Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape will in September host the eighth annual Highway Africa three-day conference — the largest annual gathering of the continent’s media professionals.
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) policy makers, journalists, academics and students will debate new media possibilities in Africa.
Rhodes University, South Africa’s Department of Communications, Telkom and the South African Broadcasting Corporation are hosting the conference, which is entitled: Media making the information society.
Speakers include Ministers of Communications Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri and her Senegalese counterpart Mohamed Diop, Sentech CEO Sebiletso Mokone-Matabane, Transtel CEO Karl Socikwa, SABC Group CE Peter Matlare, media development activist Lynne Wanyeki Muthoni, Highway Africa conference director Chris Kabwato and others.
This conference is expected to see over 300 delegates applying theoretical concepts on ICTs to practical scenarios through a number of hands on workshops, which will engage participants on various topics.
Some of the parallel events to coincide with Highway Africa include the council meetings of the South African National Editors Forum, the Southern African Editors Forum, and the African Editors Forum, in addition to a meeting of Fair — an investigative journalists’ organisation.
Over 20 journalists will work in a simulated newsroom during the three-day event. By the time the conference gets underway, on September 16, the journalists would have completed ICT-related training workshops sponsored by training centres in Mozambique.
The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) will award journalists and media institutions that are promoting journalism and contributing to a better understanding of the information society on the continent.
ECA will also launch its study on media and ICT, titled, The African Media and ICT4D; Documentary Evidence. This study provides evidence and analysis on the lack of ICT awareness among the public and journalists.
“The enticing assortment of evening entertainment will give delegates a chance to network as they enjoy Grahamstown’s finest entertainment acts in the company of like-minded individuals,” Kabwato said. ‒ I-Net Bridge