GRACE _ B.o.Y (Blessing of Yahweh)

How The Internet is changing the face of journalism

The internet can be described as the fastest way to disseminate information now. With the advent of internet, a lot of things have changed. Gone were the days, when one has to wait for a longer time to get information or send information. I can sit in my house, or anywhere, get a story and lease it to my media house. For example, with social Medias like twitter, Facebook, and blogging, I can do a story and let other people know. In other words, internet has made the compression of time and space very possible.

Another factor is also that new organizations don't own the news anymore. There is a transformation for the journalist from being the gatekeeper of information to sharing it in a public space. Therefore citizen journalism is something that the internet has brought. For example, here in Ghana, TV3 has given the public a chance to make their own news. So I can make or write the news in my locale and send it to them via the internet.

The only thing I can say is that when it comes to objectivity, then the internet raises a lot of questions. Objectivity has always been an idea important for the news. It is designed to deliver journalism that people can trust. But in the new media age transparency is what delivers trust. News today still has to be accurate and fair, but it is as important for the readers, listeners and viewers to see how the news is produced, where the information comes from, and how it works. The emergence of news is as important, as the delivering of the news itself.

Journalism now has been given a new branding. The Internet makes organizing groups trivially simple. A mass e-mail, a facebook group, or an online petition can be created in seconds and at essentially no cost. Collaboration on any significant scale used to require the power of institutions and organizations. Now they require only a good idea and the right tools.

With the Internet, retailers don’t need newspapers to connect with their customers; they can set up their own Web sites and mailing lists. I can start a blog and post leaked documents to my hearts’ content.

Deciding what combination of news was the most important for the public to know. Traditionally, that’s been a job for newspaper editors, the ones who decide what makes Page One and what gets cut for space. But space isn’t a limited resource anymore; there’s no shortage of electrons. Instead of trusting the local paper’s brain trust to judge what’s important, any Internet user can get their news through the filter of their choice—a favorite blogger, the machine-generated Google News, or the Most E-Mailed list on some news site. Or they can find news about the near-infinite number of subjects.

Blogging sites also represent a step forward in Journalism. As mentioned earlier on, one can find any information on a blog or post information on blogs depending on varied topics. Gone were the days one need to look through a lot of books or journals on a host of topics. Blogging helps now with a lot of findings because people post their opinions for other people who will be interested to follow.

I Promise NOT to Promise (Part 1)

The election season is here in Ghana once again. One cannot begrudge the hopefulness of everyone standing for election to public office. Even the bloke who is very much aware that members of his own family wouldn't vote for him if even he was the sole candidate is brimming with hope that he will be given the nod.

I have always wondered - once I attained such capacity - why politicians would do everything and anything to get elected; in fact why it becomes a do or die affair to serve the people. Woe anyone who stands in in their way towards attainment of such "noble aspirations".

Noble Aspiration? Indeed. I believe public service is a noble aspiration which we must cultivate. However, selfishness appears to be the drive of most of the people who seek public office today. Why not? We see the tremendous change that comes upon those who occupy such positions; from the lavish homes to the high-end vehicles they would hitherto not have bothered to read the prices off of magazines. Who no dey love better chop?

Promises are a regular part of campaigning. Politicians would promise reincarnating your mother if that you would get you to vote for them. The mischief is that most politicians who make these promises have no intention of keeping them or do not properly think through their promises before pronouncing them.

The presidential candidates of almost all the political parties in Ghana have recently made some promises, some major, some minor. Some of the major promises made by the NPP presidential candidate, Nana Akuffo Addo, include 1 village in the North 1 dam, 1 district 1 factory, creation of a new region carved out from the Western Region. The president and candidate of the NDC wouldn't be outdone; he came out with the promise to increase the number of regions to 15, build more community day schools, 1 student 1 tablet, etc.

Of course the crowd goes wild upon hearing such promises. But people who have observed the political history of promises in Ghana would tell you that the bigger the promise, the more likely that the candidate making the promise has no intention of keeping it. The primary reason for this is that they make such promises as a counter to other promises made by their opponents and so do not properly think through the implications of their promises within the context of prevailing capacity and resources.

My Critique of some promises I find Unnecessary

Mind you, I think very little is impossible. Now with that out of the way what are some of the promises which I think are unnecessary or achievable within any four year tenure of a president.

1. One District, One factory:

I personally believe this is possible but unnecessary. First and foremost, the promisor has not defined what type of factories he is thinking about only that "every district has a dominant industry". But factories by themselves are nothing if they are not assured of regular market and raw material. Again, if we intend being relevant to modern trends, government has no business setting up factories. I would rather that government create an enabling environment for the private sector to thrive. At least our history as a country has taught us that much. It is unnecessary because of the simple law of diminishing returns.

