A new kind of facility

Competition in the 21st century means that economic pressures on the media will continue to grow. Even in comparatively media-scarce Africa, the scenario is that a media outlet will simply not succeed doing business in the' old way', certainly not as a stand-alone entity with old technology and old markets.

In particular, according to media analyst, Kerry Northrup, the future is one where "newsrooms will work across multiple, integrated media not lots of individual, uncoordinated, unlinked newsproducts as is typical today, but rather with a news story composed of a multiplicity of elements distributed through many channels." The point is that newsrooms in the information age need to be information-based, rather than product-based. This thinking needs to be considered by African media houses as they get to grips with global trends and digital possibilities.

At present, separation and narrow-focus is the status quo in much African media. This reinforces a digital divide mentality between different platforms, between elite- and mass- based media, and between nations. The effect is that many media enterprises are not able to take advantage of new thinking and new technological systems like "digital asset management" within the framework of media convergence.

The requirement, then, is for media leaders who understand how to navigate the complexities, and extract the huge benefits, of new systems, spaces, technologies and opportunities. A custom-designed Africa Media Matrix, informed by these considerations, makes possible a range of teaching and research opportunities that are currently not available anywhere on the continent.

The infrastructure of the Africa Media Matrix embodies maximum intelligence, as well as state-of-the-art environmental and ergonomic considerations that utilize natural light and heat. The structure is people-friendly, and its character accord with the campus and Africa aesthetics. There is adequate space for administration, equipment storage and technical maintenance

Besides boosting the degrees offered at Rhodes journalism, the Africa Media Matrix will concentrate on powerful programs, projects and themes.

That this initiative is located in Africa ought not to mean that a second-rate facility would be adequate. On the contrary, precisely because of the conditions on the continent, the best possible configuration is needed. Thus, the Africa Media Matrix is one of the most advanced journalism teaching facilities in the world, constituting a state-of-the-art resource that is targeted at programs appropriate to the continent’s condition and which demonstrates the systems and skills to improve these conditions.

The Africa Media Matrix will be a source of pride for professional journalists across the continent. It will be a critical cog in the initiatives to make this the African Century. It will be a symbol of hope and of an enduring commitment to the role of media in the continent’s revival.