The ways in which digital media affects my community.

BY RESHOKETSWE MLANGENI

We live in a rapid changing world and a more technologically advanced one. One of the evident aspect of the above world we live in is digital media. It is so prevalent in many ways but predominantly in a form of social media. In fact one would be forgotten to think that it is the only way of news consumption in present-day. People are always looking forward to the next available minute to check it out due to its usability like the interaction that it allows between media-users and journalists. Like any other thing, digital media have its own positive and negative impacts in communities of which mine is no exception. However, when looking at its impact on news, its advantages far outweighs its disadvantages.

Digital media is instant because it allows journalists to break news as they happen. This phenomenon did away with the culture of waiting for the next news bulletin hour before a story could be broke. This keeps the community abreast with the happenings of the world and the country as they take place without delay.

Digital have taken over the consumption of news in my community.

The interaction between media-users and journalists was able to change its landscape through social media. It is no longer a top-down pattern where journalists are feeders of news to media-users and media-users are only the recipients. Today the pattern is a bottom-up one where media-users can also feed journalists with news. Media users are able to give story tips to journalists via social media. Not only does digital media facilitates communication between media-users and journalists but also allow for self-publication of news by individuals on personal blogs.

Citizens are now able to act as journalists in their own rights by blogging. Their advantage is that they serve as supplementary journalism to mainstream media. Through blogging journalists are also able to track down people who witnessed certain events first-hand. In this way they are able to get comments from the horse’s mouth. At times, bloggers break stories before the commercial media could break them.

Digital media brought about a new face of journalism. Unlike in the past, media users do not only rely on video reports by news television stations. Bystanders who witnessed certain events can share their videos with news television stations for wider audience reach. This allowance of media users to engage with journalists encourages citizen journalism that in turn alert citizens to always be vigilant about their surroundings. Videos, text and still graphics are easily incorporated into a single story report because of digital media.

Journalism is not dull anymore instead it is multifaceted in days of digital media. With everyone always ready with their cell phones in their hands, illicit activities are not things people could easily away with anymore. An internet connection only is enough for one to break news and let the world know of what is happening. Sometimes local stories make their way to international news. Journalism is convenient to people and fun to engage with, thanks to digital media. One cannot start to imagine journalism without digital media anymore because it brought new face of news gathering, news consumption and news dissemination in the 21^st century.

The Capitalist Nigger Book Review:The Spider Web Doctrine:The Road To Success

The Copy of Mzansi's number one selling book: The Capitalist Nigger

Author: Dr Chika Onyeani.

Country: United States.

Language: English.

Subject: Economics.

Genre: Status of Africans.

Publisher: Timbuktu Publishers.

Publication: 2000.

Tittle: The Capitalist Nigger: A Spider Web Doctrine: The Road To Success.

BY RESHOKETSWE MLANGENI
@Reshoketswe_M

This is a thoroughly written book that one could think it is definitely not for the light heartened ones. From the hindsight it is derogative by the usage of the highly hated “N” word in its tittle. However the word has been used with pseudo-effects. In his own words Onyeani justifies the usage of the above mentioned offensive word because “Capitalist” means an opulent person and “Nigger” refers to an African person that he factually is. He continues to say that he will not rival being addressed as such because as Blacks either from Continental Africa or Diaspora by revolting that address they are “obliging just as anticipated by the Caucasians.”

Dr Chika Onyeani presenting his only book to South African president Jacob Zuma.

This book does not hit around the bush before reaching crux of the matter as the author says he wanted to tell it as it is. The climax here according to the author is that blacks the world over are slaves - economic slaves. Dr Chika sets the sad mood of the book by explaining that blacks are modern slave because they lack “the-devil-may-care-attitude,” and have no “killer-instincts.” The blacks are always waiting for Caucasian or Asian origin men to establish business right under their noses. Following those business outlets, that he says flabbergasts him, blacks will then go 

beg for jobs and cry racism when denied posts.

The author from Africa in origin – Nigeria, says that Africa has become nothing but a beggar continent. This is despite the fact that during the time of the publication, the first’s independence in the continent was 40 years old with no recognisable development whatsoever. He claims that Africa owes the world $375 billion but due to greediness, that did nothing but to gain the few previously oppressed the kind of life that their former oppressors led at the expense of majority.

The father of two and a renowned New York Times journalist says that blacks will never get their much fought for independence. He says that this could be attributed to that they depend on everything from Europe and US. Let alone mass destruction weapons that Africans use to kill one another than in any other parts of the world. How people can claim independence when everything they do has to please their investors and abide with their terms, Onyeani asks. He says this spiral of an independence illusion will not be eradicated any time soon so long blacks still have “victim-mentality,” and enjoys nothing more than playing “blame game.” It is no surprising that with such provocative thoughts presented in the book, it has sold more than 50 000 copies in SA. 

