This presentation was created for Chris Hani District in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, to explore possible uses of social media in the pursuit of the Local Government Turn Around Strategy.

1. Examples of Using Media for Advocacy Tanzania February 2010 Social Media for Government Chris Hani District Eastern Cape March 2010 Samantha Fleming [email_address]

3. What is Social Media? Definition: “ Social media are online communications in which individuals shift fluidly and flexibly between the role of audience and author . To do this, they use social software that enables anyone (no technical skills needed) to post, comment on, share content and to form communities around shared interests.” Source: http://propr.ca

4. Characteristics of Social Media Participation - encourages contributions/feedback; blurs lines between author/audience Openness - open to feedback/participation; encourages comments (no passwords) Conversation - traditional media= “broadcast” – social media = “ conversation” Community - allows communities to form and communicate quickly Connectedness – connects to other sites, resources and people Source: www.icrossing.co.uk

8. newspapers, print products (newsletters, pamphlets, books) Type of content : Text, Pictures Good for : reaching the readers – national newspapers have wide readership Challenges : can only reach literate readers; expensive to print; can be difficult to get opinion pieces into newspapers; distribution expensive and difficult to reach rural areas

9. Community radio – integrates with online strategy Type of content : Audio Good for : reaching wide listenership; especially those who won’t read about your issue elsewhere; combined in strategy with phones, can create good discussions Challenges : need equipment and broadcast capability; altho can use mobile and integrate into website

10. Website / blog Type of content : Text, Pictures, Audio, Video Good for : blog is a cheap, quick way to establish a web presence, encourage feedback and discussion, promote accountability (see below – allows citizens to track spending) Challenges : does not reach people who aren’t online, although many people access internet on their phones

11. online newsletters Type of content : Text, with links to Pictures, Audio, Video Good for : Quick and cheap to keep people informed, bring them back to your blog or website Challenges : people overloaded with information may not read your newsletter until they are convinced of value

12. Collaborating on Googledocs Type of content : Text, Good for : collaborating with different people Challenges : need to be online or mobile online

13. Collaborating on a wiki

14. Social networking - facebook Type of content : Text, Pictures, Audio, Video Good for : building constituency, sharing information, light engagement Challenges : does not reach people who aren’t online, although also available on mobile

15. Social networking – Governments using NING

16. Microblogging - twitter Type of content : Short text Good for : sharing bite-sized information; raising awareness about an issue quickly Challenges : only reaches people on twitter

17. Mapping – Haiti disaster relief Type of content : maps Good for : visual representation of an issue; uses embedded technology that lots of people have access to; allows anyone, anywhere to contribute to tracking using phones Challenges : data needs to be verified

18. Mapping – Kenya, post elections 2008

19. Idasa’s Mapping

20. Using Pictures - Flickr and Picasa Type of content : pictures Good for : “a picture is worth 1000 words” – pictures have big impact and can tell your story for you Challenges : need internet access and digital camera or cellphone

21. Using Videos - Youtube and others Type of content : videos Good for : big impact with short videos saying much more than text documents; people can tell their stories which provide a very powerful message Challenges : need bandwidth to share them; need to be comfortable with cellphone or video equipment to make and edit clips

22. Integrating Phones and video – the power of mobile to tell a story Type of content : text, pictures, audio, video Good for : easiest way to reach the most number of people – many people have access to a phone Challenges : sending anything more than text (SMS) can be expensive; managing databases of mobile numbers

23. Using “chat” on mobile phones to get young people talking - MXIT Type of content : text Good for : reaching young people where they are at Challenges : marketing can be expensive

24. Recap of Types of Media Media Good for … Challenges Newspapers, print newsletters, books, pamphlets reaching the readers – national newspapers have wide readership only reach literate readers; expensive to print; difficult to get space for opinion pieces; distribution expensive and difficult to reach rural areas Community Radio reaches wide listenership; especially those who won’t hear about your issue elsewhere; combined in strategy with phones, can create good discussions need equipment and broadcast capability; altho can use mobile and integrate into website website/blog blog is a cheap, quick way to establish a web presence, encourage feedback and discussion does not reach people who aren’t online, although mobile wordpress now making blogs available on mobile phones Email Quick and cheap to keep people informed, bring them back to your blog or website people overloaded with info, may not read your newsletter until they are convinced of value Wiki / googledocs Good for collaboration in groups need to be online or mobile online Social networks building constituency, sharing information, light engagement does not reach people who aren’t online, although also available on mobile ; facebook can be heavy to download Microblogging e.g. twitter sharing bite-sized information; raising awareness about an issue quickly, good if your donors on twitter only reaches people on twitter; not available via SMS anymore Maps visual representation of an issue; uses embedded technology that lots of people have access to; allows citizens to contribute to tracking using phones data needs to be verified Video BIG impact with short videos more hard-hitting than text documents; people can tell their stories which provide a very powerful message need bandwidth to share them; need to be comfortable with cellphone or video equipment to make and edit clips Pictures “ a picture is worth 1000 words” – pictures have big impact and can tell your story for you need internet access and digital camera or cellphone Phone, sms easiest way to reach the most number of people – many people have access to a phone sending anything more than text (SMS) can be expensive; managing databases of mobile numbers

31. How does it work? H2S test positive at site: Centane - borehole. Please respond The test is positive, but I have no chlorine AREA WATER MANAGER I will send someone with chlorine. For now, advise People to boil their water ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL

32. How does social media fit with LGTAS? In December 2009, Cabinet approved the Local Government Turnaround Strategy (LGTAS)

35. thank you more at www.idasa.org [email_address] 08-265-265-42