Journalists challenged to speak the truth
Staff Reporter In Grahamstown, South Africa
Professor Herman Wasserman, deputy head of the School of Journalism and Media Studies at Rhodes University, has urged journalists to speak the truth.
He said in doing so the journalists hold the society and policy makers accountable to their actions, hence making Africa a better place for everyone to effectively play their rightful role in developing the continent.
Wasserman said this yesterday in Grahamstown in South Africa at the opening of this year’s two-day Highway Africa Conference.
The conference is being held under the theme ‘Speaking truth to power media, politics and accountability’ and drew journalists, media academicians and keynote speakers from various countries in Africa and overseas.
“The media can only keep the powerful accountable if the media itself is accountable,” said Wasserman.
On his part, Dr Sizwe Mabizela, the deputy vice-chancellor of the university, said the conference would accord participants a chance to reflect on the role of the media and reposition it, to doing greater good if the African philosophy of
“You are because I am and I am because you are can be achieved.”
A keynote speaker, Gitobu Imanyara, a Kenyan lawyer and legislator, lamented why after 50 years of independence people in Africa still rely on international media such as BBC, CNN, Aljazeera and recently CCTV of China to hear about Africa.
