The 14th Media Kidocracy kicks off #MKK2014

This year the 14th Media Kidocracy (kid+democracy) Konfrence which runs from th 6th to the 10th October 2014, is taking place in a historic year for media in South Africa. Bush Radio is celebrating 21 years since its first illegal broadcast, and 19 years of legal broadcasting. The National Community Radio Forum (NCRF) is also celebrating 21 years of existence, Bush Radio played a pivotal role in the establishment of the NCRF.

As South Africans, we are celebrating 20 years of democracy, as a country we are slowly emerging from a violent apartheid past to a nation celebrating its freedom.

The theme for MKK2014 is “Celebrating 20 years of democracy: learning from the past and celebrating the future.”

One of the foundations of this democracy we have built is freedom of expression.

This right allows everyone, including youth, to express themselves, whether this is verbally, artistically, scientifically or in any other way. However, this right does not come without responsibilities and we need to look at how we use our hard fought for freedom.

Freedom of expression is entrenched in the Media Kidocracy Konfrence as it allows participants to express the issues they raise through their media productions.

Bush Radio would like to thank the support of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FESmediaAfrica), the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA), the Children’s Movement, and Whale Coast FM.

* Several of Bush Radio’s programmes will be broadcasting live from the event, these are: The Breakfast Rush (6-9am), The Morning Cruise (9am – 12pm), Sakhisizwe (12 – 2pm) and Everyday People (4 – 7pm).

** MKK2014 takes places at Wortelgat situated on the blanks of the Kleinriver estuary so besides the intensive media programme and discussion sessions participants will also enjoy the picturesque fynbos as well as archery, abseiling, and hiking.

Check out previous MKK posts – CLICK HERE

MKK2013: Raising our voices – taking control of the media

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.

Click here for the radio programme: “The Role of Media in elections and democracy”

 

Some of the MKK2013 t-shirts and posters on display

Bush Radio would like to thank the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Media Africa (FES Media – Africa) for their invaluable support to be able to run the conference as well as the Whale Coast Media Monitor – John Matthews and team, Independent Elections Commission Western Cape (IEC WC) – Courtney Sampson, Chris Balie and team and Trevor Davids, Democracy Development Programme (DDP), Charles King, Damelin, Voice of the Cape, CTTV, The Daily Voice, Community Policing Forum Mitchells Plain (CPF), Assitej, Independent Newspapers – Vusi Baloyi, South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency (SANCA), Legend Ten Motion Pictures – Lydon Campbell, Gender Steps, Shariefa’s Catering and Mizpah conference centre.

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

Related: Media conference empowers youth for the 13th year #MKK2013

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MKK 2009 gets off to a soulful start

Bush Radio’s Media Kidocracy Konference (MKK 2009) met for the 10^th 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.

Young people tackle the media

Media Kidocracy Konference 2009 Bush Radio in association with the Children’s Radio Education Workshop (CREW) project is in the final stages of planning its 10th annual Media Kidocracy Konference (MKK).

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.

Background on MKK

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.