Reporting diversity, migration and development
In August 2009, frayintermedia facilitated training workshops for reporters in Gauteng, Limpopo and Zambia, to improve coverage of diversity, migration and development.
South Africa’s social and economic landscape has changed dramatically since the first democratic election in 1994. As townships have become primary destinations for migrants from around the country and abroad, we have seen how quickly and devastatingly frustrations and anger can be re-channelled from service-delivery protests into anti-foreigner, anti-outsider killing sprees.
The present climate of global economic crisis, which has already led to thousands of job losses, may lend itself to further exploitation of the prevailing animosities for cheap political and economic gain.
Anti-outsider sentiment is not restricted to South Africa, but is pertinent in other countries across the region, particularly in border areas with an influx of labour migrants from collapsed economies such as Zimbabwe.
To promote development, human rights, and security for all those residing in South Africa and neighbouring countries, it is crucial to enhance thoughtful and reasoned reporting on migration issues and policies in the country’s media.
frayintermedia, the International Organization for Migration, the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa, the Wits Forced Migration Studies Programme and Media Monitoring Africa conducted a series of pilot training workshops on “Covering Diversity, Migration and Development” in Johannesburg, Polokwane and Lusaka.
The three-day workshops were organised and facilitated by frayintermedia, a leading training provider with a strong focus on media ethics and ample experience in the promotion of quality journalism through training and critical dialogue.
The workshops, conducted by experienced practitioners:
- Assisted the media to understand the different categories of migrants, the various aspects of migration, and the rights and responsibilities of migrants;
- Promoted responsible and factual reporting about migrants and migration, through proper investigation;
- Strived to reduce the prejudices and stereotypes that are fostered by media reporting that tends to refer to all migrants as ”illegal immigrants”; and
- Provided journalists with skills and knowledge.
Training in Polokwane, Limpopo, on August 11-13 was targeted at regional and community media, and included a field trip to a migration project on the South African-Zimbabwean border near Musina, which focuses on migrants’ and traders’ HIV care and prevention.
The workshop in Gauteng from August 18-20 targeted mainstream and community media, and provided an opportunity to interact with residents and migrants during a field trip to Alexandra, a potentially volatile township on the outskirts of Johannesburg.
The workshop in Lusaka, Zambia, on August 25-27 offered Zambian journalists an opportunity to visit the IOM Migrant Support Centre in the Zambia-Zimbabwe border town of Chirundu, where the presence of informal traders – mainly Zimbabwean – has raised tensions.
Click here for a draft programme for the workshops.
All participants were expected to produce one model story for publication or broadcast at the end of the workshop. Journalists receive post-workshop individual mentoring for a month to ensure that learning is sustained. All participants will be issued with certificates of attendance and completion.
