Blending the new media at work

How many of you used email 10 or 15 years ago? This was one of the very first questions the trainers asked their participants during the 5-day Bridging New Media Workshop for communication officers and decision makers organised in Kuala Lumpur from 11 – 15 June 2007 by Southeast Asia Center for e-Media or SEACeM.

The title of the seminar itself is interesting – bridging the new media for managers. To have a full understanding of what it really meant I asked the CEO of Malaysiakini.com and SEACeM, Premesh Chandran – what was the main objectives and what inspired him?. He said that normally whenever he organised ICT training, ICT people or the web expert participated. In fact, they are already familiar with the technology and was not necessary for them to join. When participants returned home, we expected the communication strategies int heir organisations to be improved. However, what normally happened was that the communication may be discussed but without those computer or web experts or rather that their voices were overwhelmed by communication managers – (who know how to write but know little or nothing how technology works).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The miscommunication between those web experts and their managers remains unresolved as the managers could not understand the technical terms explained to them. This resulted in the planning of communication strategy without knowing thy can do more and things can be done in many different new ways with technology na new media. This workshop is for the managers to know how technology works and how they can blend it in their work.

I always like the participatory approach wherever i participate in the training course or workshop. This training cum workshop does not disappoint me, therefore a lot of contribution from the floor. The workshop did not focus exclusively on technology but also on planning and strategy, marketing and management. How do you plan your communication strategy and how the new media fits in?

 

 

 

How to write an effective blog

This is something interesting from the weekly IFEX-Bulletin. This e-newsletter is a must read for everyone interested and involved in freedom of the press-campaigns anywhere the world.

Here’s some material you might want to look at and hand on if you are working in English, Spanish or Arabic.

Calling all wannabe bloggers!

Learn how to tell your story to the world with „Ten steps to citizen journalism online“, hot off the press in
English, Spanish and Arabic.

Find out how to get started, from which sites will best host your blog
(like those that allow you to write in languages other than English) to how
you can remain anonymous. Then get some handy tips on how to say what you
want effectively – and get others to listen. All this, while learning your
blogger rights and how to avoid breaking the law.

The guide, prepared by journalist and media trainer Stephen Franklin, also
includes links to „bloggers who have made a difference“ (Arabic version
only) and some of the best Internet sources on blogging around. Franklin
spent four months in Cairo, Egypt working with bloggers on behalf of the
independent media group International Center for Journalists.

The English and Spanish versions are hosted on the International
Journalists’ Network website, at:
- English: http://tinyurl.com/yp7n5d
- Spanish: http://tinyurl.com/ywvurh

Read the guide in Arabic on the Arabic Initiative for a Free Internet
website:

The Arabic guide has also been issued as a CD, which includes resources
from established Arab bloggers and Reporters Without Borders (Reporters
sans frontières, RSF).

To get a copy of the CD, email Arabic Network for
Human Rights Information at: info@hrinfo.net

(Source: IFEX COMMUNIQUÉ VOL 16 NO 27 | 3 JULY 2007)