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Journalists
in Zambia launch country's first breaking news site The Watchdog
Journalism.co.uk reports that despite lacking essential equipment
and funding, a group of journalists in Zambia has launched
the country's first breaking news website.
Aimed at both
residents and expats, The Watchdog <http://www.zambianwatchdog.com/> is
staffed by three journalists, who currently report for, produce
and fund the site.
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The site's primary aim is to cover news on a
24-hour basis – a rare objective in Zambia, its editor
Lloyd Himaambo told Journalism.co.uk.
Newspapers in the country 'just upload content from hard copies',
while other online news sites do not source their own content
reverting to 'stale news', said Himaambo.
"
Newspapers in Zambia are expensive and distribution sometimes
is poor, so people may get the news late, but those who are connected
to the internet can access the Watchdog free and get news fast."The
group has created and maintained the site for the two weeks since
launch, despite a lack of proper equipment.
To overcome poor internet connectivity in the country, Watchdog
staff have frequently been forced to relocate from their office
to use computers at the Media Institute of Southern Africa <http://www.misazambia.org.zm/> .
"
The biggest challenge we have in fully realising this dream is
lack of proper equipment and unreliable internet connectivity," said
Himaambo.
"
We do not have laptops which could allow reporters to directly
key-in stories from the field, but [instead] they are required
to come back to the office (...) so this usually delays publishing
breaking news. We also would love to have pictures for every
story we run, but our current budget does not allow us to acquire
digital cameras."
<http://www.journalism.co.uk/banmanager/adclick.php?n=aebec2fe> The
site's 'current budget' is supplied by its journalists, who self-fund
the site without taking any income for themselves. Himaambo said
he hopes to introduce advertisers and use the revenue from this
to improve equipment and boost training in online journalism
for staff.
"
Not all our members of staff are fully conversant with online
journalism and its gadgets but we are not in a position to fully
equip them with such skills. We only run them through the very
basics and hope they learn by practice. It can be frustrating
at times."
To complement its online efforts, a print edition specialising
in investigative journalism has also been created to run and
content will only be repeated on both platforms 'in rare circumstances'.
The site also has plans to partner local radio stations in Zambia,
which would broadcast news from the website, to reach non-internet
users in areas of low internet penetration.
"
Zambia is divided into nine administrative provinces and each
province has at least two community radio stations. These radio
stations are usually run by volunteers and are located in rural
areas where they have no access to breaking news in the capital
city, where all major policy decisions are made. These stations
luckily are connected to the internet," explained Himaambo.
"
Under the partnerships (...) the entire country will be covered
and benefit from the Watchdog."
It doesn't stop there: the organisation is also targeting mobile
operators to bring breaking news content to Zambian mobiles,
said Himaambo: "The aim for the site is that it should be
a one-stop news source for Zambia."
Rashweat Mukundu
Programme Specialist: Media Freedom Monitoring
MISA Regional Secretariat
21 Johann Albrecht Street
Private Bag 13386
Windhoek, Namibia
Tel: + 264 61 232 975
Fax:+264 61 248016
Mobile: 00 264 813 675 362
E mail rashweat@misa.org, misaalerts@gmail.com
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