Media gathering takes off in Johannesburg
The 2015 Menell Media Exchange conference started today at Maslow Hotel in Sandton, Johannesburg.
Some of South Africa’s most respected journalists, media practitioners, educators and students joined international visitors and guests for the second Menell Media Exchange conference.
Peter Ndoro, Lester Kiewet and Jeremy Maggs were some of the prominent speakers and guests on the first day of the conference in Sandton, Johannesburg, which focused primarily on training and workshops.
Themed as “innovation, brand and sustainability”, the opening panels focused on brand building by individuals and journalists in particular. Veteran journalist Gus Silber provided key insights into the use of social media for journalism and as a tool for journalists to increase their visibility.
Fascinating workshop at @mmx_za by @gussilber about journos branding their bylines on social media. Your Twitter bio IS your brand. #MMX15
— Andrea van Wyk (@AndyvanWyk) June 12, 2015
The Mail & Guardian’s Laura Grant and SABC’s Tegan Bedser, demonstrated various apps that can be used in digital storytelling.
Free storytelling tools! You know you want them. Here is the link to @LauraJGrant and my presentation at #MMX15 today:http://t.co/z9ldDghDu3 — Tegan Bedser (@TeganBedser) June 12, 2015
Jeremy Maggs joined eNCA’s Patrick Conroy on a panel that explored the difficult subject of funding journalism in ways that does not impede it.
Andrew Phelps, senior product manager for the New York Times, gave the afternoon keynote address and stressed the importance of innovation in newsrooms.
NYT’s @andrewphelps says it’s important for news orgs to take one new risk each year not directly linked to profit. #MMX15
— Alastair Otter (@alastairotter) June 12, 2015
New York Times had an app ready for the launch of Apple iWatch. That’s innovation at the centre of the company culture. #MMX15
— Patrick Conroy (@PatrickConroySA) June 12, 2015
The conference continues tomorrow.