Background
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 fourteen 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. In the last six years Highway Africa has evolved into a multi-pronged programme with the following components:
Research: mapping the terrain of the challenges of the interface of technology, journalism and the media;
Education and Training: responding to the identified gaps this project makes a practical intervention by re-skilling, upskilling, educating and training journalists;
News Agency: a niche news agency with a network of correspondents across the continent it offers weekly news digest on ICT developments in Africa;
Conference: the flagship of the programme, it is the forum for critical reflection on journalism, media and technology and a celebration of Africa.
The 2010 Theme: African Voices in the Global Media Space
The term “Global Village” has become a cliché. Globalisation is now an accepted reality of modern society. What is now being debated are the rules of engagement in the globalised world. Trade, migration, sovereignty, identity, and many other issues, form the crux of the debates (and fights) of the new world (dis) order.
In the media arena, we have seen the unprecedented expansion of global media networks paralled by the explosion of the internet, centred on the World Wide Web, as a major media platform. African media entrepreneurs and other parties have sought to respond to the challenges and opportunities presented by technology, economics, markets and other factors.
Highway Africa Conference 2010 will be both a celebration and an interrogation of African journalism and media and how these are opening up and expanding spaces for engagement.
The questions to be addressed include:
- 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?
Using plenary sessions, keynote addresses, training workshops, book launches, networking dinners and debates, HA 2010 will celebrate and interrogate African Voices in the various spaces they operate in.
Venue & Participants
Highway Africa takes place in Grahamstown, close to the South African city of Port Elizabeth. The venue is the Rhodes University campus which provides access to state-of-the-art facilities. These include the “intelligent” building called the “Africa Media Matrix” which houses the School of Journalism and Media Studies. There is a convergent computer lab for skills training and fully equipped seminar rooms.
Accommodation ranges from high quality University Residence rooms through to B&Bs, hotels and guest houses.
The conference is open to journalists, academics, bloggers, students, publishers and other interested media professionals.
A limited number of scholarships will be made available for participants who are unable to cover their costs. The scholarships will be advertised on the Highway Africa website at a later date.
Parallel and Linked Events
- Highway Africa – SABC New Media Awards ceremony – live televised event
- Training programme: Advanced Digital Journalism
- Meetings of SA National Editors Forum, Southern African National Editors Forum, The African Editors Forum and community radio representatives
- Free and Open Source Software and African Media: training workshop programme on use of FLOSS in the newsroom
- Book launches
- Exhibitions
Come and join us.
Enquiries:
Chris Kabwato, Director, Highway Africa.
E-mail: C.Kabwato@ru.ac.za
