshop at Africa Regional Centre for Computing (ARCC) www.arcc.or.ke in Nairobi. The choice of ARCC as a venue is quite natural because it was the venue for the birth of the Internet in Kenya.

The workshop was attended by a group of 17 journalists drawn from the print, online and electronic media. The theme for the workshop was: “The Role of the Media in enabling the Growth of the Information Society”. Speaking at the beginning of the workshop, Kwami Ahiabenu II the president of PENPLUSBYTS said it was a great opportunity to undertake the East Africa Media workshop designed to reach out to journalists and media persons working in the ICT space and hope to organize similar workshop in the near future for East African region..


The workshop provided an opportunity for journalists to interact with key ICT players in the east African region and to generate stories that border on some of the issues discussed at the three day workshop.

Participants at the workshop expressed the need for more such meetings to encourage discussions among the African journalist both at the sub regional and continental level in order to give meaning to Africa drive for an Information Society.

Churchill Otieno, the Internet Editor of Nation Media Group said “the workshop was enlightening and hope a subsequent workshop would take a look at editing stories for online editors”

The workshop tackled achieved the following key objectives:


- Build on previous ICT and information society reporting workshops for the Media.
- Provided a knowledge sharing platform for the media to understand key issues in the Information Society.
- Provided journalist with a clear understanding a review of New Media and its impact in the newsroom
- Provided an opportunity for the participants to develop new practical skills in using technology
- Discussed Internet governance issues with specific reference to issues surrounding the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and the Domain Name System (DNS)
- Provided a space to enhance networking and knowledge sharing among media practitioners in the East African region

Eric Osiakwan, workshop resource person from Penplusbytes reiterated the need for participants work hard during this workshop in order to benefit from knowledge sharing and networking opportunity it provided.

WORKSHOP STREAMS

Day One
Opening Ceremony for all participants:
- Welcome remarks
- Purpose of seminar by Host country
- Keynote addresses
- Self-Introduction and expectations by participants

Session One
Serves to introduce the course and updates participants with latest trends and development in key areas such as ICTs, Internet Governance, Information Society, digital divide, the Internet, media and ICTs Convergence. Special focus shall be placed on Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT) by examining threats and challenges facing ICTs in context of development.

Session Two
Online News Service and Newspaper Production Strategy and Task Allocation

Session Three

General Internet overview including explanation of the Internet Governance term and organizations that are involved in running it; Description of Internet domain registries and the domain marketplace; Discussion of the current African ccTLD registry environment (AFTLD) and market opportunity.

Day Two

Session One
Re-cap of Day 1 (clarification of concepts)

Session Two
Knowledge Management for the Media: Do we really need it?

Session Three
ICANN Presentation

Session Four
Case Study
Group Discussion & Group Presentation

Closing Session
- Building East African countries specific Media Networks
- Workshop evaluation and report

METHODOLOGY
The workshop was delivered using a combination of presentations, group discussions, brainstorming, course work and practical work.

OUTCOME

1. Increased level of Information Society content in the mass media as an outcome of the workshop.
2. The formation of a network of Kenya Journalists working in the ICT space.


PARTICIPANTS

Name Title Address
1 Mark Matunga Programm Manager Microsoft Kenya
2 Bob Wekesa Freelance Kenya
3 Joseph Amolo Ass Editor All Africa Conference of Churches
4 Kenneth Duondi User Support Solid Strategy Africa, Kenya
5 Yusufl Ali Lakicha Econ/Business Reporter KTN TV, Kenya
6 Helina Megersa Editor in Chief The Daily Monitor, Ethiopia
7 Christine Odeke Production Asst. The Bigger Picture, Kenya
8 Ohito David Bureau Chief KTN & Standard Group, Kenya
9 Lillian Odera Snr Reporter KTN TV, Kenya
10 Solomon Luvai Director URTNA, Kenya
11 Churchill Otieno Internet Editor NATION
12 Mitch Odero Chairman Media Council of Kenya
13 Jackson Mwalulu Regional Editor, East Africa Africa Today
14 Dr. Shem Ochuodlo Chairman African Regional Centre of Computing
15 Edward Akoko Media KBC- METRO FM
16 Rebecca Wanjiku
17 Michael Ouma Omondi East African Business Week, Kenya


RESOURCE PERSONS

Kwami Ahiabenu, II- PenPlusBytes
Eric Osiakwan - PenPlusBytes

Consultant
Dr. Shem Ochuodho

Co-ordination:
Nancy Sowho – ARCC
Plister Abidha – ARCC
Cliff Ochieng- ARCC
Kofi Mangesi – PenPlusBytes


www.penplusbytes.net