1. ECHOES POLYTECHNIC NEWS SERVICE ELECTION SPECIAL EDITION
Presented by…
Anne M.Suess, BA Journalism & Communication Technology 2nd Yr, PoN

2. What it was all about…
The Special Election Edition built on the 2004 Echoes project that aimed to provide the mainstream media with unique perspectives around the Namibian election.
In addition,the 2009 project built a news agency and meant to provide mainstream media with print, audio, audio visual and online content.
The news content was then wired out via the Namibian Press Agency.

3. The students and Gender Links
The students of the Polytechnic of Namibia also provided The Namibian with a weekly page focusing on elections between September and November 2009.
Gender was mainstreamed in all content that was produced by the news service.
The initiative linked up with the Gender Links local governmentment project.

4. Cont. 1
Eradication of extreme poverty and hunger
Goal 2
Achieving universal primary education
Goal 8
Developing a global partnership for development
The local government project worked closely with local councils to monitor progress made in mainstreaming gender and to develop a plan to address gender violence at a local level.
Workshops with ten local councils were held in: Walvis Baai, Swakopmund, Arandis, Karasburg, Keetmanshoop, etc.
Goal 3
Promoting gender equality
Goal 7
Ensuring environmental sustainability
Goal 6
Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria etc. 4

5. Cont.
Student journalists accompanied Gender Links local government facilitators on these trips and used them as an opportunity to interview people about the elections.
The stories gathered views and perspectives of voters and also showed their needs in terms of good governance, economic issues, gender violence, HIV and AIDS, as well as other key issues.

6. Objectives
To establish a student multimedia news service offering print, radio, television and online content before, during and after the Namibian elections.
To provide students with a platform to acquire practical journalistic skills
To provide citizens in communities with the opportunities to make their voices heard

7. Objectives cont.
To increase issue based coverage of the elections as opposed to event driven coverage
To increase the number of women sources in election coverage in the media
To mainstream gender in election coverage
To empower women politicians to engage more with the media
To contribute towards sustaining the Echoes News Service 7

8. Outputs Print and Multimedia Stories Wire Service for mainstream media
A page in the mainstream media every week
Personal accounts of participants
Monitoring data
Ca. 20 trained journalists 8

9. Outcomes Election coverage included gender perspectives
Substancial increase of female voices in election coverage
Perspectives of ordinary citzens added to public discourse of elections
Students will understand how journalism profession works
Students engaged with the importance of gender perspectives and women‘s voices in stories

10. Thank you