Academics and journalists from various African countries will come together in Grahamstown this week to discuss ethical issues in health journalism.
Delegates will be joined by an internationally renowned media ethics scholar, Professor Clifford G Christians, from the University of Illinois and Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and fellow of the Kettering Foundation, David Holwerk.
The symposium, hosted by The Discovery Centre for Health Journalism and The Research Unit for Media in the Global South at the Rhodes University School of Journalism and Media Studies (JMS), will run from 16 – 18 June 2011 with the title ‘Ethical reporting of health issues in Africa: exploring civic awareness with journalism practitioners and educators’.
The symposium will bring together African journalism educators and practitioners to discuss ethical reporting on health issues in Africa, with a focus on public health. Through this, the symposium is hoping to contribute to the formation of a greater pan-African network, which will work towards improving health journalism education, training and practice on the continent.
Professor Herman Wasserman, Deputy Head of The Rhodes University School of Journalism and Media Studies, said, “For journalism to have credibility and earn citizens' trust, it has to take ethics seriously.”
“The field of health journalism raises complex questions about journalists' responsibility towards the subjects they report on and to society at large. With this symposium we are bringing together journalism practitioners and academics to discuss journalism ethics and civic engagement from their various perspectives. We look forward to a stimulating and robust debate," he added.
The symposium is supported by Discovery, Idasa and the Open Society Foundations.
Photo by Sophie Smith
For more information contact:
Professor Herman Wasserman, Deputy Head: School of Journalism and Media Studies, Rhodes University, h.wasserman@ru.ac.za; 046 6037141.
Professor Harry Dugmore, Director of the Discovery Centre for Health Journalism, h.dugmore@ru.ac.za, 046 6037136.
Topics of discussion click here
Information about the hosts click here