13 February 2009
Prominent media activist Jane Duncan is to take up a post as professor in the Chair of Media and Information Society at Rhodes University.
This five-year contract position is sponsored by the Department of Communications, and operates within the Highway Africa project of the School of Journalism and Media Studies at Rhodes.
“We welcome this appointment as a prelude to developing significant knowledge about the interface of the media and Information Society,” said Professor Guy Berger, head of the School.
Duncan is well-known and respected as the executive director of the Freedom of Expression Institute. She has three post-graduate degrees, and has written widely on media policy and media freedom issues.
In making the move to her new job, Duncan will focus on research and information dissemination about the Information Society.
Her duties will include responsibility, from 2010 onwards, for Highway Africa’s annual conference which has become the world’s largest annual gathering of African journalists. Marking its 13th anniversary this year, the event is a partnership with the SABC, and in 2008 it attracted 735 participants from 40 countries on the continent.
This year’s conference will remain the responsibility of Highway Africa director Chris Kabwato, but the appointment of the new professor will also help free him up to put more focus on new media training, the Highway Africa news agency and journalism projects in his native country, Zimbabwe.
“During 2009, the new appointment will help us take Highway Africa research to new heights, as well as inject specialist expertise into our Masters-level programmes,” said Berger.
Commenting on the position, Duncan said: “I am excited about my new role, as it should allow me to translate much of the work I have already been involved in at the FXI into teaching, research and conferencing, and even deepen the work.
“We need strong public interest advocates on information society issues, and I believe that this position at Rhodes provides an excellent opportunity to make such a contribution.”
The DoC has sponsored this Chair in line with South Africa’s commitments to advancing the Information Society made at the 2002 United Nations World Summit on the Information Society.
For more information, contact:
Prof Guy Berger, Head of School, 082 801 1405 G.Berger@ru.ac.za
Chris Kabwato, Director of Highway Africa. 082 582 09534, C. Kabwato@ru.ac.za
Prof Jane Duncan, incoming Chair of Media and Information Society, 082 786 3600, jduncan@fxi.org.za