Citizen journalists use #EgyptDecides
VOA and its international broadcast partners are enhancing coverage of events surrounding Egypt’s runoff presidential election on June 16 th and 17th by harnessing the power of citizen journalists, Facebook, Twitter, mobile phones, tablets and Instagram.
Working in cooperation with Radio Sawa and Alhurra television, VOA is inviting Egyptian students and freelance journalists around the country to post images and reports to the Twitter hashtag #Egyptdecides and a special EgyptDecides Facebook page.
Hundreds of people have already signed up to take part in the social media project.
Editors at VOA’s MiddleEastVoices.com have been working with their partners to expand opportunities for young people and citizen journalists to comment on Egyptian hopes for the election and the future of the country.
Pictures, descriptions of events and personal stories are being posted on the VOA social media sites and on the VOANews.com website.
All content is reviewed at the VOA headquarters in Washington, before it is curated and posted as multimedia “social streams.”
In addition to the social media efforts, VOA’s correspondents are working with their Radio Sawa and Alhurra partners on radio and television coverage of the presidential runoff election, and the latest Supreme Court ruling on the Egyptian parliament.