MTN supports biggest gathering of journalists

In support of the advancement of journalism and media in Africa, MTN is again sponsoring 15 journalists from across the company's footprint to attend the annual Highway Africa Conference, to be held at Rhodes University, in Grahamstown, South Africa, from 1-2 September 2013.

The Highway Africa Conference was introduced 17 years ago, and this is the 12th year of MTN's partnership with Rhodes University.

The event brings together hundreds of journalists, editors and other media stakeholders from across the continent. Over the years, the event has grown from 65 delegates when it launched, to attracting over 600 media professionals this year.

Themed: 'Speaking truth to power? Media, Politics and Society', this year's conference seeks to discuss issues around dominant trends in the relationship of the media, politics and society, the theoretical assumptions that underpin modern media's role in society and vis-`a-vis power and accountability strategies and structures of the media to society and political authority.

"MTN believes that the media is an important stakeholder in society, and therefore supports interventions that promote the advancement of journalism on our continent," says Rich Mkhondo, Executive for MTN Group Corporate Affairs.

In addition to its support of the conference, through its operating companies, MTN is sponsoring journalists from countries such as Sudan, Nigeria, Swaziland and Uganda, to attend the event.

Chris Kabwato, the Director of Highway Africa, says this year's conference will be a kaleidoscope of events, including keynote addresses by influential media personalities and role players, training workshops for media professionals, as well as book launches and networking dinners for delegates.

"It is a special conference because for once, as journalists, we are looking at ourselves critically and asking questions about ethics in the way we conduct journalism. We are also looking at how technology, especially mobile and the Internet, are changing the way we gather and distribute news. We would like to share knowledge on how we can do better journalism in a fast-changing environment," Kabwato adds.