JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - A new South African Web site aims to capitalise on a potential cyber boom by offering a media-wary public the chance to become journalists themselves.
Web site "reporter.co.za" lets members of the public submit articles and pictures, which are sifted through by an editorial team and posted on its site.
The "reporter.co.za" site hopes to cash in on government plans to deregulate the telecoms sector and make the Internet more affordable in Africa's wealthiest economy, where only a handful have access to the World Wide Web.
"That will make for a wider pool of participation quite soon," said Chris Deeks, manager of digital media at Johncom, the media group behind the venture.
Deeks said in the first few months since its launch it had registered 3,000 contributors and expected that to grow to 5,000 in a "couple of months".
The government took some steps toward liberalisation last year by allowing voice over Internet and other low-cost phone services and has started talks with industry players about more such plans aimed at spreading Internet access.
Critics say cyberspace is still the preserve of the wealthy minority and have expressed doubts about the viability of a business like reporter.co.za in South Africa.
STRINGENT MEDIA
Deeks said with Johncom's backing, the venture does not need to stand on its own and would not risk going the way of so many failed media ventures in recent years.
It was banking on Johncom's strong brands, which include the respected Sunday Times and Business Day newspapers, to build its own following, he said.
"We've got very, very strong brands," he told Reuters, adding that it planned to expand its product, including one that will allow users to file stories from their cellphones.
"It will become sustainable," he added.
There are other reasons why "citizen reporting", which has taken off globally with the spread of cellphone cameras and the Internet, could fail in South Africa, analysts say.
Some 40 percent of the population are illiterate, leaving a limited readership. There is also a deep mistrust of the media in South Africa, casting a shadow on "reporter.co.za".
In a country where a majority of the population supports the ruling African National Congress party, journalists have not always had an easy time of it. Politicians have often targetted the press, accusing the largely white industry of being racist.
Deeks says this is a good sign journalists are keeping those in power accountable but said he still believes there is a role for "reporter.co.za" to play.
