Some of the Speakers to expect at the Global Journalism and Media Development: Highway Africa and Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD)
Speakers’ Profiles (in alphabetical order)
Kabral Blay-Amihere
Kabral Blay-Amihere, journalist/writer and diplomat, is currently the Chairman of the National Media Commission of Ghana, a constitutional body charged with promoting a free and responsible press in his country. He previously served as Ghana’s High Commissioner to Sierra Leone (2001-2005) and Ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire (2006-2009). He worked as a journalist for 25 years before his transition to the world of diplomacy. During this period, he edited a number of publications in Ghana and was publisher/editor at The Independent, established in 1989. He also contributed to several international publications. He was at one time General Secretary and President of the Ghana journalists association, President of the West African Journalists Association and executive member of both the Commonwealth Journalists Association and the International Federation of Journalists. A former Director of the Ghana Institute of Journalism and part-time lecturer at Fourah Bay College, Sierra Leone, Ambassador Kabral Blay-Amihere studied at the University of Ghana, Legon, the London School of Economics and is a Nieman Fellow of Harvard University. He was awarded an honorary doctorate degree in civil law by the University of Sierra Leone in 2007.
Manana Aslamazyan
Ms Aslamazyan is the former head of Internews Russia and has led Internews Russia/EMF in the creation of numerous innovative and ambitious projects. Aslamazyan’s constant drive to respond to the changing needs of Russian media led to the launch of Internews Russia/EMF’s month-long Journalism School, the News Factory newsroom automation project, and the Russian-American Media Entrepreneurship Dialogue. In 2007, charges of contraband were made against Ms Aslamazyan and were later rejected by the Constitutional Court which after review exonerated Ms Aslamazyan.Since leaving Russia in 2007, Ms Aslamazyan has become the Executive Director of Internews Europe and continues to remain engaged with Internews globally.
Cherriff Sy
Cheriff Sy is an analyst, columnist and Publisher of Bendre newspaper in Burkina Faso. He is also Chairperson of The African Editors Forum (TAEF), and is a freedom of expression activist. He is the organiser of the International Festival of the Freedom of Expression and Press (IFFEP) of Ouagadougou.
Deborah Bräutigam
Dr Deborah Brautigam of Rhodes University has been writing about China, Africa,state-building, governance, and foreign aid for almost 30 years. Currently a Visiting Senior Fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute and Professor of International Development at American University’s School of International Service, she is the author of several books, most recently, The Dragon’s Gift: The Real Story of China in Africa (Oxford University Press, 2009)
Jeanne Bourgault
Jeanne Bourgault is President of Internews, she leads the strategic management of the organization and its programs in some 40 countries around the world. Bourgault has overseen Internews’ growth in areas underserved by local media, such as Afghanistan, South Sudan, and under her leadership. Prior to Internews, Bourgault worked internationally in countries undergoing dramatic shifts in media and political landscapes. Bourgault worked in the former Yugoslavia, serving as a strategic advisor for media development programs in post-war Kosovo, as well as manager of community development projects in Serbia and Montenegro through the fall of Slobodan Milosevic. She served for six years with the U.S. Agency for International Development, including three years at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. Bourgault speaks very rusty Russian and holds a Master of Arts in International Studies and a Masters in Public Affairs from the University of Washington.
Joyce Barnathan
Joyce Barnathan is the President of the International Center for Journalists in Washington. She is also the chair of the Global Forum for Media Development.Previously, Barnathan served as the executive editor, Global Franchise, for BusinessWeek. She oversaw editorial content, managed product launches, created alliances, and ensured the integration of all BusinessWeek offerings across delivery channels. Prior to that, Barnathan completed a seven-year assignment as Asia regional editor and Hong Kong bureau manager for BusinessWeek. Barnathan holds a bachelor’s degree in Russian and Chinese studies and a master’s degree in Asian studies from Washington University, as well as a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.
