See you there!

Right now we have almost 230 followers, and we’ve only been around for about a month. I consider it a great source of information about events, media news and story sources – as well as trying to get into touch with people (for some Twitter is the new e-mail). But I’m still struggling to convince a few others about the usefulness of the profile. I never really liked the idea of Twitter when it first came into being, and I do sometimes think it’s a venting platform for people to voice the most inane thoughts, but I think that like most things on the Internet, if you use it judiciously, it has wonderful advantages.

I get a lot of my reading material from the lists I maintain on my personal Twitter site (@jaxbischof) and the lists we have on @Journ_SA help us keep tabs on news from the media industry in Southern Africa. My boss considers it an added burden on him because he has such limited time, but I think that for its news curating value alone it is useful. Following people on particular events, or around particular themes and hashtags is also a fantastic way of keeping up with things. I’m hoping if he (an entrenched news journo with a long history in print and broadcast media) gives it a go he might become hooked…that truly would be an achievement for digital media!

I managed to find a great free design on WordPress (yay for free blogging platforms!) and have had fun filling it with content … not so much chasing down people to submit content! I’m also getting more and more into the potential of Twitter and have started using it more frequently to send out notices and info for jocoza (@Journ_SA) and now for the conference (@PowerReporting). The accounts have different purposes, which makes tweeting interesting. Jocoza’s Twitter feed is more about the latest news and analysis pieces on the site, awards and opportunities and information sharing and gathering, while Power Reporting is obviously tied to the event and the tweets are more really more light in content and fleeting. It changes the way you tweet as well as the general flow of information shared, depending on the goal of the account.

It’s been quite a bit of fun and the next project will be doing something similar for the Wits Justice Project … this will also have a unique twist on it because it is a reporting project with long-term assignments that will need updates. There’s a lot of potential for multimedia in the assignments (audio slideshows, videos etc) and it should be interesting getting that content.

Why aren’t there more hours in the day?!

A surprising tale from the Daily Sun

I had to pick up a copy of the Daily Sun when I saw the headline “Leave our Somalis Alone!” in the June 29 issue. The story describes the ordeal of a few Somali shopkeepers who were harassed by a group of teenagers in the community of Makhaza in the Western Cape. The community has decided to take a stand against xenophobia and after a meeting, ordered the boys to apologise for their poor behaviour and to leave the shopkeepers alone.

The Daily Sun is South Africa’s largest daily newspaper and is aimed at the black working class. A tabloid that sells for R2,30 ($0.30), around 300 000 copies are circulated amongst 2-million readers every day. The paper highlights sensational stories in local communities: Grandmothers argue over boyfriend! Sangoma ordered to return tortoises! Some of the stories are quite bizarre, but they are also interspersed with short stories on missing children, local charities and the efforts – or controversies – of community leaders and politicians.

The story describes the xenophobic attacks as "disappointing"

I found this story particularly interesting because it’s not at all what I would’ve expected from the Daily Sun – and the last time I picked up a copy was in June 2008, so I’m a bit out of date. It highlights a small community’s decidedly anti-xenophobic stance on Page 1, at a time of renewed fear that xenophobic attacks might spike after the World Cup ends. In 2008, violent attacks against foreigners reached a frenetic high when a number of riots, apparently motivated by xenophobia, left 62 people dead. It did appear that some of the attacks were opportunistic, as 21 of those killed were South African citizens.

In 2008, the Daily Sun was criticised for irresponsible reporting during the violence, and for failing to provide neutral coverage of the attacks. The Media Monitoring Project laid a complaint against the paper for its use of the word  “aliens” to describe foreigners. Towards the end of 2008, the Daily Sun published a statement saying it would desist from using the word “aliens” but it did not apologise for the reporting.

The concern is that after the World Cup ends and the number of labour and construction jobs decrease, unemployed South Africans who are desperate for jobs and resources will once again target their frustration at foreigners who are more than willing to take on jobs that are at or below the minimum wage. South Africans fought so hard for the end of apartheid, for the chance to have access to the formal economy and to jobs with fair pay and benefits, that their anger is really at an ineffectual government that has failed to deliver substantially on jobs, housing and basic resources.

Other stories from the day's paper

Having the Daily Sun report on stories that discourage xenophobia is a great thing and will hopefully have an impact on readers. As for the next few months, hopefully we have moved forward since 2008 and will prove fears of attacks to be unfounded, as we have with so many reports of excessive crime and disaster over the last six weeks!

x–x

German Community in Jo’burg Delights in Team’s Performance

Some pics from the day:

German fans celebrate their team's 4-0 win over Argentina

A little boy peeks over a foosball table (the regular man's football pitch during the WC, they're scattered all over malls and centres in Johannesburg) in "The Trailer Park" installation at the Goethe Institute

A faux-seaside setting with pimped out trailers provides an innovative setting for the public to watch the football

Sadly I’ll miss the next major exhibition by the Institute, “X Homes,” which will have 14 international and local artists guiding participants through houses in Kliptown and Hillbrow, exposing them at 8-minute intervals to performances pieces or works of art. The aim of the exhibition is to counter the perception of the area as places of high crime; to expose people to the more positive aspects of the area, such as the four star hotel in Kliptown.

