US Embassy trains Cameroonian journalists in Limbe

US Embassy drills Cameroonian journalists on ICT tools

 

The US Embassy in collaboration with the Cameroon Association of English Speaking Journalists CAMASEJ have updated the skills on the use of ICT tools in online journalism of some 25 journalists drawn from various media outlets in Limbe, Bamenda, Buea and Kumba. This took place during a two day workshop at the Holiday Inn Resort in Limbe from August 6 to 7, 2014.
This Seminar had as resource persons, Corey Takahashi, a seasoned journalist with international experience and professor at the Syracuse University in the US. There was equally Timothy Lewis, Information Officer at the US Embassy in Yaounde.
Opening the workshop, Timothy Lewis, Information Officer at the US Embassy in Yaounde said “traditional media such as radio, television and the printing press has been significantly impacted with the arrival of new ICTs.” The power of ICT on journalism he said should not be under estimated. ICT will change the general journalism attitude as it provides a unique opportunity for democratic engagement he said adding that the US Embassy believes in empowering the ICT skills to enhance their performance. This Le4wis said would hopefully push Cameroonian journalists into the new generation of journalists capable of embracing all working conditions.”Cameroon’s media outlets are gradually integrating such tools into their operations and this trend will continue.” he continued.

Timothy Lewis addressing participants at the opening of the workshop

Prof. Corey Takahashi, the main facilitator at the workshop said the internet provides a platform for, traditional ,modern,big and small media outlets and individuals to put their message to a worldwide audience. He further said despite the fact that internet speed and accessibility still constitute problems in Cameroon,change is going to come sooner than expected because technology usually gets cheaper with time and not the other way round.

Explaining that the internet is an instant platform that presents journalists and bloggers with a global audience,he said it made it made journalism not to be restricted by borders. Certain qualities such as its cheap nature with the availability of so many social medias like twitter, Facebook, blogger, YouTube and WordPress amongst others provide great flexibility in the dissemination of information.

Professor Corey Takahashi demonstrating the use of certain ICT tools to participants

The aim of the workshop Prof Corey Takahashi said was to equip journalist with skills and training that will help them remain competitive in a changing landscape and relevant to the growing networked audience.
Among other things, the participants sharpened their skills on the powers of digital story telling in text, audio, video and apps forms, forms of information distribution and audience engagement, best practices from digital media companies, and various ways of low cost digital production as well as the use of some ICT tools like the Google glass, cameras and mobile phones.

 

Limbe-US Seminar Participants

The Limbe workshop came in the wake of a similar workshop organised in Douala for the purpose of updating journalists from Douala and other parts of the country.

By Francis Ekongang Nzante Lenjo

 

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