2007年VOA标准英语-Africa's Media Summit Opens in Nigeria

By Gilbert da Costa
Abuja
12 February 2007

Africa's second international media summit has opened in Nigeria. For VOA, Gilbert da Costa reports that the three-day event hopes to evolve a mechanism¹ for addressing the widely perceived negative reporting of the continent by the international press.

Organizers say the summit will draw up a framework for Africa's image overhaul², based on far reaching strategies that tend to project Africa more positively³ to the global community.

Economic Community of West African States spokesperson Adrianne Diouf says the ultimate objective is to draw attention to happenings on the continent that hardly get a mention elsewhere.

"Our prime responsibility as African citizens is to do as much as we can to show the best of our world," she said. "It does not mean we should forget about the negative things, no. Reporting is reporting, the truth must be said."

"If there are wars, if there is famine, if there is corruption⁴, it must be told and people must know it, so that the people who have to address it, take measures to address it. But on the other hand, we have positive stories, we have success stories," she continued.

Most Western news reports on Africa have been perceived on the continent as being stereotyped⁵. Nigeria is leading the new campaign to re-brand Africa, with the recent launch of its Heart of Africa project.

The campaign aims to counter Nigeria's image abroad as a country blighted⁶ by corruption, violence, and poverty.

Analysts⁷ say, a critical drawback to telling the African story has been the lack of an indigenous⁸ African platform.

The chief executive of South Africa-based CNBC Africa, Trevor Ormerod, says the launch of his television network could forcefully project Africa in far greater depth.

He said, "CNBC Africa begins broadcasting the 1st of June from South Africa. We will be putting bureaus into Lagos, Abuja and Nairobi. And at a later stage, we will be expanding into DRC [Democratic Republic of Congo], Tanzania, and to other major African countries."

"And what we will be doing is, we will have bureau chiefs in these countries, passing positive business news back to us, and we can in turn, package and broadcast to the rest of the world from South Africa," he added.

The forum⁹ hopes to develop a watch group to monitor and create awareness¹⁰ of reporting on African images, and to manage this awareness in the international media.

The summit will also create awareness for balanced representation of Africa in the wider global community.

The Economic Community of West African States and the World Bank jointly¹¹ convened¹² the Abuja summit, which is being attended by international media professionals and government officials.

1 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

2 overhaul   

v./n.大修，仔细检查

参考例句：

• Master Worker Wang is responsible for the overhaul of this grinder.王师傅主修这台磨床。
• It is generally appreciated that the rail network needs a complete overhaul.众所周知，铁路系统需要大检修。

3 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

4 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

5 stereotyped   

adj.(指形象、思想、人物等)模式化的

参考例句：

• There is a sameness about all these tales. They're so stereotyped -- all about talented scholars and lovely ladies. 这些书就是一套子，左不过是些才子佳人，最没趣儿。
• He is the stereotyped monster of the horror films and the adventure books, and an obvious (though not perhaps strictly scientific) link with our ancestral past. 它们是恐怖电影和惊险小说中的老一套的怪物，并且与我们的祖先有着明显的（虽然可能没有科学的）联系。

6 blighted   

adj.枯萎的，摧毁的

参考例句：

• Blighted stems often canker.有病的茎往往溃烂。
• She threw away a blighted rose.她把枯萎的玫瑰花扔掉了。

7 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

8 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

9 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

10 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

11 jointly   

ad.联合地，共同地

参考例句：

• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。
• She owns the house jointly with her husband. 她和丈夫共同拥有这所房子。

12 convened   

召开( convene的过去式 )； 召集； （为正式会议而）聚集； 集合

参考例句：

• The chairman convened the committee to put the issue to a vote. 主席召集委员们开会对这个问题进行表决。
• The governor convened his troops to put down the revolt. 总督召集他的部队去镇压叛乱。