Guy Berger
Guy Berger is the Director for Freedom of Expression and Media Development at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. Until November 2011 he headed up the School of Journalism & Media Studies at Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa Berger has worked in the press and television, and has a PhD from Rhodes.
Paul Collier
Professor Paul Collier, CBE is a Professor of Economics, Director for the Centre for the Study of African Economies at The University of Oxford and Fellow of St Antony’s College. From 1998 – 2003 he was the director of the Development Research Group of the World Bank. Collier is a specialist in the political, economic and developmental predicaments of poor countries. He was brought up in Sheffield where he attended King Edward VII School.He holds a Distinction Award from Oxford University, and in 1988 he was awarded the Edgar Graham Book Prize for the co-written Labour and poverty in rural Tanzania: Ujamaa and rural development in the United Republic of Tanzania. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2008 Birthday Honours. He is a patron of the Media Legal Defence Initiative.In 2010 and 2011, he was named by Foreign Policy magazine to its list of top global thinkers.[11][12]
Ying Chan
Ying Chan, an award-winning journalist and Hong Kong native, established the Journalism and Media Studies Centre in July 1999. She set up the Master of Journalism programme, launched Hong Kong’s first fellowships for working journalists, and forged extensive ties between HKU and the news industry. At HKU, Chan is a Board member of the Social Sciences Faculty and an adjunct research fellow of the E-Business Technology Institute. Chan’s honours include a Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University, a George Polk Award for journalistic excellence and an International Press Freedom Award by the Committee to Protect Journalists. She taught at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism and was on the board of the Asian American Journalists Association. Chan has a bachelor’s degree (social sciences) from HKU and a master’s from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Christina Dahlman
Christina Dahlman is the Seconded National Expert, Media and freedom of expression at European Commission, EuropeAid, in her previous capacity she was Senior advisor/programme manager conflict and post conflict cooperation at Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) she was also Counsellor Development Cooperation/Country Coordinator Iraq at Swedish Embassy in Baghdad. She served as Senior Policy Specialist for the Democracy and Human Rights at Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. Her diversified portfolio does not stop there, she was a Programme Specialist/Programme Manager for Communications and Information at UNESCO Iraq Office, Program Specialist, Media in conflict areas at UNESCO. She also served as Programme Officer, Media Development at Sida, Desk officer for Regional Cooperation in sub-Saharan Africa at Sida. She has a Master of Social Science, Media and Communications, Sociology Uppsala universitet / Uppsala University, Bachelor of Arts, Literature, English, she is currentlly a PhD Candidate/Doctoral fellowship/Lecturer at Uppsala University
Jane Duncan
Prof Jane Duncan is Highway Africa Chair of Media and Information Society in the School of Journalism and Media Studies at Rhodes University. Before that she worked at the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) since its establishment in 1994 and was its director from 2001 to mid-2009. She was also coordinator of the FXI’s predecessor organisation, the Anti-Censorship Action Group. She also worked at the Funda Centre in Soweto and then at the Afrika Cultural Centre in Newtown. She obtained a BA as well as honours and master’s degrees at the University of the Witwatersrand, and completed a PhD through the Wits School of the Arts in 2007.
James Deane
James Deane spent 20 years at Panos, helping set it up and eventually became its Executive Director. His greatest focus as executive director of Panos was trying to ensure the organisation invested in developing country led capacities, thinking and analysis. They were pioneers back then, at the start a band of volunteers with a shared vision, fired up with excitement about a new organisation. His work at BBC Media Action builds on my experiences at Panos and my passionate belief in the catalytic effect of media.He joined BBC Media Action in 2007 and has been proud to see his talented team grow as they continue to invest in research and policy work. By leading BBC Media Action’s work on Policy and Insight he oversee two teams, the Research and Learning team and the Advisory and Policy team. He holds a Masters in international development from City University.
Lorenzo Dalvit
Prof Lorenzo Dalvit is the MTN Chair of Media and Mobile Communication. He teaches a variety of courses in new media and mobile media. He supervises and conducts research on all aspects relating to new media, with a particular focus on the use of mobile phones in a developmental context. He is involved in a number of outreach programmes in collaboration with national and international NGOs. He has established collaborations with academic and research institutions in Africa and Europe. He has a MA, Linguistics and Applied Language Studies from Rhodes University and a Phd in ICT Education from Rhodes University.
