The past September school holidays saw Bush Radio host a very successful Media Kidocracy Konfrence (MKK2013) – 22 to 27 September 2013. This was the 13th conference which drew young people from Bontheheuwel to as far away as Germany, participating in various discussions and productions around the theme “the role of media in democracy“.
The conference took place at the beautiful Mizpah Conference Centre in the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve near Grabouw.
Team 1 of the photography group dealt with sexism and sexist stereotypes
Besides plenary sessions which dealt with media literacy, gender and elections, the conference also included visits to various media outlets around Cape Town (radio, television, print and online) and a special “give back to the community” outreach session at Agape 2 – home for disabled and abandoned children. The conference also included lifeskill sessions on active citizenship and substance abuse as well as daily outside broadcasts from Grabouw.
Team 2 of the photography group dealt with nature and pollution
The conference programme closed with what delegates always consider a highlight; the intensive production workshops which this year again included: television, radio, online, print, photography as well as two new productions; t-shirt and poster printing and a stage drama.
A special thanks goes to all the Bush Radio Children’s Radio Education Workshop (CREW) facilitators and volunteers as well as the Bush Radio staff and trainees who provided the logistical support for the conference.
Bush Radio staff checking out “Media on the Move” – the newspaper produced by MKK2013 delegates
A Bush Radio 89.5FM project, the Media Kiodcracy (kid+democracy) conference is taking place from the 22nd – 27th September in Grabouw. MKK is a youth media conference for participants aged 12 – 18 years and provides them with skills and knowledge to produce various forms of media. This year, MKK will produce radio, television, photography, online, drama and art. Two newspapers will also be produced, one before, and one during the conference.
The theme for this year’s conference is “The Role of Media in Democracy”.
The Managing Director of Bush Radio, Brenda Leonard said that “MKK is taking place in a historic year for media in South Africa. Bush Radio is celebrating 20 years since its first illegal broadcast, and 18 years of legal broadcasting. The National Community Radio Forum (NCRF) is also celebrating 20 years of its existence.“
Bush Radio initiated the then Radio Kidocracy Konference, which changed to the Media Kidocracy Konference in 2006. Initially it started as a conference where children could talk about issues and policies in broadcasting affecting them directly, to make their voices heard. With the changing landscape of media in South Africa, we decided to include other forms of media in 2006, and with this, the Media Kidocracy Konference (MKK) was born.
Delegates are expected from community radio stations across South Africa, youth groups and schools, and will include over 90 youth participants.
Today, MKK as an opportunity for youth to reflect their views on the issues on the table, discuss how the media portrays these issues, and then produce the type of media that talks directly to the youth. The skills and information they gain over the five days is part of, not only strengthening their knowledge and skill set, but also strengthening democracy in South Africa.
Partners for this year’s conference are: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), Media Development and Diversity Agency and Whalecoast Monitor
Background on MKK
As part of a growing need for youth participation in the decision-making process and policy formulation around children’s broadcasting, in 2000 Bush Radio initiated a conference. The Kidocracy (Kid-democracy) name was created for the event – to denote a form of society characterised by social equality and acceptance of young people with representation for and by young people.
The Media Kidocracy Konference aims to establish critical awareness and understanding among young people by exposing youth to information and experiences that will enable them to identify issues they feel are relevant, as well as explore their role in media and social issues. MKK also assists participants in devising strategies for addressing social issues by using the media as a tool to help resolve and address these issues.
After intense planning and a busy week the 12th Annual Media Kidocracy Konfrence (MKK2012) came to an end on Friday, the 14th of December 2012.
About 80 youth delegates (aged 12 – 21) drawn from all over the country, SADC and as far away as Northern Ireland attended MKK.
Below are the “products” which showcase how the young people interpreted the various themes outlined for this year. For a large percentage of the delegates this was the first time they had been directly involved in the production of media. A strong element of all the MKK conferences have been linking a practical implementation of ideas generated in the various intensive panel discussions and workshop groups.
This year’s theme was Youth Participation in Democracy, with sub-themes being:
Youth Rights and Civic Participation – Human Rights
On the final day the young delegates (12 – 18 years old) presented their productions in a four hour closing ceremony which included video, online, graffiti and radio presentations.
The closing ceremony also included performances by young Capetonian talent such as Shaz & B, Apple and Cinnamon and Grand Alliance.
The photographers have captured the contrast between the beauty of our natural landscape and the filth that soils it.
