I have a odd obsession: For the past few months, I have been strangely interested in the development and potential of mobile technology in Africa — yes, I’m weird.
So you can understand how excited I was when I heard about the documentary produced by UZI called “Hello Africa.” The documentary was filmed in Zanzibar and looks at the current uses of mobile technology African society and African’s habits in acquiring this technology.
The most interesting aspect of the film was described on their Web site,
For many people, the phone is the main media hub, especially since personal home computers are a very rare commodity here. This is also one reason why the recent development of the mobile phone in lesser developed countries is so interesting, because the PC was once predicted to ”bridge the digital divide” between developed and underdeveloped countries. But the effects of the PC has turned out to be very modest. The widespread use of mobiles is instead considered to have more potential in bridging this divide.
However, the film’s analysis of this complex topic was rather superficial in nature.
The documentary touched on the potential of internet use on mobile devices in Africa but failed to delve deep into it. It also failed to answer one very important question: What’s next? Yes, mobile technology is growing in Africa (Over 30% of African households own at least one mobile device) but the system for obtaining cell phone service is sloppy, unorganized and at times illegal. Yet, many Africans are dependent on their cell phones in the same way Americans are dependent. The documentary does a good job at showing this but little else.
What I’m interested in is how mobile technology can be used to mobilize the African economy, bring employment, and perhaps most importantly (and revolutionary) implement the use of internet mobile technology to connect the continent to the rest of the world.
For all the buzz the doc is getting, I would expect interviews with leaders in the field like Harry Dugmore, Sokari Ekine or countless others to put into perspective everything that was happening in Africa and how it can be connected to the growth of mobile technology elsewhere. Instead, viewers got Africans talking about how much they like their cell phones, which I admit was probably interesting to those who didn’t realize Africans actually do use cell phones.
This post is in response to the March question posed at Tomorrow’s News, Tomorrow’s Journalists. It asks: “We’ve talked plenty about the future. But what traditional skills are we ignoring, or letting slip?What’s the downside of new media?”)
What we’re gaining is obvious: endless new possibilities in story telling, new technologies and new ways to communicate with readers. [Read more...]
Paul Bradshaw, creator of Online Journalism Blog and Senior Lecturer in Online Journalism, Magazines and New Media at Birmingham City University’s (UK) School of Media agreed to partake in a short interview about the status of online journalism. Here’s what he said…
What got you interested in online journalism?
I used to edit Internet Monthly magazine, which meant spending most of my time looking at websites, talking about websites, or trying to find out about websites, and I guess that gave me an understanding of the possibilities of the medium for journalism. [Read more...]
I am in awe of the fact that there has been so much discussion on Time Magazine’s cover story on having micropayments as a solution to saving newspapers. The very notion of the idea shows, not only the some journalist’s lack of creativity when it comes to forging new ventures for revenue, but also their complete disconnect with readers.
Here are my top 10 reasons why Micropayments WILL NOT work:
1. Nothing beats free. Just as surely as some online publications will follow this advice and charge mere pennies for viewing an article, others won’t. I actually think a majority won’t. Why would I read articles on a Web site where I know I have to pay, when I can go to another site where I don’t have to pay at all. [Read more...]
If this list were influential or meaningful, it might be different but nonetheless here are the top 10 people I can’t get enough of, for better or worse:
10. Pete Cashmore - He’s cute. I’m not going to lie, if Pete Cashmore looked like Gary Busey I wouldn’t care as much. Since he doesn’t, I think it’s fair to say that I’m in love. He’s Scottish. He’s got an accent. He’s smart. He owns a business. He’s forward-thinking. He even has a sense of humor. I just can’t get enough of him.
9. Julia Allison – I know people hate her. I understand why they do, too. She can, at times, seem to trivialize this business. “She’s the internet’s Paris Hilton or Britney Spears,” they say. The thing is though, she’s not. Anyone who can make it on the cover of Wired, has respect in my book. Say what you will about her, but I refuse to believe you haven’t stumbled upon her blog and thought, “Ugh! I want her life.” [Read more...]
As the Web Editor of my college newspaper and a blogger with a keen interest in online journalism, Innovation in College Media is a Web site that serves as an invaluable resource to me in my day-to-day life.
However, I’m shocked when I talk to other journalism students who work on their college papers that they don’t know about CICM’s valuable resources.
If I were lucky enough to receive the CICM internship, I would begin a serious outreach effort to encourage college journalists who may are not aware of CICM to take part in their new weekly features.
What features you ask?
One of the first things I would do as an intern would be to ensure that it is possible for interconnectivity to exist between college newspapers, so that information and techniques can be spread about more effectively.
Two ways to accomplish this are through using either Ustream or podcasts (or both, perhaps).
A weekly Ustream could be very useful. It could be a known, recognizable place where interested college journalists could get together to discuss any problems or concerns they might have in running a college newspaper and Web site.
Regular podcasts could be helpful too, as they could be a regular form where accomplished college journalists could be interviewed and their knowledge can be spread to others. The podcasts could even expand to include people from College Publisher or other organizations immediately related to college media.
The work CICM could do on their weekly features and outreach could prove that the future of CICM and college media is absolutely limitless.
I am in awe of the fact that there has been so much discussion on 
As the Web Editor of my 
