PHOTO: Google News Vice President, Richard Gingras, Keynote Speaker
The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) has selected 300 Journalists in West Africa for its maiden West Africa Journalism Innovation Conference (WAJIC) in Abuja, Nigeria, on July 24-26.
One of those selected from Liberia is Public Trust Media Group (PTMG) Media Development Partner, George Stewart, whose work has impacted several Liberian media institutions and practitioners. In the interest of Liberian media sustainability, not only has George lectured at training events, but he has also written several articles favoring Independent Journalism. One of his flagship articles published in the dailies and online is “Poor Media Economy V.S. Independent Reporting in Liberia”.
CJID says, it “will convene the largest body of journalists, media professionals, the academic community, policymakers, government institutions, and other relevant stakeholders across West Africa to discuss the state of accountability journalism in West Africa and how innovation is impacting its evolution, values and principles”.
The organizers published on the CJID website: wajic.thecjid.org that the institution received 700 applicants but streamed line to 300 drawn from West African nations.
The CJID has also published over 20 speakers including Richard Gingras, the Vice President of News at Google. Gingras is expected to serve as Keynote Speaker at the conference.
According to the Center, the conference will “feature workshops, expert panels, and explore media innovations and technological tools that can fortify journalism practice in the African region. Organizers say the conference will also “foster networking opportunities and collaboration that can improve accountability journalism in ways that meet the yearnings of democracy and development in the interest of Africa.”
It is not yet known how many Liberian journalists are expected to attend the Abuja conference. But the conference could attempt to address some of the daunting challenges confronting independent reporting in Liberia and other West African nations still not covered by Google monetization policy.
With the emergence of New Media, the traditional media business model in Liberia is failing by the day. Hard copy circulation and advertisement have been poorly performing since the COVID-19 health crisis. Perhaps, networking within the West African Region among the media community could advance the overall media survival and vibrancy in Liberia and the rest of West Africa.
Other enlisted topics of interest to the conference include: Journalism Education, Investigative Reporting for Democratic Accountability, Driving Accountability, and Data Journalism, among others.
Media development practitioners and institutions fear that a poor media economy may continuously minimize the function of the media in a democratic space like Liberia. Currently, the country has significant media licenses in the hands of politicians who use media outlets for propaganda and the spread of hate messages. Independent media outlets strive to survive as government remains the biggest advertiser in Liberia.