Nairobi has some of the worst traffic jams in the world – and the country’s techies are turning to mobile solutions to try to help commuters dodge bottlenecks and tailbacks. Journalists Alfred Kiti and Moritz Metz explored the many apps and innovations vying to make it on Kenya’s competitive market. Nairobi’s tech scene is renowned internationally as a vanguard for digital change. The iHub, center for Nairobi’s start-up scene, was starting point for Kiti and Metz’s research. Their reporting trips took them riding Nairobi’s wifi-busses and talking to developers and data analysts creating these traffic apps.

Another team – made up of newspaper journalists Felix Olick and Christian Kucznierz – followed up on the aftermath of September’s attack on the Westgate shopping mall, focusing on the political and economical ramifications of the attack.

Radio journalist Lisa Schoeffel and Samuel Gaicima’s explored notions of Kenyan identity as the country marked 50 years of independence. They decided to talk to young people and even nabbed an interview with members of one of Kenya’s most popular bands, Sauti Sol.

Participants reflect on their impressions – click on the pictures to find out more.

Mutual learning experience

Different topics, different approaches and different perspectives – working as a team challenged the participants of this four-day Media Dialogue to reflect on alternative ways of doing their work.

“Working together with German colleagues has been an eye-opening experience,” said Felix Olick, who regularly reports from The Hague on the International Criminal Court for Kenya’s Standard newspaper. “It has shown me journalism on a global perspective and to not be confined to Kenyan journalism. I have learned a lot about international standards.”

Sabine Mohamed, a blogger for the Berlin-based feminist blog Mädchenmannschaft says as well as giving her a chance to learn more about Kenya, working together was “an enrichment in terms of sharing views and finding out about the similarities and differences in the field of journalism and also politics”. Mohamed’s Kenyan colleague Rayhab Wangari also valued the joint-reporting experience. Together, the two visited a refugee camp where they interviewed people made homeless by the violence following Kenya’s 2007 elections. “I explained the local context and the historical background to Sabine,” Wangari said. “Her questions made me realize how Kenya’s history and politics are seen from outside of our country.”

What struck German radio journalist Vivien Leue the most was the openness of interview partners and their willingness to talk to reporters. In Germany, she said, people were often more reserved with journalists and obtaining information from official institutions could be time-consuming, with requests often being delayed beyond deadline.

The topic of quality journalism was very much a topic during group discussions. Edwin Nyutho, Professor at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Nairobi, talked to the group about challenges facing journalists in Kenya. “Journalists often lack professional skills because the journalism education is very theoretical,” he said. In addition, Kenyan journalists frequently lacked expertise in specific subject areas because they were trained as generalists.

The German participants shared their experiences of journalism training in their country, saying that one advantage was that many journalists studied something else at university, giving them a strong background in a certain field. However, they added, similar to Kenya, aspiring journalists often had to resort to internships to gain practical experience.

For the group, one of the main challenges facing journalism today was not the issue of quality but how to make sure you have the right information. “Everything is faster, quicker, and most information is free,” said German journalist Christian Kucznierz. “In this ocean of information, you need some references and orientation and you have to work on approaching people to get to know the value of information.”

View photos of the media dialogue on Flickr.

(Click on the Playlist above to watch the four feature stories produced during the workshop by the teams from NBC, MBC-TV, Muvi-TV and Multi TV.)

Following the recent workshop in Namibia, DW Akademie Project Manager André Surén talked to onMedia about how the African Stories team are training crews to produce stories in a reportage style that strives for more dynamic filming through moving the camera and following action.

How do you train camera operators to achieve this more dynamic style of reporting?

AS: Most of the camera operators that we train on African Stories already know how to do the basics such as filming a sequence in 5 shots.  So, the big challenge for them is to sort of forget a little bit about some of the things they have previously learned. It’s a different style of camera work. We try to explain to them that camera movement needs plenty of practice and we need to do some practical exercises with them. That gives them a chance to try this new style a couple of times. Then we analyze it and say to them, ‘Look here and there you have to go in more close to the face’ or ‘Here and there we have to take one step back to see more of the whole scene’. After a while they really realize that this is a totally new style of filming and they’re usually very surprised. And we’re talking about camera operators who have had a lot of experience – they really start to learn new things.

What sorts of practical exercises help them to achieve good camera movement to follow action?

AS:  For example, the first exercise we do is usually a very simple situation and straightforward to do. For instance someone enters a cafe, orders a coffee and then the waiter brings a bill and receives the money. At first it’s challenging for them to film. But after a while they begin to understand that ‘Okay I film there, then I go this way, then need another shot from the other side’ and so on. That’s easy, but it starts to get more difficult if the action is really going fast. For example, if people are meeting each other, greeting, chatting for a while and then they GO. And they realize ‘Wait a second this is really hard because I had everything in my mind to do this, and then that and then this over shoulder shot, and a shot to one face, and another into action, and a closeup close above the hands’ or whatever. And they see that action can go very fast and they have to react quickly, it can be a bit stressful and you need to do it very fast. But we advise them carefully and say ‘Look if you miss one shot that’s fine, go to the next one’. Just be cool, be calm and follow it. And if something really doesn’t work, then you can interrupt and can say, okay lets please do it again. [Watch an example of a camera operator practicing below]

Do camera operators get a bit flustered or stressed during the training?

