About Penplusbytes www.penplusbytes.org is a registered non profit since 18th July 2001. Vision "To be the leading institution for promoting effective governance using technology in Africa".
Google on Wednesday moved into direct competition with Skype, the internet telephony service, as it unveiled a feature that will enable its Gmail users to call landlines and mobile phones from their e-mail inbox.
The new feature broadens Google's growing array of communication products and creates a potent rival to Skype, which is preparing for an initial public offering.
Google faces an entrenched adversary. Last year, Skype became the leading carrier of international voice calls. In the year to June 30, Skype's registered users rose from 397m to 560m. Gmail has just over 200m users.
But just 8.1m of Skype's users pay for the service, and the company relies on these direct payments from these users for most of its revenues.
Google plans to undercut Skype's prices. In a price comparison chart that showed rates from Google and the "leading internet telephony provider", Google offered cheaper calls to landlines and mobile phones in the UK, Mexico and France.
In a promotion designed to attract new users, calls to the US and Canada will be free for at least the rest of the year. Calls to other countries will be as low as 2 cents per minute, and will not include a connection fee. The service will become available to US Gmail users in the coming days.
Google already offered Gmail users free voice and video calls to other Gmail users, and the company rolled out Google Voice, a call management programme, earlier this year.
"It was only a matter of time before Google moved to Skype-like features," said Mr Valdes.
In unveiling the feature, Google emphasised the ongoing convergence of traditional telecommunications and the web. "Given that most of us don't spend all day in front of our computers, we thought, 'wouldn't it be nice if you could call people directly on their phones,'" the company said in a blog post.
Analysts said it was too early to tell if low prices and the convenience of the inbox would allow Google to lure users away from Skype.
"Google has huge resources, both technical and financial," said Mr Valdes. "At the same time it's very, very early for this to be a significant threat. Skype users are tremendously loyal."
THE ACCRA TOUR - 19th AUGUST 2010 – TIME: 3.00pm – 5.00pm
THE ACCRA TOUR: Visit the Mausoleum of one of Africa's most influential political leaders and political philosophers in the 20th century, Osagyfou Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, first President of Ghana and principal advocate of Pan-Africanism. Take a trip to the Dubois Centre in memory of leading African – American scholar and major intellectual icon of the Africana World, then follow up to the George Padmore Library, dedicated to the memory of Dr. George Padmore, the West-Indian Pan-Africanist and special adviser to Ghana's first President. George Padmore greatly influenced Dr. Nkrumah's Pan-African project: The political liberation of Africa.
W.E.B DuBOIS CENTER: The W.E.B. Du Bois Memorial Centre for Pan-African Culture is a national historic monument of Ghana, under the umbrella of the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture. The final resting place of W.E.B. and Shirley Graham Du Bois, this major World tourist site houses the mausoleum, personal library, and museum of the Du Boises' rich lives as influential American and Pan-African thinkers and activists. The Centre was created, in 1985, as a research institution for Pan-African history and culture, and as a crucible for African/Diasporan creativity and promotion of the social, political, cultural, and intellectual legacy of Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois.
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF DR. W.E.B DUBIOS (1868 – 1963)
TIME: 10.00am -11.00am
CHAIRPERSON DR. GARETH STANTON, GOLDSMITH, UNIVERSITY OF LONDN
(12)FREDRICK OGENGA-Fast-Track programme, electoral land grabs or local South African press expressing fears of a Zimbabwe in South Africa? The representation of economic collapse in Zimbabwe. University of Witwatersrand.(SOUTH AFRICA)
(13) TAYE C. OBATERU- Ethnic in Media Coverage of Elections and the Electoral Process. University of JOS. (NIGERIA)
(14) AKPOJIVI UFUMA-The fairness clause: an examination of media freedom during electioneering period in Nigeria. (UK)
(15)JEFF JOHN KABONDO –The Media and Democracy in Malawi: Reflection on Malawi's Electoral Democracy. (MALAWI)
(16) JANICE WINTER, Mediating Polarities in South Africa's Defensive Democracy.Axes Programme on Journalism and Democracy - (UK)
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF DR.JOHN CLERKE(1915-1998)
TIME: 11.15am -12.45pm
CHAIRPERSON:PROF. KWESIYANKAH- PRO VICE CHANCELLOR, UNIVERSITY OF GHANA.
(17)DR. SIMEON H.O. ALOZIEUWA-Media, Ownership Influence and Crisis\Conflict Situation in a Multi- Ethnic Society: Toward a Framework for Democratic Consolidation in Nigeria. (NIGERIA).
(18) UTULU, ANTHONY U & AWOPEJUAYO -The role of the Media in the Concept of good Governance in Nigeria. (NIGERIA)
(19) DANIEL NKRUMAH-Defying the odds: Ghanaian media thrive despite difficult challenges. (Daily Graphic – Accra) (GHANA)
(20)TIMOTHY QUIASHIGAH-From " Radioracy" to " Radiocrazy": The Evolution of (GHANA.)
(21) DAN ELLA, Media truth and crisis management: The Jos Experience (NIGERIA)
………………………………………………………………………………………………….
