When citizens become journalists

The annual gathering of journalists in Africa also know as Highway Africa is taking place in Grahamstown, South Africa. This year's theme comes in to address citizen journalists. Professor Guy Berger put it nicely that it's about time citizens acquired capacity to report on key issues affecting them. That is when you empower a citizen, you are building social capital, what you out in is what you get?

To me that is exactly what I see in this year's theme, "Citizen Journalism: Journalism for Citizens." Actually, it just occured to me that all citizens are journalists. You just have to make them believe that they can write and share their experiences. What is being stressed in this conference is that be it journalists or just ordinary citizens, all that is needed is thoroughness, accuracy, fairness, independence and transperancy in the way they do their reporting.

As we approach the end of the conference, journalists are being trained in the use of digital media ro enhance their reporting skills. Hopefully, we get to see more stories and happenings being reported on in Africa.