Digital media, freedom of the press & the youth

Harnessing the power of digital media — “There have been developments in the citizen media forum, which are posing real competition to traditional media”. How can publishers harness these challenges to be successful in the future media environment?

Reporters should be watchdogs not lapdogs. Ensuring press freedom in Africa requires conviction from journalists. This was the theme of the Annual Press Freedom Round Table at the 14th World Editors Forum in Cape Town. Several experts sat on the panel to discuss obstacles to press freedom, as well as initiatives to support press freedom on the continent. However, there was agreement that free media systems require journalists to fight for the enforcement of press freedom.

Generation Y(outh), Generation Y(outh), where art thou? How to engage the youth and younger generations in newspaper reading. This subject is of particular importance in terms of democracy-building and responsible citizenship in the future. As one of the panel members reminded the audience – a decline in youth readership is equal to general readership decline. It was also emphasized that one third of the world’s population are “youth” (under the age of 25).

MESSAGE FROM NELSON MANDELA TO WAN. Nelson Mandela, who turns 89 next month, sent this message to the world’s press, meeting in Cape Town, South Africa…