SOFJ Movie Review

What do you get when a British Television Personality and a resigned US President sit down to discuss conspiracy and foreign policy? The SOFJ found out during a class field trip to the cinema.

Frost/Nixon, directed by Ron Howard and written by Peter Morgan, is based on the 1977 television interviews between David Frost and Richard Nixon concerning Nixon's presidency and the Watergate scandal. While there is debate on the historical accuracy of the theatrical performance, the lessons learned by aspiring journalists, such as the importance of preparation and maintaining direction of the interview, remain intact.

Throughout the film the team of Nixon advisors coach the former president on possible directions of questions and responses. Meanwhile, the Frost Team researches and studies every move Nixon made as president and tries to nail him in a much anticipated confession of wrong-doing. While Frost loses the grip on the interview in the first sessions, allowing Nixon to take control and dodge the real issues, he regains control in the last bit and . . . you'll have to watch for yourself to find out!

All in all we give the movie and good mark for entertainment, and a great mark for usefulness (and fun) for a School of Field Journalism!

--
Darcie

The X files

Based on an interview with SOFJ student, Xetsha Hlongwane, from Zimbabwe.

Xetsha , or "X" as we like to call him, came to the SOFJ from Zimbabwe, where his family still lives. Amidst political instability, humanitarian crisis and experiencing the bias of local newspapers, X looked for a chance to build his skills and abilities of communication to help his parents and community.

"I was disgusted about the way local journalists would report," X explains, "For example, with cholera, the papers wouldn't have anything. Thousands would die and they wouldn't say anything. I thought if I could be a writer myself I could write about issues that affect people."

X comes from a family that supports orphans in Zimbabwe. His parents run a home in a small community taking care of about 80 orphans and children. Before coming to Muizenberg he was part of communicating the needs of the ministry to donors and sponsors. While thousands have fled his home country, X says his parents just couldn't
leave. "I love Cape Town, it is a great place to be, but it will never be home. There will always be that element that misses home."

The church in Zimbabwe is attempting to be a safe place for the people and address issues facing the country, X says what keeps them going is faith and prayer. "It is difficult to address issues that are illegal. For example, border jumping. . . it is not right, but people don't have options. [What they do] it's their only source of income." Pastors in Zimbabwe are finding it difficult to address the issues like not having proper travel documents and money laundering without leading people to be jobless and starving. In addition, X explains that all pastors have to pray before teaching and be well versed with the law, "You really have to be led by God and rely on Him because you never know who would be listening and there is so much you just can't say."

"We are just hoping," says X, "there is hope in the people."
Xetsha is considering doing more studies in communication in the future.

Darcie Nolan

On the Beat

SOFJ took to the streets of Cape Town this week. The assignment? Cover an annual Pro-Life demonstration downtown. With notebooks, questions and cameras, students boarded a train Friday morning at False Bay Station and set out, ready to put to practice classroom teaching on interviewing, photography, slants and newsworthiness.

The National Day of Repentance is held yearly to bring awareness and protest the legalization of abortion in South Africa, which happened February 1, 1997. This year, organizers staged a solemn funeral procession through downtown Cape Town, ending at the Parliamentary Gates in a Prayer Vigil. Students of the SOFJ met with coordinators, participants and onlookers, took photos of the event, and wrote both a
news article and an editorial piece on what they saw.

SOFJ Staff Member, Adam Jeske, commented, "After four weeks in the classroom adrift on theory, they did a great job out in the swirl of real life, producing some quality stories and images."

The coming weeks in the SOFJ hold more practical experience as students begin to tackle investigative journalism practices. Students will work with a team to research and investigate an issue pertaining to South Africa. At week's end, presentations from each group will be used to decide which topic goes on to be made into a documentary piece, which a magazine feature piece and which an internet blog piece.