KENYA MEDIA WEEK 2019 – Media Focus On Africa

CALL FOR REFLECTIVE ESSAYS

In this second edition of Kenya Media Week, we are seeking Kenyan innovative ideas for the Kenyan digital media space. The theme for the 2019 Kenya Media Week is: Expanding Digital Spaces for Journalism.

The main question is whether non-profit digital news platforms are the alternative for in depth, authoritative, and investigative coverage of matters of great public interest in Kenya?

Our call for Reflective Essays is an opportunity for journalists, researchers, academics and other professionals with experience and interest in journalism to explore: the emerging innovations, professional identities and ideologies on the digital space for journalism.

Your essay can focus on one of the three areas namely:

– Digital innovations for journalism

– Emerging professions in digital media and

– Ideologies propagated in the digital space

The essay format

A reflective essay is an analytical piece based on the experience(s) of the writer or of other people observed by the writer. The piece should have illustrations, but it should move beyond examples/anecdotes of experiences to also include perspective and context. The latter include a sense of what those experiences mean in relation to the subject being written about by using facts and opinions from other credible sources.

The Essay should aim to give:

– Illustration (through personal/other examples);

– Context (the political/economic/social climate in which the issue is taking place;

– Perspective (what the experiences given and the issue under discussion mean to the writer).

Each reflective piece should be between 2,500- 3,000 words long, and can be written with the format of introduction, body, and conclusion. The piece may be written in first-person or otherwise, but should not be too informal in tone and style as it will end up as a written record of the issue under discussion. Accepted reflective papers will be presented during the Kenya Media Week 2019, with presenters focusing on the context and perspective in their presentations.

In each category every winner will receive a token of appreciation

These essays will be presented during the Kenya Media Week to be held on November 2019

Essays to be sent to: kenyamediaweek@gmail.com

Submission deadline: September 23th 2019

WELCOME TO KENYA MEDIA WEEK 2019

NEW VOICES, EXPANDING SPACES, FUNDING POSSIBILITIES

#MEDIAMATTERSKE #KENYAMEDIAWEEK2019

Welcome to the second edition of the Kenya Media Week.

Media Focus on Africa, Mobile Journalism Africa and the National Endowment for Democracy are delighted to bring to you this years’ edition of the Kenya Media Week conference. We continue to explore current and emerging trends in digital innovations for journalism. The conference is keen to hear from new voices in journalism. Our intention is to foster collaborations that could promote public interest journalism through digital platforms.

THE CHALLENGE

We are seeking solutions to improving and promoting public interest journalism and especially investigative journalism.The main question is: whether non-profit digital news platforms are the alternative for in depth, authoritative, and investigative coverage of matters of great public interest in Kenya?

THEMATIC AREAS

During the three days, our conversations will explore the following:

– Day 1: Digital innovations for journalism

– Day 2: Emerging professions in digital media and

– Day 3: Ideologies propagated in the digital space

ENGAGE

This conference is a safe space for journalists and media practitioners to debate and critique current models for the media in order to innovate for the future of journalism.This conference has a robust social media coverage plan. Join us on #MediaMattersKE #KenyaMediaWeek2019. Follow us on Twitter @Media_Focus and on Facebook @MediaFocusonAfrica. Let’s Tweet our way to a free press!

CONNECT

We are coming to the end of the year, a perfect time to meet your colleagues in the media, make new contacts and get ground breaking ideas to implement next year.Learn. Get inspired. Go out and make a difference in your media organization. Join us from November 20th to 22nd.We hope you will enjoy the experience. Let’s work together in supporting journalism and a free press!

THE 2018 ANNUAL KENYA MEDIA WEEK LAUNCHED

CONCLUSIONS OF THE KENYA MEDIA WEEK 2018

Television, Radio and newspaper media have been urged to stick to its ethics of verification, in depth analysis and fact checking in order to preserve the truth in journalism and countering fake news. Additionally, the media has been urged be creative in order to boost its survival by investing in research to fuel innovation. That was the conclusion at the Kenya Media Week held last week at the Kenya Cultural Centre, Nairobi.

“Rather than rushing to publish a story. Check the facts and gather data before publishing. Data journalism, fact checking and investigative journalism are taking shape as journalists and media combat fake news,” said Judy Bisem, researcher, MSci. Project Management, Jomo Kenyatta Univeristy of Agriculture and Technology.

WORK ACROSS MEDIA

During the event, there was also a call for journalists to exploit the opportunity presented by the current competition caused by friction between mainstream media and the robust growth of social media. An opportunity to work together across the media.

“We do more work when we (the media industry) collaborate as opposed to all of us trying to do our own thing. The current and new generation of journalists, have gained on the benefits of greater collaboration to make quality news content,” Dr. Wambui Wamuyu, lecturer, Daystar University.

There were more calls for the mainstream media to ensure news reporting remains for the public good and accessible to all.

“Media is an important tool of democracy but they might not be aware of the power they possess in enlightening the people. Media needs to understand its role in promoting democracy,” Jessica Musila, Executive Director, Mzalendo.

“Instead of setting the agenda, media is now following the government’s agenda,” said Julia Wanjiku, journalist, KBC radio.

OVER 160 MEDIA EXPERTS ATTENDED THE KENYA MEDIA WEEK

The inaugural conference which brought together over 160 media experts; journalists, media researchers, journalism students and interested parties for three days of debate and discussions is expected to be an annual event to keep abreast and prompt innovation in the media sector.

“I have learnt so much about fake news especially the solution being simple, verification. Additionally, the government hasn’t given so much space to media. It doesn’t provide information and facts to the media, “ said Leyian Wallace Mootiun, KBC Radio journalist.

“Kenya Media Week is quite an initiative. The selection of topics attracted the participants. The kind of questions and structure of the conference is exactly what the media is currently facing and talking about. I have learnt so much from the participants and my fellow panelists,” said Anthony Makokha, Digital Media Editor, Nation Media group digital.

“I have been following the conversation online for the last two days before coming here today. It has been very intriguing. I hope we can continue the conversation and not let it end here, but use the ideas and solutions discussed can be really used to improve our sector. I strongly believe that this interaction between experienced journalists and new/upcoming journalists will shape the future of the media,” said Emmanuel Yegon, founder, Mobile Journalism Africa.

The organizers of Kenya Media Week, Media Focus on Africa in partnership with National Endowment for Democracy and experts in the media, have confidence in the value of bringing together media research and industry experts to move the media sector forward.

“We are going to do a publication of all the research papers presented and feedback received over these couple of days,” said Simon Gicia, Communications Officer, Media Focus on Kenya.