12.45pm– 1.45pm LUNCH
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
1.45-2.45: CULTURAL PERFORMANCE BY THE GHANA DANCE EMSEMBLE@NIC
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
MEDIA WORKSHOP PRORAMME-1
2.45 pm – 3.45pm
CHAIRPERSON:AMBASSADORKRABALBLAY-AMIHERE
(Chairman, National Media Commission, Ghana)
LEAD SPEAKER: ALOYS BATUNGWANAYO:
'THE BURUNDIAN EXPERIENCE' (LA BENEVOLENCIJA BURUNDI). The session is based on the research of 15 Journalists from different media houses currently implementing a media/election program in Burundi. Mbariza Ntore ("inform us so we can vote"): journalistic unity in the land of political pluralism. A media synergy project in Burundi to Improve Journalistic Reporting around the 2010 Elections. The presentation will be structured around two concepts: first, understanding the Burundian (central African) context and second, the explanation of a combined media synergy project that accompanies the elections of 2010.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
MEDIA WORKSHOP PRORAMME-2
3.45 – 4.45:
OVERVIEW: Informing responsibly: A National Duty? The focus of this programme is to provide participants with critical insight on the role, responsibility and pitfalls in covering/reporting elections. It is intended to provide participants with a legal, constitutional and ethical framework in a local context, but equally draws on diverse examples such as United Kingdom, U.S.A etc.
PANEL MEMBERS:
CHAIRPERSON:BOBBY W. LIVINGSTONE, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC INFORMATION NATIONAL ELECTIONS COMMISSION. (LIBERIA)
(a)Panel Member :BAFFOUR ANKOMAH, EDITOR - New African Magazine
(b)Panel Member : GABBY OTCHERE-DARKO,Director, - Danquah Institute
(c)PanelMember: PROF. KARIKARI ,Executive Director, -Media Foundation For West Africa.
(d)Panel Member : NANA SERWA ASAMOAH –(LLB, FC, LB)
………………………………………………………………………………………..
(e)4.45pm – 5.45pm - CUTULRAL PERFORMANCE BY GHANA DANCE ENSEMBLE
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF DR. PATRICE LUMUMBA(1925–1961)
TIME:12.00 -1.00
CHAIRPERSON : MRS. JEANNETTE QUARCOOPOME, MFW
(26)NICHOLAS A.BASTINE-The Role Of The Media In Protecting Womens and Children's Rights in Democratic Ghana- Lensing The Trokosi System In Ghana.Canada.
(27)AUGUSTIN-UFUA ENAHORO: Media, Gender And Democracy: The Nigerian VideoIndustry As A Paradigm.University of JOS, (NIGERIA)
(28) SAMUEL BENAGR—Vestiges of the Postcolonial in Ghanaian video film practice.University Of Bedfordshire.
PROF.KATE ADOO ADEKU AND AMIE JOOF, .Gender, Media and Governance : Experiences from some African countries. (GHANA/SENEGAL)
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OFCHEIKH ANTA DIOP(1923 -1986)
TIME:2.00-3.00
CHAIRPERSNON : MRS. JEANNETTE QUARCOOPOME
(29)BAMIDELE OLUWASEUN- Utilizing Informatioin Media To Revitalize The Political Education For Sustainable Democracy In Sub-Saharan Africa.Faith Acadamy,Ota.(NIGERIA)
(30)GODFREY DANAAN- Ethnic Conflicts And Media Interventions In A Democracy: The Jos Episode.University Of JOS.(NIGERIA)
(31) ELIJAH CHIWOTA: Doing Good Governance From The Grassroots- A Mwanachi Perspective.Zimbabwe.(ZIMBABWE)
5.00pm-6.00pmSESSION-2: PANEL DISCUSSION: 'Announcing of elections results' ahead of an Electoral Commission: When does 'announcing' become 'endorsement' of a particular political party contesting a democratic election?
The Panel aims to address and examine among others the location of such media practices, their constitutional legitimacy and their relevance to freedom of information in a democratic dispensation. It will seek to address media practises such as the 'announcing of elections results' ahead of an Electoral Commission or the 'deployment of Press Conferences' by political parties as political posturing during voting and ballot counting period of an election. The conference will address both the constitutional and ethical issues that arise from such practices and provide context for comparison, dialogue and analysis between media practices situated in different cultural-political environment. When does 'announcing' become 'endorsement' of a particular political party contesting a democratic election? What is the impact on the electorate of such early announcements of election results from electoral constituencies? What are the implications for social and national cohesion of such practice in fiercely contested elections? what is the way forward?
ThePanelis representedby the Four (4) major political parties in Ghanathat contested thelast (2008) General Elections.
CHAIRPERSON: DR. YAW BAODU-AYEBOAFOH (General Manager –Newspapers-Graphic Corporation)
Panel Member: MR. BERNARD MONAH- PNC ( General-Secretary)
Panel Member: MR. WLIIAM DOWOKPOR - (Communications Director) CPP
Panel Member: MR. ASIEDU-NKATIA- (General –Secretary) NDC
Panel Member: MR. AKOTO AMPAW - LLB ( Member Ghana Bar Association,& Coalition on the Rights of Information Bill) Ghana
Panel Member: MR.DAN BOTWE-NPP
………………………………………………………………………………………………
6.00pm-6.30pm: OFFICIAL CLOSING CEREMONY ………………………………………………………………………………………………
The FAIR West African regional investigative journalism conference 2010 will take place in Hotel du Port, Cotonou, Benin, on 30 and 31 August.
Editor Theophilus Abbah of the Nigerian Sunday Trust, winner of the FAIR Editors' Courage Award 2009, will hold the keynote address on the topic 'Challenges and obstacles to investigative journalism in West Africa.
The keynote will be followed by a panel discussion around the question how to bring investigative journalism to the public in the West African region and by a number of showcases of recent West African investigations, such as the Benin pyramid schemes, the toxic waste scandal in Ivory Coast, the soccer corruption in CAF president Hayatou's home country, Cameroon, and the links between governments and organized crime.
Investigative journalism training sessions will also be part of the conference.
