American Journalist Conducts "Lively" Media Workshops in Africa

Washington -- American magazine reporter Eduardo Cue believes promoting democracy and good governance is an exercise best done through the exchange of ideas and experiences, a practice he recently put to the test in the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville), the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa) and Madagascar.

REACHING OUT TO A NEW GENERATION OF JOURNALISTS

In Madagascar, Cue ran media workshops March 3-11 with more than 225 journalists, students and media owners participating.

His visit was timely, the U.S. Embassy in Antananarivo, Madagascar, reported, because "a new generation of journalists, looking to emulate the United States by breaking with embedded poor or corrupt practices, wants to move Madagascar toward participation in a global economy as a credible democracy."

The highlight of Cue's trip to Madagascar was a three-day "train-the-trainers" workshop for 17 leaders of media associations, which he conducted in French. The exercise focused on basic journalism practices such as writing style and thematic reporting and included critiques of the participants' previously filed reports.

The embassy said Cue's direct approach resulted in "frank, constructive exchanges about ethics and corruption in the Malagasy media" that had a discernable impact on his audiences. "The participants unanimously agreed," it said, "that they gained new perspectives for their future reporting … [became] determined to focus on the public's needs and interests … and to pursue balanced, objective reporting to ensure their credibility as journalists in their role as the 'fourth power.'"



By Jim Fisher-Thompson
Washington File Staff Writer


Magazine reporter Eduardo Cue engages Africans in democracy debates

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