The Durban University of Technology was proud to be the academic partner at the prestigious 69th World News Media Congress which was held at the International Conference Centre in Durban recently.

It was the second time the World News Media Congress had come to the African continent following the success of the Cape Town event in 2007. The Congress is part of a broader plan to expand activities in Africa and connect with colleagues who are leading the media transformation across the continent.

Students and staff from Journalism and Hospitality departments took time out to welcome media guests and also showcase DUT at the event. Exhibitions by Google and The New York Times newspaper formed part of the daily stands, highlighting their brands and new innovations done by their organisations.

KZN Tourism’s James Seymour was very excited by the academic partnership between DUT and the Congress, adding that this was a great opportunity for students to showcase their skills as part of the DUT brand.

Other new features for the World News Media Congress 2017 included an analysis of the World News Media Outlook, a global industry survey providing news executives with the cutting-edge intelligence needed to benchmark company performance and to help devise innovative strategies to ensure future business success.

DUT’s Senior Director of Corporate Affairs, Alan Khan, who was a delegate at the World Media Congress, said he enjoyed the opportunity to attend the 69th World News Media Congress. “Apart from seeing DUT students and staff at the Congress, it was tremendous to learn from journalists, editors and media practitioners who attended from across the globe. It also once again provided Durban with an opportunity to prove that we can host international events and the Congress helped to profile South African media on a global platform.”

He also added that there were specific highlights that stood out for him, which was the impact that ‘Fake News’ is having on the industry, the audiences and on relationships with other stakeholders. “Social Media is playing a huge role in the world of dishonest news and it was clearly evident that the decline in trust is one of the biggest risks facing the media industry. Secondly, listening to seasoned editor Ferial Haffajee explain the attacks against her by social media trolls was upsetting and frustrating. “The realisation that journalists, editors and media personalities are still victims of intimidation and propaganda is extremely disappointing and it should not be justified as being a hazard of working in the media industry,” he said.

The Congress was declared a huge success and the announcement was made that the 70th World News Media Congress will be held in Portugal from 6 to 8 June 2018.Pictured: Liz McDonnell, MD of Strategy & Insights, The New York Times, speaking at the Congress.

Pictured: Liz McDonnell, MD of Strategy & Insights, The New York Times, speaking at the Congress.

Christin Herger/Waheeda Peters