The television group challenged us to re-examine our so-called natural ways of being as men and women with respect to violence within the home.
The graffiti group showed through their piece that although we may differ linguistically and/or culturally, we can live in harmony.
The online and radio groups have spread the word that violence is not and never will be an option, be it violence inflicted by others through forced child labour or self-inflicted violence in the form of substance abuse.
Together these products send a resounding message that states that their vision for tomorrow is one in which they wish not to live in fear and is filled with hope.
We would like to thank the following individuals and organizations for their assistance through advice and contributions in making this conference a success:
St Agnes Primary School and in particular the principal Mr. Alfonso Louw and caretaker Mr. Marsh.
Brenda Leonard and Belinda Sepkit from Bush Radio’s admin department who made the lunches
All the production facilitators and content facilitators.
The guest speakers who joined us on the first day of the conference, especially Ms Jennifer Hartnick from the Provincial Parliament whose kind and gentle words set a good tone for the conference.
We would also like to thank our delegates who joined us from as far a-field as Northern Ireland (Public Achievement) and Canada (Canada World Youth).
Bush Radio’s Media Kidocracy Konference (MKK 2009)met for the 10th time today at the St Agnes Primary School in Woodstock.
The station’s unique programme is a platform created to bring young people under one umbrella to discuss issues that affect them and uses media to address these.
Delivering his opening address at the conference, the station’s programme integrator Adrian Louw briefed the delegates and participants about the programme’s history.
“MKK initially started as Radio Kidocracy Konference about ten years ago enabling the youth to gather and discuss issues that affect them within the media landscape,” said Louw.
He highlighted that even though financial constraints were persistent in the work of the programme, emphasised that MKK will take its full course.
He challenged participants to engage in debate around issues that affect them, and to empower themselves with the resources and opportunities at their disposal.
Jennifer Hartnick a former teacher and currently Western Cape Provincial Parliament MP reiterated to the youth that they should make use of the available opportunities.
Western Cape Provincial Parliment's Chaiperson of Education, Sports and Culture, Jennifer Hartnick
“You should count yourselves lucky that today you have great opportunities such as these, we only dreamt of,” Hartnick said.
Giving a soulful address Hartnick, who also chairs the education, sport and cultural affairs committee, said with her experience as teacher, she likes working with children and it’s a point to tackle issues that affect young people in her work.
“During June we do have youth debates in parliament and we would like to have the MKK part of our youth programmes,” added Hartnick.
Veteran participant , Mfundo Dafeti, who has been with the programme for five consecutive years, said his experience has been great and wonderful throughout the years.
“Because of my enjoyment and wonderful work I did in this programme I will definitely be part of it again next year although 2009 is officially my final year,” said Dafeti.
Dave McNamara chief director at the Social Development department said MKK’s theme of “Away from Violence” was relevant, given the high rates of alcohol and substance abuse which is a major contributor to violence in the province.
Not only serious talk got the delegates moving; Cape Town song writer and composer, Chad Saaiman, kept the audience thrilled throughout his performance.
Chad Saaiman getting into the groove at MMK 2009
Some of the topics to be tackled at this year’s meeting include violence and drug abuse amongst others.
The conference will take place from the 14th – 18th of December 2009 at St. Agnes Primary School in Woodstock.
A delegate at the first conference 10 years ago
Youth between the ages of 12 and 18 will get together to explore issues that are pertinent to themselves and their peers as well as use different forms of media to develop a media campaign that will create social awareness.
Topics will include: citizenship, child labour, substance abuse, language and culture, gender-based violence and pollution.
These will be explored through various media such as dance and/or drama, online and/or print, radio, T.V. and photography.
Through these media, they can critically appraise where they are now in life and how their current behaviour will help or hinder them achieve the future they want.
As part of a growing need for youth participation in the decision-making process and policy formulation around children’s broadcasting, Bush Radio initiated a conference which would tackle these issues and also feed into this debate.
The Kidocracy (Kid-democracy) name was created for the event to denote a form of society characterized by social equality and acceptance of young people with representation for and by young people.
The Media Kidocracy Konference aims to establish critical awareness and understandings amongst young people by exposing youth to information and experiences that will enable them to identify issues they feel are relevant as well as explore the role of the media in creating an understanding of the social issue.
MKK also assists participants in devising strategies for addressing the social issues by using the media as a tool to help resolve and address these issues.
Corporates or individulas interested in sponsorship opportunites around the event should contact Brenda Leonard.
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