A major conference on new media and journalism is taking place in South Africa from July 5th through 7th..
Highway Africa is a partnership between Rhodes University (School of Journalism and Media Studies) and the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), with the support of several partners, development agencies and sponsors. For eleven years the Highway Africa conference has been at the centre of Africa’s debates on journalism and new media. The conference has over the years become the largest annual gathering of African journalists in the world.
According to Memeburn, Google will be sending four representatives to the meeting. A clear indication of just how serious Google is about Africa, perhaps? Well the event will host some other big names amongst them Desmond Tutu and former Ghanaian president. Some of the key questions being raised at this event:
- What is the state of African media in comparison with the media of other regions?
- What broadcasting networks exist and what is their impact?
- What is the state of the African blogosphere? Who speaks? On what?
- What distinctive technologies or applications has Africa developed that contribute to diverse and pluralistic voices being heard?
- What media initiatives exist in the Diaspora and what is their impact?
- What media operates in exile due to political repression and how do they communicate with their audiences?
- What digital policies, strategies and infrastructure are in place that will be “game-changers” for African media?
- What training programmes should tertiary institutions and media organisations develop to adequately equip the 21st Century media professional?