Wesley Gibbings
Wesley Gibbings of Association of Caribbean Media Workers, a Trinidadian journalist who has been in the business for over 20 years. Extensive journalistic work on Caribbean public affairs and activism in the area of press freedom. Publications include four collections of poems, numerous seminar papers on Caribbean media and contributions to a number of books. Publishing credentials also include editorial management of several technical books and journals
Bambang Harymurti
Bambang Harymurti commonly referred to by his initials BHM, is a journalist and editor-in-chief of Tempo. In 2004, he was imprisoned following a high-profile defamation case brought by Tomy Winata, an entrepreneur and one of Indonesia’s richest people.[2]He is currently serving as deputy chair of Indonesia’s Press Council.holds received BS in electrical engineering from Bandung Institute of Technology in 1984 and an MPA from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Although he hoped to apply for Indonesia’s space program, he took a job with Tempo in 1982 to help support his family after his father’s death. He has worked for Tempo, TIME, and Media Indonesia.His journalism has won awards including the 1997 “Excellence in Journalism” award from the Indonesian Observer Daily and the 2006 PWI Jawa Timur Pena Award. He served as the head of Tempo’s offices in Washington, D.C from 1991 to 1994.
Craig Hammer
Craig Hammer is Program Leader of The World Bank Institute’s Global Media Development program, a partnership-driven initiative which focuses on information and media as drivers of good governance. A licensed attorney, his work at the World Bank has included strengthening laws, policies, and regulations to enhance the enabling environment for media freedom and access to information, as well as collaborative approaches with media practitioners (journalists, editors, media owners/managers, students, developers, and more) to strengthen the role of media as a key driver of the global knowledge economy, and as a tech-enabled, institution of transparency and accountability.
Sheldon Himelfarb
Sheldon Himelfarb joined USIP from The Corporate Executive Board, where he was on the Technology Practice Leadership Team, working with Chief Information Officers from governments, universities, and multi-national corporations. Prior to this, he served as foreign policy adviser to a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the head of North American Documentary Development for Yorkshire TV, and the CEO/Executive Producer for Common Ground Productions, the media division of Search for Common Ground. He is an award-winning filmmaker, former commentator for National Public Radio (Sunday Morning Edition) and author of numerous articles on politics, popular culture and conflict. He holds a Ph.D. from Oxford University and a B.A. in political science from Johns Hopkins University. He has held visiting or guest scholar positions at the Brookings Institution, Harvard University and the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University.
David E. Kaplan
David E. Kaplan of the National Endowment for Democracy is an investigative journalist and media consultant in Washington, DC. He is a partner in Investigative Journalism Consultants and editor-at-large for the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project. From 2008 to 2011 Kaplan served as director of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, an award-winning network of 100 reporters in 50 countries. Previously, he worked as chief investigative correspondent for U.S. News & World Report, where his stories included exposés of racketeering by North Korean diplomats, Saudi funding of terrorist organizations, and the looting of Russia. Kaplan is co-author of the book YAKUZA, widely considered the standard reference on the Japanese mafia, and author of the critically acclaimed Fires of the Dragon, on the life and murder of Chinese journalist Henry Liu. Kaplan has reported from two dozen countries, and his stories have won or shared more than 20 awards, including honors from Investigative Reporters and Editors and the Overseas Press Club. He has worked in media development for 20 years and trained more than a thousand reporters worldwide in his workshops on investigative journalism. He is author of Global Investigative Journalism: Strategies for Support and managing editor of Empowering Independent Media: U.S. Efforts to Foster Free and Independent News Around the World, both published by the Center for International Media Assistance at the National Endowment for Democracy.