To be continues.....

The Masters have Spoken

I just can not get this thought out of my mind, try as I may. I believe I've lived in a delusion, studied a delusion and become so immersed in a delusion that my life (and millions others) has become an illusion.

Is it true that I am free, as an AFRICAN youth, to decide which way of life I want to live (influenced only by the tradition and culture I was born in)? I've, all along, thought this to be the case until recent events have culminated in one final conclusion...AS AN AFRICAN, I AM STILL A SLAVE TO THE DICTATES OF SOME WHITE FOREIGNERS.

Are you shocked? Trust me, I was likewise shocked when I arrived at this conclusion. I've always celebrated the independence anniversary of my motherland with such fervent zeal and pride. Unknown to me, all that I celebrated was the anniversary of CHANGES IN MODE OF FOREIGN RULE; what was done directly, is now done indirectly, using my own people as tools of oppression. I blame no one but my own people for allowing this sad state of affairs to go on till now.

I heard on BBC radio this morning that the UK government had decided to deal with REBELS ( The rebel transition movement) of Libya and thus sacked all diplomats who were stationed there during the time of Gadhafi. The same initiative has been carried out by the French and American governments. Till date, the has been no stance from AU countries and the UN. When did the word REBEL ever signify the locus of a justified moral mandate to rule?

One thing which a lot of people have failed to take notice of is the fact that the guns which US, France, Uk and other NATO forces have brought into Libya will stay long after Gadhafi is dead and gone. Now it has been made clear by these SAVIOURS of the world..."if you feel that you are oppressed, it is perfectly OK to pick a gun and fight to be heard; just make sure you gain the sympathetic ear of enemies of your oppressor". A typical case of "the enemy of my enemy is my Buddy". Why...is Libya now a UN,US, FRENCH or NATO protectorate and no more Sovereign? Where lies the say of the Libyan people? Is this democratic?

Why do I think my own people have contributed to this sad state of affairs? United States of America (which consists of 51 states/countries, if you will) have made it a point to stress their unity as opposed to their diversity and thus become self-sufficient. You might argue that they have become a federation so it is logical. What about the European Union (27 countries)? Each maintains its sovereignty but each must meet its assigned quota while contributing to one another's maintenance so as to bring balance to the union. The AU has 54 countries and surpasses any other Union in natural resources yet we can't even feed our people, take active part in geopolitics nor become self-sustaining as a unit. When something happens on this continent, the AU is the last to react after the individual and collective countries of both the East and especially the West have already analysed, seen what they stand to gain from the present chaos and long since acted to satisfy their parochial interests.

If we are indeed free to determine our destinies as African States, then we had better live within our means, manage our resources better, breed patriotic citizens, and ultimately harness national leaders who are not greedy or allow their selfishness to be used as a snare to entrap the people they are sworn to protect.

If indeed we are free, we should not draw up budgets which have to be supported by foreign donations (donations which are used as baits to trap us). Development is a process and cannot be done in a single day or in a single presidential term. Leaders need to do the best they can with the limited resources at their disposal and opposition leaders need to lend concrete alternatives to present issues, but not to make it a habit to continually take opposing views to what is apparently a good course of action without providing better alternatives. Heads of states should play by the rules of the game, rules they knew way before they decided to engage in the game of politics. If a leader's term is over, it is OVER. Let another also manage the problem of the state.

If indeed we are free, why do ambassadors from western countries seem to hold more power on our leaders than the people who put them in power? Can any country within Africa fly a fighter jet into an EU or allied country experiencing rebel/terrorist attacks just because it can?

We, as Africans, are still under the command of foreign masters who have used all manner of means to keep us under check and servitude.

The masters have spoken on the Libyan crisis and chosen a leader for them just like in the colonial days. We await to see if other african leaders will follow the dictates of their colonial masters.

LIBYA

I think I got to express my opinion in relation to libya. I will do this by mere questions. Here we go:

What is the reaal issue at stake right now in Libya?

Where are the so called African Union Leaders?

What is their take on the issue in Libya?

Are the security council, NATO, and the so called allied forces oblivious of what is happening in Ivory Coast?

Can African countries form an aliance to invade any country in Europe and the States?

I am not judging anyone but just asking questions and the answers to these I believe will be your opinion as well.

If I manage to find out the answers to these my next questions will give me a clue.

Issues in Libya? They are people's opinions. As it is said, opinions are like noses and people have their unique ones.