WorldNet satellite broadcast to capture Nelson Mandela’s Life and Values by Janet Samson
WORLDNET, the satellite television service of the Voice of America and the United States Information, will host a live satellite broadcast on Thursday, September 24, from 9:00 am to 10:00 am. The program which will be accessible to over 200 million viewers across the English, French and Portuguese-speaking parts of the African continent and subscribers in the North American continent will also be aired on privately-owned channels and government-controlled media outlets. It is titled ‘Mandela: From prison to President’ – and will be a part of Worldnet’s ‘Africa Journal.’
One of the participants will be the Houston-based founder and publisher of USAfricaonline.com and USAfrica The Newspaper Chido Nwangwu. He will join an interactive panel of African issues experts including Dr. Robert Cummings, chairman of the African Studies program at Howard University, Washington DC., Pauline Baker, President of the Fund for Peace, international affairs consultant Joseph Sala and some editors from the South Africa Broadcasting Corporation, SABC.
Regarding the value of the live cast, Nwangwu, recipient of the Journalism Excellence Award, HABJ 1997, notes “the Worldnet broadcast sessions have the unique leverage of placing decision-makers in direct contact with professional journalists, policy analysts, and thousands of communities across the widest range of viewership across the Africa continent. It’s an honor to be invited to join to contribute my perspectives on the life of the most revered political and moral statesman of the closing years of the 20th century. Second, it’s also an opportunity to amplify the roles of Houston citizens, leaders, and businesses in supporting Mandela’s effort toward creating a better post-apartheid, democratic country. Third, since I traveled with President Clinton to parts of the African continent, including his historic visit to South Africa, and walked inside the prison in Robben Island where the racist and evil forces of apartheid jailed the freedom fighter for well over 20 years, I have come to take in a deeper appreciation of the life, unmatched courage and values of the great and very distinguished South Africa President Nelson Mandela.”
USAfricaonline.com and USAfrica The Newspaper will summarize the perspectives from the tv program which has had such guests as former U.S president Jimmy Carter, special envoy to Africa and civil rights leader the Rev. Jesse Jackson, and actress/producer of the film “Amistad” Debbi Allen.
Program producer Al Murphy notes the September 24 panel discussion/broadcast is important, for different reasons especially “as many look at Mandela as a role model for perseverance and personal struggle against all odds, he leaves a legacy that will be etched in history forever.” The live cast, he says, “will be broadcast in both English and French to both U.S Embassies and Worldnet affiliate broadcasters.”
