ANIC is looking for ideas that will transform the way that African media work. This means that your idea should offer significant and tangible improvements to existing tools or techniques, or should propose new ways for African journalists to gather news, tell stories, engage with audiences, or sustain media organisations.
Ideas that have the potential to be replicated or that could scale continentally will have an advantage.
Vipicha aims to analyse huge data collections in Africa, including Open Data and present this information as easily understood graphics.
Yes, lots of publications, including afrographique. Vipicha aims to go further by collecting data on key issues, analysing it and giving a general overview.
A lot of data has been generated and stored. News mostly focuses on a small aspect of the data. In addition, some of the data never makes it to the news due to the huge effort required to make it news coupled with the short shelf life of news items.
An image is often described as representing a thousand words, due to the ease many are able to understand one. Vipicha analyses data to come up with significant information bits and patterns that are able to summarise what is normally pages of data. The summarized information bits and patterns are then presented as a single infographic.
The solution works as thousands of pages of data turn into a single, readable article. Information constricted to archives and only accessed by experienced researchers will now be easily accessible to many. Such information will form an important background in decision making
I have been currently working on the project with my role as a data collector, analyst and directing production of the infographics.
A skilled graphics designer is required to come up with the infographic. Most of the designers approached so far have declined to take up the project due to the current low pay.
Programmers are also needed to come up with applications to present the information on PCs and mobile devices in a manner that prevents unauthorised reuse and also enables access in low end Internet enabled devices.
None so far.
Some data on road traffic accidents has already been analysed and presented as infographic, though this required to be redone due to various inconsistencies. The Kenya Police has already agreed to aid in provision of data.
A second infographic on data abstracted from GSMA on Mobile Money use in 50 countries also remains undone due to lack of a graphic designer.
Infographics will be reproduced by relevant media agencies around the world at a fee. Adverts may also be featured on the applications and within the infographic as a banner.
Additional sources of revenues will see infographics sold at a lower price for use in re-use in professional presentations.
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