AS: Before we go out on location and film we train them to be relaxed and calm and to have special camera settings that makes it more easy for them for to shoot a variety of shots. Usually this more of a wide angle and a longer depth of field that allows to them to keep what they need in focus. On our Sony Z7’s we set the iris to something like F5.0 or F5.6. These small technical and planning points are important and help them not to be so stressed on a shoot.  Of course, they have to observe the basics too – checking the location for available light, checking the sound and analyzing any variables in the location before that start filming. And, if the action goes very fast, we tell them to take it easy, slow down and concentrate on what’s important. After the second and third exercise they tend to start understanding the need to be calm and they have to follow their shots. If they miss something it’s not the end of the world. I work with each team during the first couple of practical exercises, and actually help direct their movements.

So are you actually physically guiding a camera operator to perform these moves?

AS:  Yes, if I see that there is a need for it I do it definitely. And all of the camera operators are usually very comfortable with this. For example, I could see that one camera operator was not really doing very good closeups, so I guided him carefully to go in closer and to then follow the action to get wider shots with smooth movements.

What is it about these types of long feature stories and reportage style that is really challenging the crews?

AS: Lots of things. The planning starts before going out on location for sure. The research, knowing whom to interview, what kind of locations you can expect even though they may look different. But we talk together with the producers and show them how to organize themselves, how to structure their story. If that works, then the film that they want to produce is in their minds already before going out shooting. Of course nothing is written in stone. If something changes on location, fine no problem. But if you’ve got a good story and production plan then it’s easy to change your own structure. The teams have all done this on previous courses. They know things like aiming to have a good strong first picture to open their story. Or, remembering what was the last shot in the previous location and then thinking carefully about the first shot in the next location. Yes it is challenging for them but in the end they really understand that if you have this detailed planning, you get everything, you won’t miss anything, and the editing is also much faster.

What tips would you have for camera operators who want to try to achieve this sort of technique ?

AS:  They can practice by trying to film simple situations and capture 5 shots on the move. So I would suggest to ask their friends if they could film them greeting each other, or sitting and talking or whatever. So you film the scene and the interaction.  Your movement might be say a long shot, a medium shot with a different angle, then you need a different angle and a close-up of the hands, and shots to show the interaction between the two of them. Then you might move to film just the faces only.  And you try to make all the movements very, very smooth. Then edit the shots together and see what your sequence looks like. Again, it comes down to planning and practice.

What about from the other side, for producers and reporters, who need to work with the camera to try and achieve that type of look, what advice do you have for them?

André Surén

AS:  Nothing works without teamwork. There was an interesting example during African Stories. One producer said: ‘I do not need anyone, I make the decision and they have to follow it’. And after African Stories he changed his mind completely, saying ‘Nothing works without teamwork’.  And this is really important.  You have to communicate your story idea with the camera operator. You have to explain the length of the film, who you intend to interview and the different locations. They must work closely together. And this is challenging for them from the beginning because they needed more time, more advance planning, talking and organizing, but in the end they will really understand that the post-production will be much more faster and everybody is happy afterwards because they got what they needed. Communication is very important for teamwork. During African Stories we want the camera operator, the reporter or producer and the editor all working together.

Photo by Calvinius via Wikimedia Commons

DW Akademie will conduct a two-week workshop on data-driven journalism in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh from January 20 – 31, 2014.

Cambodian journalists, citizen journalists, IT or social media specialists, journalism students and journalism trainers are invited to apply to take part in this training course.

You can find out more about the workshop and download the application documents below.

Please note that the application deadline for the workshop has been extended to Tuesday, December 31, 2013.

1 Call for Applications ‘Data-driven Journalism’

2. Project Outline ‘Data-driven Journalism’

3 Application Form ‘Data-driven Journalism’

4. Employers Declaration ‘Data-driven Journalism’

Good luck with your applications and feel free to share information about the workshop with others who might be interested.

Photo – FRED DUFOUR/AFP/Getty Images

Are you are journalist? A blogger? A photographer? A media activist?

Sign up for the open online “Digital Safety for Journalists” workshop being offered by DW Akademie in the first week of December, 2013.

The workshop, which is being held in conjunction with Reporters Without Borders, will give you a better understanding of how to protect your communications and your data.

All over the world, media professionals are increasingly using digital devices such as cameras, recorders, mobile phones and computers to do their reporting. These might make our lives easier, but they also mean we are increasingly being subject to digital surveillance and hacking attacks. This means digital security has become an imperative.

The “Digital Safety for Journalists” workshop kicks off on Monday December 2 at 4 pm Central European Time with a livestreamed panel discussion about the digital dangers facing journalists and media activists. Hear about Bahraini journalist’s Ala’s Shehabi confrontation with high-grade surveillance software and what she now does to protect herself. Find out from about digital threats from Anna Roth of Tactical Tech, one of world’s leading NGOs working on digital security for activists and dissidents, and learn more about the situation on the ground for journalists from Hauke Gierow from Reporters without Borders.

