|
Tell Africa's story - Mbeki
21/07/2007 13:51 - (SA)
Johannesburg - President Thabo Mbeki hailed the launch of a rolling news network in South Africa on Friday as an opportunity to break free of Western news agendas and give a more rounded picture of the continent.
SABC News International, set up by South Africa's public broadcaster, has styled itself as the first channel to deliver news from an African perspective in a market previously dominated by the likes of the BBC and CNN.
"We trust that this new initiative by the SABC will tell Africa's story in as much depth and contextual detail as possible," said Mbeki at the launch in Johannesburg.
The president urged the station's journalists to report from every corner of Africa, "identifying the successes and reverses so as to reflect what's really happening on our continent".
'Not shying away from scandals'
Africa has previously been too reliant on its international news from "news agencies with headquarters in powerful nations often told as half truths," he said.
While its headquarters are in Johannesburg, bureaux have been opened in other African cities such as Kinshasa, Kampala, Nairobi, Dhaka and Lagos. Correspondents will also be based in major capitals such as London and Washington.
According to Snuki Zikalala, SABC's head of news and current affairs, the new channel would cover a comprehensive range of stories in Africa.
"We have now established a pan-African channel with African people at its heart," he said.
"We will cover the continent in a progressive and sympathetic manner, not shying away from scandals or corruption, reporting on economic, cultural and social developments on the continent."
|
News
