Presentation on How our Group 2 used the Group Session Discussion on the Topic: “How can some of these tools be used for Election Reporting?
By Alfred Massaquuoi-C
DELIVERY (This was an extemporaneous delivery. Now I write it as manuscript presentation.)
We’re a multimedia organization. So, we shall use the multi-purpose tools in our Newspaper, Radio & Television Newsroom. To effectively report the elections, our reporters must have been trained on how to use efficiently and effectively the ICT tools for Journalism.
The tools we have mastery over are as follows: Podcasting, SMS/ E-mail, Wiki, Satellite phone, Skype, Videoblogging and GIS (Graphic Information Systems [mapping].
Given that we’re allotted six minutes for this presentation, the explanation on the usage of all the tools mentioned cannot be exhaustive. Therefore, I shall comment on Podcasting, videoblogging, the SMS/ E-mail blogging and the Satellite phone.
To begin with, I'll comment on our Editorial Policy! It dictates the creation of two blogs. One blog will be used for podcasting and the other blog will be used for videocasting. The rationale is to avoid the experience we had this afternoon with a slow Internet connectivity. We all know audio and video files take more memory to upload or rather download, don't we? So, having two blogs is advantageous.
With the stage set, our newsroom can take to the political parties’ primaries with ease. Let’s assume that the presidential candidates are on their campaign trail around the country. Say, for example, TAMALE, an aspirant lays his platform, our reporter would have already been dispatched to that constituency, and he would carry out his interview with the use of the mobile phone.
Our reporter records the interview (audio recording: podcast), say, with a presidential candidate. He takes a 2 to 3 minutes video shot (videocast). Upon completion, he ‘blogs’ the audio and the video recordings to our two sisters’ blogs created for that purpose. The information reaches rapidly our newsroom.
Now, we download the audio and video, and distribute the files to our multi-media end products: the newspaper (by transcription), live radio broadcast and telecast. You see, electronic broadcasting is faster than print news. This makes our multimedia news entity the best in news and entertainment – a cutting edge over our competitors.
As regards issues, the press, (our newsroom), will set the agenda before the Elections Day. Our various correspondents will interview the presidential candidates on a broad spectrum of issues concerning the energy crisis, corruption and education reform, physical and mental health matters, employment and the macroeconomic environment.
Again, these interviews are carried live on our radio and television stations through the use of podcasting (skype: telephoning on the Internet) and vediocasting (transmitting simultaneously video snapshots of the candidates and their speeches).
After the Election Day, is of vital importance. Our readers, listeners and viewers would want to get immediate results at the end of the elections. They want to know whether or not the elections were “True and Fair.”
Did the presidential candidates accept the results? What about their supporters too? Were they happy or were they aggrieved when the results were announced in our multimedia? Did the people take to the streets in protestation that the elections were rigged? What are the evidences for their claims? Did the ruling party violently crack down on armless protesters? What were the causalities? Who were the ‘big fish’ rounded up by the government?
Now, what about the national and international elections observers as well as the Electoral Commission? How did they fair? Did they declare the elections “True and Fair” with little or no skirmishes?
Thus, our correspondents, even at the remotest part of the country can accurately and timely feed newsroom with all these issues after the Elections Day. How? The use of the Satellite phone makes on the spot reporting possible – the live coverage of the news will be felt by our electronic recipients.
Now, to conclude, given the time constraint for this presentation, our group 2 strongly believes that using the blogging, podcasting and videocasting tools on Elections Day reporting is advantageous in today’s competitive multimedia society. I thank you.
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