I'm not sure I want to know where those feathers are from ...

Let it never be said that Americans do not take their sports seriously. Even soccer! The fans supporting the U.S. team in Pretoria on June 23 were passionate, intense, involved throughout the game and incredibly excited about the win. Sadly, some were also rude, drunk, fond of cursing and eager to spray beer over the crowd when the U.S. scored a goal in the 91st minute.

It was fantastic to be at the game but I had mixed feelings about the crowd. I’m not a fan of crowds to begin with, and even less of a fan of people using a sporting event as an excuse to get rowdy and forget all the rules of civilized behavior. But this is the World Cup, and of course people are going to get insanely excited during games, so it’s tough to criticize. Prior to the game I went with an American journo to check out a gathering of U.S. fans at a local restaurant in Pretoria. It was quite early in the afternoon and the crowd was drinking quite a bit and hanging their arms around each other, singing golden-oldies with the lyrics changed for the occasion – as one tends to do before games. However some of the fans seemed to have lost their sense of personal space – I got slightly knocked about in the crowd – and they seemed very fond of inserting expletives into their songs, ruining the effects in my mind!

My friend explained to me that a small portion of the fan base likes to use the matches as an excuse to get a bit out of control, and often support for the U.S. team provides a good reason to express extreme patriotism and national pride in a way that Americans haven’t really been able to in the last ten years overseas. But the majority of the fan base are proud, polite and ardent supporters of the team, while a minority are an American version of British soccer hooligans!

All that being said, U.S. v. Algeria was the only game I attended when I was actually in the crowd, with the fans, so this post could probably apply to almost any team.

I really hope the U.S.  improves its game and advances – and that their nicer fan base is there to support them all the way.

And in other news, happily, another post for The New York Times Goal blog! South Africans Vow to Continue Celebration

The spirit is everywhere, especially on the roads!

Squirreled away in the media centre in Eldorado Park, I haven’t really been able to experience much of the excitement around the 2010 FIFA World Cup directly, but even from a distance the excitement is infectious. Today is the opening ceremony and match between South Africa and Mexico and I woke up to the sounds of vuvuzelas at around 6am this morning. On the way to Soccer City I passed fans with meticulously decorated cars and wide smiles on their faces  making their way to the game – five hours early!

Bafana Bafana’s last public appearance was on Wednesday, June 9 when they waved from an open bus as it made its slow way from their hotel  through excited crowds in Sandton. On the outskirts of the parade route, across the road from Sandton City, a crowd gets into the spirit.

Later that evening, a crowd gathered in upmarket Nelson Mandela Square to catch a glimpse of Shakira at the Sony tent, where, together with Freshlyground, she launched a music video for the official tournament anthem, Waka Waka in 3D. Video appears at the end of this post. Seeing the Square, usually frequented by the exclusive upper class set, filled with fans from across the world blaring vuvuzelas and packed tightly together in a celebration of the moment, was fantastic.

It’s almost impossible – even for the staunchest skeptics and cynics – not to be swayed by the cheering crowds and enthusiastic fans. It is so great to see a smile on people’s faces, to see them excited about something and united in celebration. Yes, it’s temporary – a fleeting moment of joy. But it’s something, it’s a great memory, and I do believe it will sustain us for some time.

View of Soccer City from International Broadcasting Centre entrance

My photographs or videos don’t do all this justice of course, but this collection of photographs in the Boston Globe captures a lot of the emotion surrounding this event. Be sure to also follow the Reuters World Cup live blog for frequent news and sports updates. And for a touch of humour, read this open letter to foreign journalists by Peter Davies. He laments the fact that many journos will not be exploring much of South Africa due to security concerns. His recommendation: “Bottomline. Get out there and breathe in great lusty lungfuls of this amazing nation. Tuck into our world-class food and wines. Disprove the adage that white men can’t dance at our throbbing, vibrant night-clubs. Learn to say hello in all eleven official languages. Watch at least one game in a township.”

But if you’re going to dance – probably wise to leave the Shakira moves at home!

Quote of the week:

The project takes young kids on nature trips, providing them with a temporary escape from their troubled circumstances.  Learn more about the project on their website, Beyond Expectations, and watch the kids experience the not-for-sissies hike up Table Mountain in a film produced by Butterfly Films. They have a number of other fantastic short films worth watching.

