New Agencies Pivotal of Democracy, Poverty Alleviation and Citizens’ Empowerment
18-08-2003 ()
A UNESCO workshop on strategies for the diversification of news agencies in Southern African countries ended last Friday in Lusaka, Zambia, with the participants underlining the importance of news agencies and their work in the areas of in democracy, poverty alleviation strategies, HIV/Aids awareness creation and empowerment.
The participants coming from news agencies of Angola, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland, South Africa, Zimbabwe and the host country Zambia emphasized the importance of national news agencies to seek other income generating activities in order to better fulfill their responsibilities. They agreed that the introduction of a managerial (business) culture in news agencies demonstrates an understanding of importance of better management of public financial resources.
The participants also recognized the important role of UNESCO in promoting worldwide the mission of news agencies and requested the Organization to support Member States in their efforts to revitalize the activities of the news collection and dissemination institutions.
Mutale Nalumango, Minister of Information and Broadcasting of the Republic of Zambia, officially opened the workshop on 11 August 2003. She emphasized that access to information is a prerequisite for economic development, effective poverty reduction and the preservation of world peace. Minister Nalumango added that news Agencies in Southern Africa have an important role to play in providing citizens with the necessary information in order to assist them in making informed choices about their political participation or economic development.
Specifically the participants agreed to work with their governments to ensure that ownership of News Agencies is shared between the public- and private sectors. They also agreed to work to diversify their services priority be given to new activities such as provision of photo-services, video news production and radio services; specialized services to governments; diplomatic mission; commercialization of archives, corporate communication services; as well as partnerships with tourism institutions such as, for example, Ministries, the National Tourism Board or Information Bureaus.
The participants also agreed to network in order to jointly organize training activities; exchange dispatches and to raise professional standards with the news agencies.
The full text of the plan of action as well as the report of the workshop will be published very soon on WebWorld.
The participants also recognized the important role of UNESCO in promoting worldwide the mission of news agencies and requested the Organization to support Member States in their efforts to revitalize the activities of the news collection and dissemination institutions.
Mutale Nalumango, Minister of Information and Broadcasting of the Republic of Zambia, officially opened the workshop on 11 August 2003. She emphasized that access to information is a prerequisite for economic development, effective poverty reduction and the preservation of world peace. Minister Nalumango added that news Agencies in Southern Africa have an important role to play in providing citizens with the necessary information in order to assist them in making informed choices about their political participation or economic development.
Specifically the participants agreed to work with their governments to ensure that ownership of News Agencies is shared between the public- and private sectors. They also agreed to work to diversify their services priority be given to new activities such as provision of photo-services, video news production and radio services; specialized services to governments; diplomatic mission; commercialization of archives, corporate communication services; as well as partnerships with tourism institutions such as, for example, Ministries, the National Tourism Board or Information Bureaus.
The participants also agreed to network in order to jointly organize training activities; exchange dispatches and to raise professional standards with the news agencies.
The full text of the plan of action as well as the report of the workshop will be published very soon on WebWorld.
Related themes/countries
· Public Service Broadcasting: News Archives 2003
· Zambia: News Archives
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Contact
- Gervasio Gabriel Kaliwo, UNESCO Communication Adviser for Communication and Information to Southern African Countries
- UNESCO
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