Or else take part in one (or all) of our daily live online sessions running from Tuesday December 3 to Friday December 6. There are seminars on topics ranging from mobile phone safety and how hackers can attack you computer to surfing the net without being tracked and collaborating security with other journalists.

The open online format emphasizes sharing and interaction. You can ask questions via chat during the live seminars, leave comments on the Digital Safety Google Plus community page or contribute via Etherpad.

Take a look at the Digital Safety for Journalists website for more details about sessions and further information on how to participate. Blog posts and interviews on different aspects of digital security will also appear daily from November 25 through until the end of the workshop.

And don’t forget, onMedia has been publishing posts on digital security for the past year. Here’s what we’ve covered so far.

At a recent DW Akademie Media Dialogue in Berlin, a group of visiting journalists, editors and media experts from Mongolia gave an insight into media development in their country.

German journalists attending were keen to find out about press freedom in Mongolia; who exactly owns private media; and, what progress is being made towards press industry self regulation.

It was also another opportunity for the visiting Mongolian journalists to compare journalistic practices and media regulation between Germany and Mongolia.

Following the end of the Soviet era, Mongolia introduced a number of laws to make reforms in public broadcasting, freedom of information and to prevent media censorship.

In 2010, Reporters without Borders ranked Mongolia in its Press Freedom Index at 76. This year Mongolia was ranked 98.

One topic that generated a lot of discussion was the so-called “list of forbidden words”. Journalists explained how Mongolia’s Communications Regulatory Commission (CRC) is under strong political pressure to make media organizations use software to filter or hide “forbidden words” in online reader comments that are critical of government or insulting.

To explore how Mongolia’s media is developing, onMedia spoke with Munkhmandakh Myagmar, Executive Director of the Mongolian Press Institute; and, Tserenjav Demberel, Executive Director of Transparency Foundation Mongolia, and a blogger on media issues.

Munkhmandakh Myagmar

Can you describe for us the political influence in Mongolia’s media?

MM: Not all the media, but the majority of Mongolian media are strongly influenced by politicians. In a way that politicians invest in media not for business purposes but for manipulating the public to propagate their own interests. In Mongolia, I think the media are for this reason detached from the market. The development is not going based on market principles because the media does not survive on revenues from advertising or sales, instead the media exists based on financial support or subsidies from politicians. In turn they are obliged to provide information that is wanted by politicians. This makes journalism in Mongolia extremely unhealthy. Media literacy is also not so high. Citizens can not distinguish between advertising and journalistic stories, and they are not in a situation to critically discuss journalistic stories.

Self regulation of the press – is that Mongolian media wants?

MM: Some of the media are becoming aware that self responsibility is one of the ways to survive because your credibility and reputation are at stake. Media credibility is decreasing and if you want credibility you need to be responsible. But this is the beginning, and for this reason in the last couple of years there are strong discussions about the need for media regulation and ways to establish it.

What does the government want? Do they wish to maintain influence or control over the media?

MM: I have an impression that the politicians do not have a will to really develop a strong, democratic, pluralistic, independent media. They still have an interest to use the media as their own propaganda tools. For example, there was a draft law on media freedom in Mongolia discussed last Spring in parliament. Many members of parliament own media and those media owners do not want to loose their tools of propaganda. The draft law had a provision about editorial independence of media. The provision said media owners can not interfere in daily editorial work. MPs sitting and discussing this law protested against this provision. So I would say there is no political will to really develop independent media. There are some progressive members of parliament, a few, but not all of them.

Tserenjav Demberel

What changes do you think are necessary for more openness and transparency in Mongolian media?

TD: I think Mongolia’s media is developing in its natural way. But in order to support this development I think we have to see the media as a business. And like other businesses we have to make it transparent. For example: who owns the media? What are the revenues? How many copies are sold? If we make it transparent, the media will develop according to market economy principles.

Why is it not so clear in Mongolian media as to who owns what?

TD: It’s not only in the media sector, but in general in the Mongolian economy, all businesses are in a closed environment. In other countries you can learn who is doing what business, who owns what, who invested how much money, annual revenue and so on. There is also a conviction that the media is not an ordinary business, but something outside of the business world.

Mongolia is rich in minerals such as copper, coal and gold. What role and influence are foreign mining companies playing in Mongolian media?

TD: There are two kinds of influences upon the media. Mining companies on the one hand provide sponsorship to the media to a great extent. On the other hand, mining companies bring a culture of professional communication with the media.

Is that good?

TD: It’s good in that it brings a culture where all international companies communicate with the media on a professional level. But, because the media are not ready for this kind of communication with organizations such as mining companies, the whole relationship between the media and the mining companies turns into something that can be called ‘irresponsible media’. For example, the media takes money from a mining company and instead of publishing [material] as advertisements, they produce hidden advertisements – like a mixture of journalistic stories and advertisements.

Interviews: Guy Degen