Summit to develop kids' media policy

According to the organisers, the summit aims to develop a comprehensive children's media policy framework that seeks to build sustainable solutions for high quality content produced for young minds, whom many believe are the pride and future of Africa.

The 5WSMC is organised by the Children and Broadcasting Foundation for Africa, in partnership with the SABC, ICASA, the Department of Communications and with the support of Telkom and the MDDA.

Speaking to the audience at the launch on Thursday, 18 January 2007, Yvonne Kgame, SABC GM for Content Hub, emphasised the involvement of the media in general and the public broadcaster in particular in this historical event.

Role of media

"The power and the role of media in shaping the mind of a child are critical for sustainable development. The SABC has found imperative not only to implement policy but to be an active player in informing and shaping the media policy, especially for children's content," Kgame said.

"Sometimes the media must ensure that children speak for themselves and do things for themselves, and that adults need to listen to," she added.

But this summit will take place against the backdrop of what many observers say are South Africa's unacceptable levels of violence and different forms of abuse against children, which despite various campaigns, do not show signs of abating.

Help transform

However, key international partners with a focus on media and sport development from countries such as Switzerland, Germany and the US who attended the media launch, were adamant that exchanging ideas and experiences will definitely help transform communities for the better.

"Learning from each other will definitely help turn things around," said Robert Ruoff, GM of Basel-Karlsruhe Forum, a Switzerland-based organisation.

"We need not only to bridge Sandton and Alex, but South Africa and the world as well and bring it into touch with positive changes happening in other parts of the developed world," Ruoff added.

1000 estimated delegates

An estimated 1000 local and international media professionals, government and NGOs working in the area of quality media for children, and 300 children from various countries around the world (aged between 13 and 16 years) are expected to attend the event that will provide them with the opportunity in all areas of media development, production and distribution.

Furthermore, the organisers said that the impoverished township of Alexandra has been nominated as a twin venue for Sandton with the aim of bridging the world of the rich and the poor through sport. Sport as a Peace Builder is one of the sub-themes of the 5WSMC, which includes workshops and master-classes for young sport journalists in the run-up to 2010.

"Experts will run master classes in animation, TV, radio production and new media. Pre-summit activities will commence in February throughout the nine regions which include animation training, radio and TV production, digital narratives, mobile phones to be showcased at the summit," SABC's Kgame detailed.

"This venture is within the framework of the two important events, the 5WSMC where this project kicks off, and is a buildup to the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup," she concluded.