Community journalists gather in Johannesburg

To date more than 150 journalists have applied for membership, with the organization gradually taking on a non-racial profile. A proposal on membership fees will be debated at the AGM.

A new Mancom will be elected with the chairperson being directly elected from the floor and a secretary and treasurer chosen at the first Mancom meeting. Delegates will elect regional representatives for Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape, KwazuluNatal, Western Cape, North West and Free State.

The national seminar this year dovetails with the programme of the Association of Independent Publishers (AIP) who are hosting several workshops. The FCJ has invited three speakers to address issues of ethics, media and democracy and approaches to the forthcoming local elections.

The FCJ is gearing up to consolidate its relationship with the AIP and community newspapers represented in the Newspaper Association of South Africa (NASA) and plans to forge closer links with SANEF, the Ombudsman's office and other industry bodies.