American Public Media's Public Insight Network® (PIN) is honored to welcome the Mail & Guardian in Johannesburg, South Africa as its first international newsroom partner.
"Media plays an essential role in addressing and exposing the top issues confronting communities, and the Mail & Guardian has long proven this with their groundbreaking news coverage," said Joaquin Alvarado, senior vice president of digital innovation at APM. "PIN's crowd-sourcing format will allow the people of South Africa to engage more fully in the news making process, by providing a platform for them to share their insight and expertise."
"In a country and continent where the voices of people on the ground are too often marginalised, PIN represents an exciting opportunity for the Mail & Guardian," says Verashni Pillay, Mail & Guardian deputy online editor. "Already we are seeing responses pouring in, in keeping with the international trend of bringing audiences closer to the news production process. Article ideas have taken on a new hue, with the possibility of multiple sourcing from people we would not ordinarily have had such easy access to. We're looking forward to the varied stories and voices PIN will help bring to the Mail & Guardian."
The Mail & Guardian has a rich history in South Africa, and was one of the leading opponents of apartheid in the 1980s and 1990s. Today, the paper is a must-read for anyone interested in South African politics, including key foreign policy decision-makers in Washington, London and Brussels.
Recently, the paper has become well known for its investigative reporting, particularly into corruption. The Mail & Guardian's Centre for Investigative Journalism (MGCIJ) went live in April 2010. A first in South Africa, it is a non-profit center mandated to develop investigative journalism in the public interest. It aims to do so by producing deeper investigative stories and advancing the journalistic profession through internships and advocacy.
