Highway Africa Conference Underway

By: Bismarck Nii Ogbamey Tetteh
THIS YEAR’S Highway Africa Conference 2009, a training programme for media personnel who will cover the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, began yesterday at Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa, on the theme: “Reporting Africa – 2010, Development and Democracy.”
The programme, sponsored jointly by MTN Africa, South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), several partners as well as development agencies, is being attended by media personnel from all parts of the continent.
The three day event, an annual one, opened at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, and was graced by personalities such as Dr. Saleem Badat, Vice Chancellor of Rhodes University, that country’s Minister of Communications, representatives from SABC; Telkom and Mathatha Tsedu, a seasoned anchor.
The conference is aimed at both celebrating and interrogating journalists and the media for their role in sports, their identity and also how these promote the African agenda.
Although the main focus of the conference would be on sports there will be key sessions on development and democracy and how African media has reported on crisis.