Everybody’s got something to say. But sometimes they’re just not sure how – or where – to say it. Soon, with the launch of the new Grocott’s Mail Citizen Journalism Newsroom, this will change for the better for citizens of Grahamstown.
Everybody’s got something to say. But sometimes they’re just not sure how – or where – to say it. Soon, with the launch of the new Grocott’s Mail Citizen Journalism Newsroom, this will change for the better for citizens of Grahamstown.
Citizen journalism is a relatively new and unstructured phenomenon – especially in South Africa – and the Grocott’s Mail Citizen Journalism Newsroom is intended to signal that Grocott’s Mail wants to join hands with citizens to best tell the many stories of Grahamstown.
The newsroom will open on 9 September and is a space where anyone can come in and use one of 10 computers to type out stories or opinions, transfer photographs from their cameras or cellphones, and upload this content to Grocott’s Mail Online (www.grocotts.co.za). Contributions will also be considered for publication in a regular Citizen Journalism section in the print edition of Grocott’s Mail.
What makes this facility different to an ordinary internet café is that there will be facilitators on hand at all times whose job it will be to assist members of the public with turning their observations and opinions into published contributions.
For example, if you take a photo on your cellphone of something you feel that other Grahamstown citizens would be interested in, you can walk into the Citizen Journalism Newsroom and immediately type out a few words describing what’s happening in the photo. You can then transfer the photo to a computer by plugging your phone/camera into the available data cables or card-readers. Our facilitators will offer assistance if you need it and once you’re happy with your words and photos, you can login to Grocott’s Mail Online and almost immediately have your contribution published (after it’s been moderated).
The newsroom is also being used to conduct training courses so that the citizens of Grahamstown are suitably equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary for producing their own content. Basic computer literacy, the fundamentals of journalism and photography skills are all covered. Currently, a six-week course is being run for 40 learners from township schools and this course will be repeated in October/November for other members of the Grahamstown community, sourced from a variety of constituencies. More details coming soon!
We are excited about the potential that the Grocott’s Mail Citizen Journalism Newsroom holds for encouraging and empowering all citizens of Grahamstown to more actively create and engage in public debates and discussions about important issues in their lives. Essentially, this facility is intended to foster a keener sense of community awareness, involvement and, hopefully, pride.
Keep an eye on Grocott’s Mail for more details about the Citizen Journalism Newsroom and its hours of operation.