The author is in a nutshell saying that the black race should take over the responsibility of their state and stop blaming colonisation or racism if you may and also halt feeling like the world owes them something as it does not. It is by no surprise that it is the current number one selling book in Mzansi followed by Think, Grow Rich.

This is a book that any black person should ensure to grab in order to avoid falling for tenets that the author says we do to defy logic at their own ignorance.    

              RURAL BOY TAKES YouTube BY STORM

Rams Comic main character, Noko Mashaba in one of Rams Comics’ viral videos.

Reshoketswe Mlangeni

@Reshoketswe_M

After a failed attempt to study Biochemistry at the Pretoria University Jonas Lekganyane decided not to despair but to do something productive. Lekganyane is a 23 year old from the dusty rural village of Polokwane, Ga-Mothapo. On the eNCA’s Against All Odds programme, Lekganyane said that he could not continue to pursue his dreams of studying Biochemistry because of budgetary constraints, a situation that left much to be desired.

 Instead of going home and join the youth plight of street roaming due to lack of employment he founded Rams Comics. After a year of dropping out from varsity in 2012 his comics started to go viral on You Tube. He is famous amongst his viewers for the specific usage of Sepedi lingo only. Lekganyane tackles current affairs issues facing the country and blending them with his comic talent to bring humour in them. Answering what inspires his work to Mpho Lakaje on television programme he said: “I wish you can say that art imitates life. So I am always thinking about things that are currently happening around.”

The amateur work of Lekganyane does not impress ordinary You Tube lovers only but professional art lecturers too. “For a person who does not have any formal training I am astonished by the level of his standard of work,” said Benjamin Graham, an Animation Lecturer at the South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance, (AFDA). Graham added that Lekganyane clearly has a good eye for composition and character design. “His eye for animation and character performance is really coming along, He gets the character performance really nice,” Graham added. Lekganyane admits that even though he does make few pennies out of his online work it has not been a smooth sailing for him. He said that as coming from poor background he had to contribute towards the family’s income. Lekganyane works from his home’s sitting room using his friends and cousins as voice overs and doing the rest by himself.

Lekganyane’s former teacher, Tshepo Mofokeng had nothing but praises only for self-made famous Jonas. “When I saw his videos online I was not surprised because I remember I saw his comic book in Grade 9 and prophertly told him that he will go places with animation,” Mofokeng said.  Lekganyane said that even though he might have found something to do he is still saving to go back to schooling. For an escaping break from a long day, Lekganyane’s videos can be viewed on YouTube at Rams Comic or follow him on twitter @Rams Comic.

          HOW TO CURB UP DEATHS AT THE INITIATION SCHOOLS

Initiates during night ritual performance standing in front of a fire. Photo: Google Images

Reshoketswe Mlangeni
@Reshoketswe_M

It the season of initiation schools and traditionally this is when Sotho groups, Tshivenda, Tsongas and Xhosas send young boys for a rite of passage from boyhood to manhood. The initiation schools in Mpumalanga alone last year saw the passing on of 30 initiates due to alleged botched circumcision and stomach cramps. However it was found out that all the deaths had taken place at government-registered initiation schools where medical practitioners were often present.

The process of undergoing initiation includes a lot of sacred traditional practises that requires thorough careful performing of rituals before, during and after the initiation schooling by the initiates, initiator and sometimes both at the same time. Circumcision is the passage’s top priority but not the most important one as opposed to the public opinion. In the above mentioned case the deaths could still not be prevented albeit the presence of medical practitioners. This might be largely due to the fact that medical support at the initiation schools is not really necessary. The imperative thing to do to avoid the unfortunate turnout of events such as Mpumalanga’s last year ones is to perform all dictating rituals at the right time: before, during and after the initiation schooling.

In Limpopo, initiates as young as 6-year-olds are allowed to undergo the passage as opposed to Eastern Cape where the minimum of years to go to initiation is 18. This is advantageous to significantly avoid deaths because the young boys have not yet started to engage in sexual intercourses that can lead to dire unfortunate consequences. Limpopo is also hailed as the most safest and the most trustworthy because of its 0% death rates in initiation as far back as the 80’s unlike Mpumalanga and Eastern Cape where most deaths occur.

The government can also get hands-on by making sure that all illicit initiation schools are clamped down. Parents must also be extra caution not to send their children to non-registered schools. The prospective initiates should also register with initiators afore the process for medical practitioners to be able to screen them. As such initiates who have other diseases could also bring along their medication. There are always cases of abducted initiates where some parents go take their children. This is not advisable as could lead to deaths since the initiates have already participated in some practises that dictates to be done up to the end. Even though this is the case, victim’s parents can open criminal cases at the police to have suspects locked behind bars or also take their children home if possible.

HOW CUBA BECAME INVOLVED IN IN THE COLD WAR AS THE NEW SPHERE OF INLFLUENCE TO BE CONTESTED BY U.S.A AND U.S.S.R.