Patrick H. Leusch
Patrick H. Leusch is Head of DW-AKADEMIE’s Project Development Division. He is responsible for DW-AKADEMIE’s international networking and fundraising. His team develops strategic media projects worldwide with international consortia and partnerships.Patrick H. Leusch grew up in Belgium and is fluent in German, French and English. He worked for many years as an editor and reporter for leading TV and radio stations in Germany. He also served for many years as the deputy West Africa correspondent for German public broadcaster ARD. For DW-AKADEMIE he has coached and trained journalists and broadcasting executives from TV and radio stations in Africa, Asia and the Arab world since 1998.
Deprose Muchena
Deprose Muchena is the Deputy Director of the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa ( OSISA) responsible for programs. He provides organisational leadership and technical support on program quality assurance, strategy development, coordination and implementation, program synergy and integration as well as oversight of the learning, monitoring and evaluation functions. He is the co-editor of Tearing Us Apart: Inequalities in Southern Africa (2011) published by OSISA and the Labour Resource Institute of Namibia ( LaRRI); a case study of causes, trends and effects of socio-economic inequalities in five Southern African countries including Zimbabwe and Malawi. He is a graduate of the University of Zimbabwe, holds BA Hons and MA degrees with specialization in economic history and economics and a Diploma in Business Leadership (DBL) from the Zimbabwe Institute of Management.
Joao Jose Miguel
Joao Jose Miguel, known as Veet Vivarta, has thirty years of experience in journalism. He has been editor of the main newspapers in Brasilia and had an important role in the creation of different alternative communication means in the region. He is currently the Executive Secretary of ANDI, ONG (News Agency for Children?s Rights), a position he has held since 1996. The different methodologies developed by ANDI have been replicated by organizations from eleven Brazilian states (ANDI Brazil Network) and thirteen countries in Latin America (ANDI Latin America Network). Established in Brazil in 1993, ANDI is a non-governmental organization engaged in coordinating an innovative media for development initiative. The agency?s strategies are based on promoting and strengthening professional and ethical dialogue among editorial rooms, communications schools, and entities working with sustainable development and human rights agendas ? particularly as they relate to children and adolescents.
Jun Julien Matsushita
Jun Julien Matsushita has been Head of Innovation and Technology since 2010, having originally joined Internews in 2008. He manages ICT strategy and provides high level advice on technology projects and global IT systems. He has technical expertise on systems and network administration, open source web development tools, mobile & telephony platforms, digital security and knowledge management. Prior to joining Internews Europe, Jun worked for more than 8 years as a Technology Consultant in Paris and New York. He is a member of Crisis Camp Paris and the CDAC Online working group. Jun Matsushita has a Masters degree in Fundamental Physics from University Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris VI) and a licence degree in Philosophy. He is a French and Japanese national and speaks English, French and Spanish.
Kåre Melhus
Kåre Melhus (MA in journalism University of Missouri) is associate professor in journalism at Gimlekollen School of Journalism and Communication, Norway since 1999. Before that worked for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. Over a period of 13 years he worked both as a radio reporter, editor and news room manager at both regional, national level and international level. As a reporter on the foreign newsdesk he traveled extensively in Africa covering stories in Rwanda, Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea. He also filed stories from Bosnia, Croatia and Albania in the mid 90s.From 1988 to 93 he lived in Kenya and Zimbabwe working as an information officer for a African NGO. Over the last few years he has been involved in establishing a MA program in journalism at the University of Addis Ababa.
Per Østerlund
Mr. Østerlund is an experienced journalist, media trainer and project manager with more than 20 years in Print, Radio/TV and Public Information. From 1983 to 1998, he worked as a reporterfor the Danish Broadcast Corporation (DR). He specialised in humanitarian issues and political reporting, ranging from local politics to international affairs. As a foreign correspondent and media consultant he has worked in more than 60 different countries. Since 1988, he has designed and implemented media training courses and media development projects in Denmark, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. He has been in charge of all UNESCO media development activities in Indonesia and has been posted two years in Mozambique as the Public Information officer of the NGO Ibis. Since 2001 he has been a partner in Danicom (http://www.danicom.net) – an independent consultant company, which was formerly the media development division of Danish Broadcasting Corporation.. Has a degree in National economics from the University of Copenhagen and diploma in Journalism from danish school of Journalism.
