By Lindsay Boyle

In recent years, the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism and the African Studies Program at Ohio University have gradually expanded their collaboration with each other. To showcase that expansion, the two groups have decided to hold a “Year for African Journalism” during the 2012-13 school year.

The abstract program aims to capitalize on a noticeable increase in student interest in Africa by teaching students more about African journalism. It will do so primarily by bringing two prominent African media scholars to the OU campus — one during Fall Semester and one during Spring Semester.  Additional events and conferences will be held as well.

One major part of the Year for African Journalism is that Ernest Waititu will be the Glidden Visiting Professor during Fall Semester. Waititu is an OU alumnus who participated in the graduate programs of both the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism and the African Studies Program from 2003 to 2006, obtaining master’s degrees in both. He is currently the program director of health and digital media at Internews in Nairobi.

Internews is a U.S. government-supported NGO that provides training for journalists throughout Africa and has a goal of promoting freedom of expression. In addition to his work with that organization, Waititu founded an online news digest called Afrikanews, and has contributed to various publications in Kenya.

When he was a student at OU, he covered international news for the Athens News and was able to obtain an internship at CNN. Recently, Waititu hosted a workshop for East African journalists at his Internews offices. The workshop focused on health issues, taught techniques in digital journalism and archival research, and encouraged discussion about ethics and other contemporary issues.

For Spring Semester, Kojo Yankah has agreed to come to OU for the African Studies Program’s West African Research Association Residency. Yankah, who has established himself as a prominent and award-winning media figure in West Africa, has also been a minister in the government of Ghana, and is the founder and president of the African University College of Communication (AUCC). Additionally, Yankah has established his own marketing communications consultancy, Yankah and Associates, is currently a fellow of the Institute of Public Relations, Ghana, and has spent time as its president in the past.

Collaboration between AUCC and OU has increased in recent years with the hope of educating more OU students in communications-related majors about Africa. In the past, OU President Roderick McDavis has given a commencement speech at AUCC, and senior E.W. Scripps School of Journalism faculty member Dr. Ralph Izard has taught classes there. Additionally, the two universities signed a Memorandum of Understanding when Yankah visited the OU campus in August of 2011.

During his month-long residency, Yankah will host a public lecture series about African media issues, which will be streamed on multiple university-related websites. He will also speak to Scripps College of Communication student organizations, sit for interviews with student journalists, speak with local media about African economic and political progress, and be interviewed for the West African Research Association Bulletin.

The Glidden Visiting Professor is hosted by the African Studies Program and by the IIJ. Those organizations will combine to pay for event hospitality and incidentals for Waititu. The West African Research Association residency is sponsored by the African Studies Program, which provides housing for Yankah during his residency.

The IIJ strives to prepare students to work as international journalists and to increase overall international communication. The African Studies Program at OU is one of 10 National Resource Centers for African Studies in the U.S.

By Lindsay Boyle

The 2012 Study of the U.S. Institute (SUSI) on Journalism and Media program concluded on Aug. 17 in the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C.

The SUSI summer institute — in which scholars from all over the world come to the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University to study journalism and media — is funded by an annual renewable grant from the U.S. Department of State’s Study of the U.S. Branch in the Office of Academic Exchange Programs.

OU has successfully hosted the program for three consecutive years.

Scholar Dr. Murad Abdullah said the visits to The National Geographic and to Voice of America were his favorites. He said he especially enjoyed an exhibit at the National Geographic Museum that displayed many videos and materials about Muslim inventions and discoveries between the ninth and 11th centuries.

Abdullah said he found Voice of America to be interesting because he did not know there was a U.S. radio station devoted solely to broadcasting to the rest of the world.

“I came to know that (Voice of America) is targeting particular countries to preach and promote some of the U.S. values and principles,” he said.

Several of the scholars said that the evaluation went well, including Abdullah.

“I enjoyed the discussion with members of the State Department as they showed great concern — first, to understand the possible problems we might have encountered and, second, to take our comments seriously in order to develop the program in the coming years,” he said.

On Thursday evening, the scholars shared Ethiopian cuisine during a farewell dinner at a restaurant in Georgetown — a historic district in D.C. filled with shops, restaurants and other entertainment. Toward the end of the night, each of the scholars stood up and gave a farewell speech to an attentive audience.

During the 2012 SUSI program, two newsletters, called Global Spotlight, were created to help capture the scholars’ experiences.

To view the July issue, click here.

To view the August issue, click here.

By Lindsay Boyle

Two Nigerian scholars have spent almost three weeks in the United States learning about journalism as part of the International Journalism Educator-in-Residence Program.

The scholars, Godfrey Danaan and Taye Obateru, are both professors at the University of Jos in Nigeria. They arrived at Ohio University on July 28, and will depart for Nigeria from Washington, D.C. on August 17.

Though the program was primarily hosted at OU by the Institute for International Journalism, the residence program also included trips to Chicago, Ill. and Washington D.C.

In Chicago, Obateru and Danaan attended the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication 2012 Conference that occurred mid-August. There, they went to a variety of teaching and research panels, presentations and sessions.

Additionally, they spent five days in Washington, D.C. visiting several media outlets and cultural locations, including National Public Radio, The National Geographic, Voice of America, Smithsonian museums, national monuments and more.

The primary purposes of the residency program are to bolster the participants’ professional development, to teach them journalism techniques and to give them new tools and methods to apply to their careers.

Obateru described the program as “quite diverse” because he has had many different opportunities. Some of those included interacting with international journalism scholars who are participating in the Study of the U.S. Institute on Journalism and Media, listening to lectures from professors from various universities, and learning some digital editing techniques.

“I’ve found it very enriching,” Obateru said of the residence program. “It has broadened my horizon in terms of exposure to things and seeing new things, new situations, new circumstances.”

Danaan, who is visiting the United States for the first time, said he has enjoyed not only learning about the 2012 SUSI scholars’ diverse international perspectives, but also being able to share his own perspectives with others. 

“I’ve interacted with so many scholars who have come from all parts of the world to share what they teach and to share what they experience and practice,” he said. “To me, it is the most enriching experience I’ve had because it crosses beyond borders.”

Obateru, too, said that conversations with the 2012 SUSI scholars have been one of his favorite parts of the residence.

Both scholars expressed a desire to practice and teach what they learned at OU upon their return to Nigeria. Danaan said that he believes his students will truly benefit from his international exposure when he shares it with them.

“I know I’ve learned a lot and I’m going back with so much,” he said. “My program should be broadened in the perspectives that have been shared here.”

Obateru said that he is interested in looking into possibilities of partnerships between OU and the University of Jos.

Additionally, they each expressed a desire to one day attend the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism Ph.D. program.

“I’ve fallen in love with the school, with the facilities,” Obateru said.

Both Obateru and Danaan heard about the program from one of their colleagues, Nancy Katu-Ogundimu, who is currently a doctoral graduate student in the School of Media Arts and Studies of the Scripps College of Communication at OU.

Danaan said he was “enticed” when she explained the prospects of programs at OU. According to Danaan, she spoke with Dr. Yusuf Kalyango, Director of the Institute for International Journalism, who agreed to get Obateru and Danaan involved in the International Journalism Educator-in-Residence Program.

Because the program is a cost-share program, it was funded partly by the Institute for International Journalism at Ohio University, and partly by the University of Jos.