The BBC World Debate panel.

Mwenda criticised the tendency of Western journalists to 'behave like scavengers of disaster' and of the lost opportunities – in business and development - this negative stereotyping creates.

Debate
Joining Andrew Mwenda on stage, the panel consisted of Carl Bernstein, legendary investigative journalist and author, Sergey Brin the co-founder of Google, Dan Gilbert, Harvard Psychologist and Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan.

The debate was recorded live at the annual TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) conference in California, on February 27th.

TED is a four-day gathering of thinkers and doers, bringing together the founders of most of the leading dotcoms, entrepreneurs, film stars, movie producers, architects, scientists, authors and musicians. It has been nicknamed 'the fun Davos'.

Chris Anderson, the dynamic TED curator, spoke about what drives him and the event.

'I buy the theory that a combination of media, technology, economic growth and connectivity are creating the background forces that promote greater empathy among different people.'

Read Chris's blog online

	WST Director, Stephen King

Stephen King, BBC World Service Trust Director, welcomed a packed auditorium and told delegates ('TEDsters') that the debate would be viewed by a global audience of 85 million people.

The media, he reminded delegates has a powerful role to play. 'In elections for instance, and I don't mean the current US coverage, I'm thinking of Kenya, the media has a critical role – for good and ill – in influencing public opinion and reporting unfolding events.'

Celebrity heckling

A technical hitch at the start of recording saw Hollywood's Robin Williams' unexpected arrival in stage to ad lib (he'd begun with good-natured heckling from the back and nervous looks from presenter Matt Frei before he realised who his stellar heckler actually was). Matt Frei, the presenter of BBC World News America, and World Debate chair, had the unenviable task of reclaiming the stage, and the audience, from the filmstar.

Once underway the debate explored the multiple ways we now receive news, through platforms such as; websites, mobiles, newspapers, TV and radio.

Journalist, Andrew Mwenda noted that global news rarely covers Africa and when it does the focus in on 'famine, war and disease', with 'journalists behaving like scavengers of disaster'.

Carl Bernstein, who subscribes to a daily news alert on Kenya, agreed that coverage of Africa was poor and suggested that the role of a journalist is to act as a filter, sifting the growing information available. ‘We need new portals, this might be a website, newspaper or an NGO, that can aggregate the best of what we’ve got. We need to use the best of old media standards about ethics and reporting and apply them to the new media world.’

Andrew Mwenda said that he felt the benefits of new media have outweighed the costs as it has brought information closer to many more people and it is restricting governments' ability to undermine democracy.

He spoke of the rising use of mobile phones. When challenged about the use of mobiles in Kenya to target opponents and spread violence, he admitted that while not all new media was good, access to information is key.

Sergei Brin, co-founder of Google, agreed, noting the invaluable use of mobiles for farmers in the developing world seeking information about market prices.

In conclusion Matt Frei asked his guests if new media had made the world a better place?

Mwenda thinks so: 'Yes, in terms of interaction, participation and suporting democracy. Even the last person in the last village now has more information than they used to.'

For a more detailed account of the debate, read

Ethan Zuckerman's TED blog

The BBC World Debate will be broadcast in March, details will be posted when the times are confirmed.

Images courtesy of Andrew Heavens and TED.