A.S. Panneerselvan
A.S. Panneerselvan is executive director of Panos South Asia which has a presence in five countries and works in three more with the help of local consultants. He is a steering committee member of the Global Forum for Media Development, and an advisory panel member of the Knight International Journalism Fellowship program
adminstered by ICFJ. Panneer, apart from being a regular columinst, is also a journalism teacher being the adjucnt faculty member of the prestigious Asian College of Journalism in Chennai. Panneer holds a Masters degree in Psychology. He was a Reuters Fellow at the University of Oxford in 1998. About his role as executive director, Panneerselvan says: “After the May 1998 nuclear tests at Pokhran in India and Chagai in Pakistan, most observers said South Asia has become one of the most dangerous places to live. Panos South Asia will strive to make the region a peaceful and equitable one.” Panneer is Indian. He has lectured widely in UK and in the United States of America.
Bettina Peters
Bettina Peters is the director of the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD), a membership network launched in 2008 of media assistance organisations from around the globe. At the GFMD Bettina leads the organisation’s activities, for instance, the global mapping of media development and coordinates the GFMD’s efforts to promote recognition of the key role media play in strengthening democratic development. Before joining GFMD in July 2007, Bettina worked as the director of programmes at the European Journalism Centre, where she was in charge of EJC’s programme of media support and journalism training, in particular in the European Union, Middle East/ North Africa and in Eastern Europe. From 1990 until 2002 Bettina worked at the International Federation of Journalists, where she set up the IFJ’s Project Division. She was responsible for the IFJ’s global programme on media development and capacity-building for journalists’ organisations, in particular in Africa and Eurasia. She holds a Masters Degree in political science and journalism from the University of Hamburg and has edited a range of publications, including a global survey of women in journalism for the IFJ, the EJC handbook on Civic Journalism, the EJC handbook on Reporting Different Communities, the IFJ’s Media Diversity handbook and the IFJ handbook on Human Rights Reporting. She was involved in developing the Ethical Journalism Initiative in 2007, which includes promotion of diversity in media houses and media coverage. Her recent publications include the conclusions of “European Media Governance – The Brussels Dimension”, “Future of Journalism and Challenges for Media Development: Are We Exporting a Model that No Longer Works At Home?” and she is the reviewer for Western Europe for Freedom House’s index on Press Freedom in the World. Born in Hamburg, Germany, Bettina now lives with her partner in Belgium.
Marguerite Sullivan
Marguerite H. Sullivan is director of the Center for International Media Assistance at the National Endowment for Democracy. She has done extensive communications training worldwide and wrote “A Responsible Press Office: An Insider’s Guide,” an award-winning book that has been translated into more than two dozen languages. Previously she was executive director of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO and before that served as a vice president of a NED institute. She began her professional career as a journalist, working for newspapers in Boston and California before moving to Washington, D.C., where she was a reporter and columnist for Copley News Service and newspapers. She holds a bachelor degree in history and a master degree in journalism from Stanford University.
Robert Ingram-Smith
Robert Ingram-Smith is the Executive Director, Guardian Foundation at Guardian News & Media, in his previous capacity he served as the Head of International Business Development at Guardian News and served in other capacities at Guardian. Before Guardian he was at Igbinedion University as a Business Development Manager and before that he was the International Business Development Manager at ProQuest in Nigeria.He served as the Executive assistant from July 2000-November 2003 at Imperial College Faculty of Medicine in United Kingdom. He has a Bachelor’s degree in History of art and architecture from the University of Manchester and Master’s degree, history of art and Architecture from the University of Cambridge.
