The world talks back
- 4 May 06, 03:04 PM
Today has been a very different conference to the event hosted by the 成人快手 on Wednesday. Part of this is because of the different venue.
Mostly it is because we are hearing from voices from Asia, the sub-continent, the Middle East and Africa. It contrasts to yesterday when it was mostly the head honchos from big media speaking.
The message coming through is that the media around the world is maturing and reporting on its backyard on its own terms.
Wilfred Kiboro of the in Kenya didn't mince his words.
"International media outlets do a great disservice to Africa by stereotyping Africa," he said. "We are not in the stone age."
His words were echoed by Matthew Buckland, the publisher of the in South Africa. He berated the international media for focusing on stories of doom and gloom out of Africa.
"Africa is tremendously complex, there is a tremendous amount of innovation and hope," he said.
, on a live link-up from Nairobi summed up her role as providing an alternative.
One of the factors that is levelling the playing field is technology. As I mentioned in previous posts, we are taking here about something as simple as a mobile phone. And with blogging, anyone can become their own publisher, as Okolloh has done.
From what we've heard today, you can't escape a feeling that the international media will need to change and reflect the voices coming from around the globe.
Kiboro summed it up: "Africa has a platform to tell its own stories in its own ways and that is a great equaliser."
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