Local journalists get world-class TV training

Bush Radio 89.5FM, in partnership with the Deutsche Welle (DW) Academy, is currently holding a 6-day Community TV and Local News training course (23 – 28 May 2011), for various participants with the aim of strengthening their skills as community television journalists.

The enthusiasm of the trainers, Birgit Keller and Martin Schönian, co-ordinator Christopher Springate and the participants is creating an infectious excitement that can be felt by all at Bush Radio’s studios.

Christopher Springate

Christopher Springate, the course co-ordinator said: “To be specific, we intend to enlighten the participants with their reporting, writing, researching, filming and editing skills.”

Birgit Keller said that as the trainers they are not doing the course to have the participants do things in a certain way, but rather to show them how it works. She also added that they are keen to show the participants how to manage current affairs in order to get ideas on how they can improve.

Birgit Keller

Participants are from various television and radio stations including Bay TV, CTV, Soweto TV, Radio KC, Bush Radio, Community Video Education Trust and the Oguni Solidarity Forum.

Lebogang Kubyane from Soweto TV said: “I am extremely impressed with the course and what it has to offer. The trainers are great people and it is comforting to know that I am able to learn new and interesting things everyday.”

The course started off with a general introduction and ranges from activities like editing vox-pops, writing for television, “on-camera” work and production editing.

Martin Schönian said, “The reason for the course being aimed at community journalists is because they have the responsibility to voice the communities’ opinions more often as opposed to commercial stations. Therefore they need to be highly skilled to do this task.”

Martin Schönian

Birgit Keller gave the final word on the participants and hosts: “I am really impressed with the participants. They are truly bringing forth a great amount of energy and good ideas. I also need to add that it is interesting to be at Bush Radio. The friendly staff and warm welcome which we receive creates a warm and good atmosphere for all.”

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Cementing partnerships – Bush Radio and Deutsche Welle

Making Children’s Radio work

The group who have been hard at work at Bush Radio from the 26th April 2010

We’ve been a bit quiet on the blogging front but hope you have been to the Zoopy site for some of our videos. For the past two weeks we have been busy with a “Making Children’s Radio” training course at Bush Radio.

As you probably know, Bush Radio has been running a project called the Children’s Radio Education Workshop (CREW) since 1996 and we have drawn on that experience to draw together several radio stations from the region to look at how they do children’s radio, what lessons they have learnt and how we can improve children’s access to media.

The stations involved in the training have been drawn from Namibia (Karas Community Radio), Zimbabwe (Radio Dialogue) and South Africa (Radio KC, Eden FM and Radio 786).

Besides dealing with some of the theory around children’s radio, like legal issues and how children learn, the course also focussed on some of the technical skills needed.

The course ends this Friday (7 May 2010). As part of their training the participants will be going on air on Bush Radio 89.5 FM on from 9am to 12pm. They will present programmes targeted at both adults and children. For some of them it will be the first time they have been on-air and the nerves are beginning to show.

They will showcase their technical skills as well as some of their ideas as to how stations can make children’s issues a priority.

The participants have been divided into three teams and we asked them to write up a short promo as to why you should listen to their hour.

Check it out below and remember to tune into the trainees on 89.5 FM or listen online this Friday the 7th May 2010 from 09h00.

The course was made possible through the support of FES-Media.

Forever young (09h00 – 10h00)

Forever Young: (top L to R), Emmanuel Nkomo (Radio Dialogue), Nomonde Makhubalo (Eden FM), Bottom L to R: Lydia Christians & Thomas Elago; (Karas CR)

Tune into Bush Radio 89.5 FM and enjoy a fun filled and informative hour on the show Forever Young at 09h00 this Friday. Children aged between 9 and 10 talk about how much they love their moms and wish them Happy Mother’s Day.

Winter is also upon us and get tips on how to stay warm and safe.

Hotspot (10h00 – 11h00)

Hotspot: Top: Mercia Thomas (Karas CR), Middle L to R: Gaenor Erasmus (Bush Radio), Zainab Bean (Radio 786), Bottom: Bafane Nicolay Isaak (Karas CR)

Tune in to Bush Radio 89.5 FM between 10 and 11 on Friday to catch the Hotspot as they dig deeper into the effects of alcohol abuse

Kick-off (11h00 – 12h00)

Kick-Off: L to R: Blanche McCarthy (Bush Radio), Cuen Nicolson (Radio KC), Rachel Flink (Radio Atlantis), Rosie Chauke (Radio Dialogue)

Tune into Kick-Off on Bush Radio 89.5 FM this Friday between 11 and 12. We’ll be focussing on our goals in life and our special guest Matthew Booth will share with us how he set and achieved his goals.

We’ll also take the opportunity to give you tips on how you can set and achieve yours.