Zoe Titus
Zoe Titus is Acting Regional Director at Media Institute of Southern Africa and Regional Progammes Manager at MISA she was the editor The Weekender at Namibian Newspaper and is graduate of Rhodes University. Titus has served MISA in various capacities since 2001. She developed the organization’s flagship ‘SADC Journalists Under Fire’ campaign which provides a mechanism for direct and immediate practical support to victims of media freedom violations. She has extensive experience in media policy reform, advocacy and strategy development. Information for editors: MISA) is a non-governmental organization with members in 11 of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) countries.
Leon Willems
Leon Willems was appointed Director of Free Press Unlimited in May 2011. Before this, he served as Director of Press Now. In 2008, Willems initiated the Radio Darfur project on behalf of Press Now, in partnership with journalists, NGO’s and peace groups. Since 1 December 2008, Radio Darfur has been realising daily, non-partisan news broadcasts for the people of Darfur. Before joining Press Now, Willems worked for the United Nations, setting up independent radio stations in Southern Sudan. He also served in a variety of positions at the Dutch public broadcaster IKON. Besides working as Director of Free Press Unlimited, Leon Willems is also a member of the steering committee for the Global Forum for Media Development and a board member of Ghetto Radio, a station set up to allow the young residents of the slums of Nairobi, Kenya, to express themselves with dignity.
Herman Wasserman
Professor Herman has a BA (Hons), Hons B.Jounalism, MA and a D.Litt. His primary research interests are media ethics, global journalism and the intersections between journalism and popular culture. He is a former print media journalist, has authored and edited books on tabloid journalism in South Africa, popular media, democracy and development in Africa and global media ethics, and published widely in international journals. He edits the journal Ecquid Novi: African Journalism Studies and serves on the editorial boards of Journal of Mass Media Ethics, Australian Journalism Review, Communicatio and Journal of African Media Studies. He holds an Honorary Senior Lectureship at the University of Sheffield in the UK.Professor Wasserman holds a B2 rating by the National Research Foundation, awarded to researchers who enjoy considerable international recognition by their peers for the high quality and impact of their recent research outputs.Prof Wasserman heads the Research Unit for Media in the Global South (RU MIGS).
Aidan White
Aidan White is the Director, Network for Ethical Journalism, White looks new and innovative ways to support independent journalism and promotion of journalists’ rights. He is an expert with deep understanding of issues related to media policy and journalism standards. He has helped launch major international groups in support of press freedom and journalists’ safety and has initiated programmes of support for journalists including professional training, association and union building and humanitarian support and raising awareness of the dangers facing media and journalists across the world. He is an accomplished speaker, writer, negotiator and presenter with experience in building coalitions and encouraging social dialogue between employers and unions. Went to school in Kings School Peterborough.
Mark Wilson
Mark Wilson is Executive Director of Panos London. He also sits on the Governing Board and the Executive Committee of the worldwide Panos Network, with country offices in over 20 countries. His particular areas of interest are media development, and the role of communication in improving governance and accountability. He is the co-author of At the Heart of Change: the role of communication in sustainable development.He joined Panos London in 2004 after 11 years with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. A former journalist in London and Hong Kong, and Communications Director of the Swiss-based Business Council for Sustainable Development, he specialised in reporting on international politics, economics and business. He is a member of the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House), the International Institute for Strategic Studies; and holds four Masters Degrees in International Politics (University of Edinburgh); Soviet and East European Studies (University of Glasgow); Management (McGill University, Canada); and Journalism (University College Cardiff).
Mark Whitehouse
Mark Whitehouse IREX media development projects have expanded to Africa, Asia, and the Middle East and have increasingly integrated new and social media strategies into media sector development. He has led an increasing emphasis on monitoring and evaluation within IREX media development projects. Since joining IREX in 1997, Whitehouse has managed USAID, US State Department, and privately funded media projects, with a focus on effective and appropriate cooperation between media professionals, citizen journalists,governments, and CSOs. Mark received an MA in Political Science from Emory University, an MA in Russian and East European Studies and a BA in Government from Georgetown University. He was a research fellow at the Russian Academy of Sciences Institute of Ethnology
