Ghana: National ICT Seminar for Working Journalists

1st National ICT Seminar for Working Journalists in Ghana

Journalists and media organizations have a critical and leading role in informing and educating the public. Furthermore, they are
instrumental in raising issues and setting agenda for our society. In our new information and knowledge society, Journalists and
media organizations can assume a very important role of facilitating the widespread use of Information and Communications tools for
the society to be in tune with developments in the area of technology.

To ensure that ICTs assume prominence in the mass media, the Ghana Institute of Information Technology (GIIT) www.giit.org in association
with International Institute of ICT Journalism, www.penplusbytes.org with support from the Ghana Journalists Association is organizing first
National Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) seminar for Journalists working in Ghana. This landmark event will take place on
18th July 2002 at Busy Internet www.busyinternet.com to be attended by 60 selected members of the Ghana Journalists Association.

The programme running throughout the day will equip participants with practical skills by taking them through the following key
areas: Introduction to ICT Journalism; Modern trends in Automating a Radio Station and Modern trends in Automating a Print media.
In order to help Journalist specialize and develop capacity in delivery of ICTs Content, the seminar includes a segment on Producing
and Presenting ICTs on TV and Radio (Doing ICT for TV & Radio). For the print media, a session will be devoted to how to write,
edit and produce ICTs content in the print media (Doing ICT for print). Furthermore, the participants will be taken through a
step-by-step methodology of covering ICT issues accurately in the media with a focus on ICT in business and finance.

The seminar will also provide a practical introduction to the use of ICT as research tool for journalism plus a session on Hands on
training on the use of the Internet as a powerful tool.

Top experts in the area of ICT Journalism drawn from Ghana will serve as presenters at ICTs Seminar for Journalists, sharing their
experience and knowledge in this exciting new and growing field of ICT journalism.

Mrs Gifty Afenyi-Dadzie, President of the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) who was is very elated about this first national ICTs
seminar for Journalist said ”we are very excited about this important seminar for our members, because it has come at a time that
our association is urgently working hard to equip Journalists in Ghana with ICTs skills as part of our on going professional training
and education programmes”.

Kwami Ahiabenu,II, President of International Institute of ICT Journalism was very emphatic in describing the outcome of the seminar
when he said “We believe that participants attending this seminar will go back to the news room with skills they need to cope with
challenges of the new Information Society”