Its current members are the Association of Southern African Indexers and Bibliographers (ASAIB), the Professional Editors' Group (PEG), the Professional Journalists' Association (ProJourn), the Southern African Freelancers' Association (SAFREA), the South African Science Journalists' Association and the South African Translators' Institute (SATI).
It hopes the website will facilitate contact with a broad-based industry that creates most of what people read, see or hear through the media, in books and in other forms of formal communication.
While each association retains its autonomy, LAMP alliance partners share resources and leadership is rotated between the different associations, with SASJA currently in that role.
"The quality of practitioners represented through their member organisations was highlighted recently when Mandi Smallhorne, the current President of SASJA was chosen by unanimous vote as the President of the African Federation of Science Journalists (AFSJ)," says spokesperson, Lia Labuschagne, who represents SASJA on LAMP.
"There is a wealth of talent, skill and experience available among the members of our constituent organisations and the Alliance's aim is to share resources and expertise, and coordinate action relating to matters of common interest. On a practical level, we exchange information about workshops and training opportunities and, through LAMP, our member organisations are represented on the South African Book Development Council. The organisations also collaborated on representations to government prior to the passing of the SA Language Practitioners' Council Act, which will have a wide-reaching effect on all LAMP members once it comes into force.
"Media and language practitioners are the interface between ideas and information - whether it is the news of the day or the text for a school book, a research journal, a novel, a website or a host of other mediums - and the public. Our members often work behind the scenes and range from those employed by corporates, universities, research bodies and publishing and broadcast houses to freelancers or people working for consultancies."
The new LAMP website will provide a one-stop information hub about the member organisations, their membership, fees and contact details.
"Our skills range from translation and editing to various kinds of specialised writing, indexing, photography, design and more. Each member body represents an area of specialisation or special interest and our needs are varied. However, collectively our efforts go towards the effective dissemination of those ideas and information. Through LAMP, our organisations present a united front to industry players and the public when representing our members' interests," concludes Labuschagne.
For more information, go to www.lamp.wozaonline.co.za.
