Blogging, blogging, is this really necessary? So on top of all the monies that I have spent here already, I must now pester my parents for an unbudgeted for pair of reading glasses, because I will be staring at an LCD screen the whole day, when will this year end”
Ok so it was only when I started waking up to the idea of this new age of journalism that I realised that whether I like it or not, journalism is absolutely not what it used to be. In fact it is not what it was on February the 23rd when we were tasked with our first assignment and at no major stretch it is not what it was when I started typing this article. As I thought, global media as it is termed now is breaking boundaries which traditional forms of media, as advance as they have become over the years, have not been able to break. I, me, myself, am able to jump onto this moving train and navigate its course, an achievement which would have otherwise taken me a few coffee errands and paper cuts to achieve.
The thought of my learner colleagues and I swimming as the little fish that we are, in this sea of new experiences, where knowledge is in abundance and the prospects of being able to share that knowledge with the rest of the world, is exciting. Online journalism and in particular, blogging in its fullest sense can be seen as a means of communication that most journalists yearn for.
As Journalists, we aim to be informed, by immersing ourselves into society and by reading widely and translating what we have read into narratives that inform the lives of those societies. Global media is the foundation for this.
I become stuck between a rock and a hard place when I am excited by seeing my own work come alive on the blog that I have created. And still when I commute myself to my Mdantsane home I am confronted by the very people that these blog posts are meant to represent, but because they are marginalised,they will never see it. It is however unfortunate that this form of journalism as exciting as it is, seems to be elitist, in that it is exclusive of the very people that we define ourselves to be representing. This all makes me wonder whether traditional forms of media and in particular print(which at the moment is said to be dying slowly but surely) will be surpassed by the new age media? It made me question my reasons for being a journalist, which is to inform those that are not informed and whether or not I can still do this with this new media
These facts, and the fact that I have now exceeded my 250 word count that is indicative of a suitable blog post , forced me to seek help in answering some of the questions that I need answers to. As my 50% blog lecturer says, "Good journalism is achieved in doing"
Diligent ne? (Oops sorry I forget that this group of first years missed out on the Xhosa course, ne means right.)
I spoke to journos from Tv, Radio, print as well as student journos
People interviwed:
Unathi Nkayi (METRO FM)
Gill Rennie (RHODES LECTURER)
Lumko Jimlongo (SABC NEWS)
Sibongile Mkani (DAILY DISPATCH)
Sinethemba Makhasi (City Press)
Monique Senekal (RHODES TUTOR PGdip)
Kaitlin Britz (Bjorn 1st year and INKSLINGERS101)
Olwethu Xabanisa (WSU STUDENT and Eastern Cape today)
Xolani Kondile (RHODES 2ND YEAR BJOURN)
Questions:
Titles: WHAT IS JOURN IN A 6 WORD NARRATIVE
1.WHY DID YOU GET INTO JOURNALSIM
2.WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE IDEAS THAT PRINT IS DYING AND THE FACT
THAT ALL THESE OTHER MEDIA SOURCES THAT ARE DOMINATING THE INDUSTRY
NOW, ARE MORE AFFLEUNT THAN PRINT BUT STILL DO NOT INFILTRATE TO THE
MARGINALISED?
3.WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF AS A JOURNO IN THE FUTURE?
4.What do you think of the inclusion of a Xhosa course to Journalism and media studies course at Rhodes?
3 comments:
absouletly loved the article has taught me a thing or to actully ne! lol. It is inspiring as a journ student to see that some people take their work seriously. Had fun reading.
Thank you anonomus was just taking powerful advice and practising what I am learning, interesting to find out what people think, has the power to change the path of my thoughts as well. Enjoyed writing.
This is great work Avy. You've certainly made an impression in the JMS school. As a member of the Xhosa JMS working team this 50% lecturer is particularly grateful that you've taken the debate further.
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