The influence of the Internet has drastically changed the media landscape, often to the detriment of print newspapers. Globalization has been fueled by technology. Apart from the role that is being played by traditional media, new media is now leading this new era of globalization and knowledge. The sudden changes brought about by the Internet and new media has left many old media organizations behind in many parts of the world as well as Tanzania. The media realm is ever- changing and journalism has to adapt to be able to flourish and go with the current pace. Professionals in journalism and mass communications have to confront a new and still evolving media landscape.
Accessing digital news is a rapidly growing custom for readers, viewers and listeners and the media industry is changing the patterns of dissemination. While there is an increase of internet users and online consumers in Tanzania, professional digital media is growing at a very slow pace especially for the female journalists. There are several factors such as lack of digital skills but generally the digital environment has made female journalists more for they are increasingly being singled out and attacked on the Internet especially when they are free to express themselves.
The identified context above is one of the factors for Tech & Media Convergency programs in Digital Skills. Tech & Media Convergency will be able to train these 60 female journalists on this Digital Literacy project as a partner of Boresha Habari funded by USAID. The project aims at capacity building on topic themes such as Digital Platforms, Digital Storytelling, Introduction to Digital Skills for journalists, Introduction to Data in Media, Introductions to Cyber laws and Regulations, Introductions to Digital Security and Introduction for opportunities online for female digital journalists.
These identified thematic topics are basic requirements for most of the journalists in Tanzania. While most of these women professionals are attached to Media houses and a few of them freelancers, these sessions will instill an awareness and need for them to use the online space to tell their stories of impact through several sessions as mentioned below. Tech & Media Convergency is already works in such an initiatives and has already trained 32 participants for 2021 through the Women at Web Tanzania project funded by DW Akademie which is supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development,
For sustainability, We have programmed the digital skills training by having an introductory orientation session through a Focus Group Discussion approach, that focuses on building on enhancing of understanding the need, the opportunities, the self-dedication associated with the digital skills training in a way it would prepare the mind of the journalist to fully embrace imparted skills from the offline and online space.