I would never want to be on this site: MediaFail collects user-submitted suggestions of wide-ranging failures by the press, and was cited by The New York Times media blog, Media Decoder as allowing users to “give a virtual thumbs-up (or in this case, thumbs-down) to external articles and videos. Users can add links to articles and leave comments, but most just vote.” The site is run by Washington D.C.-based activist group Free Press.

MediaFail builds on the popularity of the hugely entertaining “Fail” blog, which illustrates embarrassing mishaps with photographs, basing judgements on a seemingly vauge yet commonly understood understanding of the “epic fail”.

What we’re hoping won’t be an epic fail: U.K-based South African writer Bec Davis writes about the fearful task of defending South Africa to a group of rowdy, machete-fearing football fans contemplating whether they should journey to the country for the World Cup. “Turns out the famously shy-and-retiring wickle flowers who follow the England team around the world yelling ‘Oggy Oggy Oggy’ and bashing other fans’ heads in with beer bottles were feeling a wickle scared about braving the dark continent. Bless ‘em,” writes Davis.

Some members of the U.K. press have developed a habit of creating outlandish and sensational stories about South Africa and South Africans despise it. Read no further than this piece about a “earthquake” that could take place during the tournament – perhaps even during an English game? – by the Daily Star. “WORLD CUP SOUTH AFRICA 2010: QUAKE FEARS” – Caps and all – elicited some less than kind comments. “I just had a disgusting thought….You get PAID to write this drivel,” wrote one commenter. “PLEASE STOP THIS DOOS!!” which might not have meant a lot to Dan Sales.

Speaking of the media: My latest article on media ethics was recently published on Southern Africa media site, journalism.co.za. In the article I talk about how difficult it can be to concentrate online when you are being pulled in so many directions. Here’s another article on the topic from the Times Online: Have we forgotten how to concentrate?

A final note on the media: My boss, Dean Wright, recently served on the judging panel of the Breaking Borders Awards, sponsored by Google and Global Voices and supported by Thomson Reuters. The winners were announced at the Global Voices summit in Santiago, Chile at the beginning of May. They were outstanding candidates for the three categories: technology, policy and advocacy. They all displayed incredible committement to the fight for freedom of expression online, and of harnessing the power of the Internet to support freedom of information.  More on the winner’s from Dean’s blog:

In the advocacy category, for “an activist or group that has used online tools to promote free expression or encourage political change,” the winner is the Zimbabwean online community Kubatana.net. Kubatana uses the Internet, email, SMS, blogs and print materials to disseminate information to the public and is a valuable resource for information on the country. Its website hosts debate, publishes official government and legislative rulings and has an extensive archive of human rights and civil reports.

The judges were impressed with the way Kubatana uses a mix of high-tech and low-tech to distribute information in and outside of Zimbabwe. Using internet and mobile technology, their e-mail and SMS alerts and website unite several hundred organizations.

The technology category, for an individual or group “that has created an important tool that enables free expression and expands access to information”, was won by BOSCO-Uganda, an organization based in Uganda and in the United States that started with the aim of establishing communication between displaced persons camps in northern Uganda, using a solar powered, long-range wireless computer network. The organization’s goal is to further provide information and communication technology solutions, such as web training and online collaboration, to enable peace building in rural communities in northern Uganda.

We were greatly impressed by the organization’s smart use of available technology, adapted to local conditions. This ingenious use of technology has allowed a significant engagement with the global community and has expanded access to information for people on the margins. BOSCO-Uganda was a true example of the potential the web has to create new and empowering forms of expression and communication.

The policy category, given to a “policy maker, government official or NGO leader who has made a notable contribution in the field,” was won by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, a non-profit media agency that has sought to promote values of investigative reporting in fostering good governance, freedom of expression and the right to information. Since its start in 1989, PCIJ has fearlessly reported on issues of corruption and malfeasance in government.

In a nation where journalism can be a dangerous profession, PCIJ provides much needed support–in funding, training and maintaining information databases. It is useful both for journalists in the Philippines and for Western journalists who need a view of the complicated information society there.

I’m back in South Africa for the World Cup and it is hectic! Hopefully I can put up some pics of daily travels and the warm South African winter sun. Cheers for now, Jax

A feature on women’s soccer in South Africa for Women’s eNews:

South Africa’s Women Soccer Readies for Fall Games

And an opinion piece on the level of digital media participation by people in developing countries with limited Internet access or expensive bandwidth, kindly hosted by my boss, Dean Wright, at his Reuters.com blog Full Disclosure.

Local takes on a global media revolution

It’s been a year since I graduated from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism – it’s sad to me how fast time goes, but my spirits are lifted by the truly incredible work of this year’s graduates, including this touching multimedia project on cochlear implants for young deaf or hard-of-hearing children.

Some of my favourite digital media pieces for the week include Poynter’s fantastic graphic on “200 Moments that Transformed Journalism, 2000-2009.” Read more about the development of the graphic here.

More soon, those are my fast bytes for the week!

Jax