info@penplusbytes.org

Publications

Data Journalism in Ghana

 

The concept of Data Journalism in Ghana is very much in its infant stage though the practice is gaining significant grounds among practitioners over the last few years. The effort to speed up the process for Journalists and media especially to take up and build this skill is however commendable. The call for in depth reporting of developmental issues prompted rapid training workshops for journalists across the country where Ghanaian data experts have drawn training curtains on Data Journalism in the past years to better inform and educate citizenry. This notwithstanding, organizations such as Penplusbytes stands out as one of the foremost bodies to whip life into data journalism practice. This paper study focuses on data journalism as an essential field to be explored by the Ghanaian media in order to enhance accuracy and professionalism in their field of work.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE 2013 KENYA GENERAL ELECTIONS

 

Social Media is almost as powerful as the traditional media such as radio, television and print media in terms of reaching a larger audience. Social Media, from the least common ones like flickr, digg, upcoming, Technorati, MySpace, to the most popular ones like Youtube, Facebook and Twitter were actively used during Kenya’s 2013 elections by various candidates in the bid to relay campaign messages and rally supporters. This study which focuses on the role of social media in Kenya’s 2013 elections and its implications on African elections, highlights effective monitoring bodies such as the Umati and Uchaguzi among other Apps whose main work was to monitor social media platforms against provocative and inflammatory postings with the potential to incite violence.

#HackAgainstEbola Final Report

 

#HackAgainstEbola is a campaign by the Global Editors Network from November 2014 to January 2015 in Ghana, Senegal, and Nigeria. The goal of the campaign was to fund the development of online and mobile tools by local journalists to tackle and prevent Ebola from spreading.

MOBILE APPLICATION FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE IN GHANA: ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN AND OPPORTUNITY

 

Ghana has a vibrant mobile development landscape as a result of increase in growth and interest among young developers. One challenge among many Ghanaian app developers however, is the difficulty to identify and create opportunities for public participation in governance, and to develop apps that engage citizens in more exciting ways. This paper seeks to identify the gaps in the landscape of mobile application in the area of good governance and democracy, make recommendations and catalyze the development of mobile applications to advance the cause.

GAMES FOR DEVELOPMENT IN GHANA

 

The development of electronic games in Africa is rapidly growing and this growth is fueled by the popularity of mobile phones and climbing internet penetration. This publication explores the dynamics of Games development and it's prospect for Ghana's development.

Emergent Confrontational Political Subculture: A content Analysis of Media Coverage of Violence of the 2012 General Elections in Ghana

 
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Established on the 18th of July 2001 as a non-profit organisation, Penplusbytes is committed to enhancing governance by deepening citizen’s participation through ICT. Penplusbytes’ overarching philosophy is that establishing effective working relationships with governments, parliaments, corporate organisations, donors, international organisations, non-profits organisations and citizens is the key to being relevant and delivering value.

The organisation currently organises its work around three thematic areas namely;

  1. Extractives (Mining, Oil and Gas)
  2. New Media and Innovations and
  3. The use of New Digital Technologies to drive Good Governance and Transparency.

Vision:

To be the leading institution for promoting effective governance using technology in Africa.

Mission:

Promoting effective governance by deploying technology that enhances participation. 

Strategy:

Click to download the doc: Penplusbytes Strategic Plan 2016-2021 

Values:  

The values and guiding principles that are promoted and staff of Penplusbytes must epitomise includes:

  • PROFESSIONALISM:  We are committed to excellence in providing the best possible services to our clients in a responsive and non-partisan way. We favour a collaborative approach in order to achieve sustainable results and added value.  
  • INGENUITY:  We seek and embrace new approaches for service delivery and strive to develop innovative solutions to address the challenges faced by our clients, while leveraging the experience, expertise and creativity of our staff and partners.
  • VALUING PEOPLE: We are respectful and fair with our colleagues, clients and partners while recognizing the importance of diversity and open communication.
  • HIGH STANDARDS:  We aim for excellence in service delivery and in all the work that we or our partners commit to do. We constantly apply new learning to the way we do things and apply resources to achieving outstanding results every time.
  • TRANSPARENCY:  We are transparent and accountable in the work that we do, applying the highest level of integrity and trust in dealing with all of our partners and clients. We accept individual and team responsibility for our actions and for the results of our projects and programs.
  • Promoting media pluralism and good governance in Africa using new digital technologies.