After the Spanish rule in Cuba from 1898 Cuba was under American influence. It became American colony for a very long time until Fulguncieo Batista was a president of Cuba. Batista was very friendly to the West. He was tyrannical ruler as well as a firm anti-capitalist president. He was a Catholic and he brutally persecuted Buddhist majority. His regime was of a dictatorship style. Many of the Cubans during Batista’s rule were peasants and Batista did nothing to help them own the land, as a result they remained peasants for a long time and lived in poverty while lands were in a small group of land owners.

Subsequently, his dictatorship type of government supported the U.S.A; this prompted the anti-Americans in Cuba due to his actions. Fidel Castro was the leader of anti-Americans because Batista was also involved in organised crimes that were lucrative in hotels situated in cities of Cuba like Havana.

Batista did not care about Cuba’s poverty and harsh living experienced by citizens. His friendliness to the west rest-assured the trade with U.S.A. West invested heavily in Cuba’s sugar production and exports. U.S.A owned Cuba’s key economic factors and had control over Cuba’s economy. Under the rule of Batista in 1950’s, Cuba was economically dependent on the West.

In January 1959, Fidel Castro overthrown Batista and became the president of the country. His primary aim was to liberate Cuba from the U.S.A. He gained a lot of support from peasants, Buddhists and anti-Americans civilians. He was of a communism favour because those who were against him were for America’s favour. He was not fully committed to the communism; just that desperate time’s calls for desperate measures as such he only wanted help to be able to drive out the occupying forces in Cuba by the time.

America was fully aware that communism spread in Asia is now becoming a major concern because by 1949 China, North Korea and North Vietnam were communist’s states. America was determined to do whatever it takes to prevent further communism spread.

Soviet Union also wanted to aid Castro in any way to defeat American colonisation. In 1959 America under the reign of John Frederick Kennedy refused to buy Cuba’s sugar that had vicious complication upon Cuba’s economy and almost led to its very best economic decline of all times.

Fidel Castro responded by taking America’s based companies in Cuba and did not allow America to keep its naval bases in Cuba in 1960. He showed his determination of driving out America by signing a trade agreement with the Soviet Union. By this time many Batista’s troops were in American exile for a military training in order to return on a later stage and take down Castro’s regime.

In 1961, America sanctioned trade with Cuba stating that it can’t trade with its “sphere of influence” while it is an ally to its worst enemy. In October 1962, Kennedy appointed political and military experts to give him advice on what to do with Soviet Union in Cuba and they decided to pull off. A letter was written was written to Nikita Khrushchev asking him to pull off his missile bases in Cuba and he agreed then Kennedy also pulled off his missiles as well in April and thus leading to an end of Cuban Missile Crises.

Online News Sites

What is online Journalism?

It could be defined as the reporting of news produced and distributed via the internet, be it blog, website or the newly highly emerging social networks.

Print newspaper circulation is declining and consumers are increasing accessing news online. Amongst other reasons why people shift to online news rather than print newspapers is that it’s easy to access news online without leaving the comfort of your home.

I’m going to start with Sowetan online site.

http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/

First of all, the site has a teaser panel that contains same features every day. The features consist of leading “shwashwi” story, leading political story and a daily cartoon lined at the top of the site. Beneath the teaser is a line of paper sections which don’t change as well.

The sections include home, news, business, sport, entertainment, columns, goodlife, help line, “shwashwi”, and jobs. This line is imperative because the story of your choice is just a click away. It does have a variety of interesting sections and stories as it’s a tabloid. The only monotonous problem with it is that it doesn’t have multimedia platforms like videos and audios. This means that the only available material is text that is boring at times.

The second news site for my tour is ewn

The appearance of ewn site is not appealing because of the black and white colours used in the site. As a result it looks very dull.

http://ewn.co.za/

On top of this site there is a teaser panel that contains sections of the whole site. The sections include latest, news, local, world, sport, politics, opinion, features, business, multimedia, traffic, iWitness, RSS, feeds and contact. This site is more focused on news content and not design.

 That is the reason why its design is so monotonous but its sections are mind-blowing. It also has the section of multimedia that many other news sites do not have. The multimedia section has audios and videos that are ideal for taking break from text reading. Below the site it’s the social networks that the site is using which audience can use to voice out their opinions regarding the published stories.

 This site is more convenient because RSS feeds, iPhone/iPad supporting feature which is iWitness and podcasts are also available.

The third news site for my tour is News24.

http://www.news24.com/

This site is more interesting because besides having a teaser panel of leading stories that all other sites has, it has quite varying features. The first feature that makes this site unique from others is that it has weather information of the day at corner of the far right hand side. Next to the weather feature again it a search box that enables one to search for desired stories with ease. Dominantly it used blue colour in and around the site because it is their main colour. With this site, one is spoiled for choice as under every section there are sub-topics. It also includes property section that all above mentioned sites do not have.