SADC news agency launched

Journalists across the region were discussing the launch this week of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) News Agencies Pool (SANAP). Media workers welcomed plans to strengthen news sharing in Southern Africa, but remained concerned over the independence of the proposed regional news agency, an idea that has been in pipeline since 2001. Headquartered in the Mozambican capital, Maputo, SANAP is expected to improve the dissemination of news across the region. "Previously, national news agencies had bilateral agreements with each other on news sharing but, in some cases, we find that a country may not know much about what is actually going on in a neighbouring country. A regional news hub will facilitate a greater sharing of information," Farayi Munyuki, Namibia Press Agency managing editor, told IRIN on Thursday. He added that there was currently an over-reliance on international newswires such as Reuters and Agence France Presse. While reporters agree that setting up a regional news hub would improve knowledge of the SADC and its member states, they remain cautious about the independence of the mechanism. "A regional news agency would benefit all SADC citizens; ordinary people to policy makers alike. However, such service may come up against all kinds of obstacles," commented John Mukela, executive director of the Maputo-based NSJ Southern African Media Training Trust. He explained that while some SADC countries had made significant advances in technology, which made greater information sharing possible, others lagged behind. "Apart from the technological aspect, the greatest challenge for a regional agency is to convince its users and SADC citizens of its credibility and objectivity," Mukela told IRIN. It is anticipated that SANAP will begin operating before the end of 2004.