Antonia Fernanda Lima Onofre, Journalist at Various Outlets in Angola

AFLO: I have a personal blog and one day I got an email from Paula Góes – one of the editors of Global Voices Online. She saw my blog and asked me if I wanted to be a volunteer for GV because they didn’t have anyone to write about Angola. I said yes right away and am very happy to be part of Global Voices (GV).

NF: How do you balance your job, family, etc., in your online journalism career?

AFLO: I’m not married and have no kids, so I’m only worried about my career. And yes, I can balance my personal and professional life with my online journalism activity very well. This is how I do it: whenever I have the time, I try to write something for GV. Normally I try to write for GV once a month, but sometimes it’s impossible.

NF: How do you view blogging and online journalism?

AFLO: I believe those are different things and I’ll speak for myself. For me, writing on my blog is a personal thing. It’s almost like a journal. But online journalism is totally different because although I put my soul in it, I have to be direct and choose no sides. I’m there only to show readers what’s happening in my country, so there’s nothing personal in it.

NF: Have you experienced any gender issues in online journalism?

AFLO: Never and I don't think that's an issue. I mean, women are capable of doing everything, aren’t they? I do believe that regarding online journalism, there are no genders. And this goes for all careers in this beautiful world of ours.

NF: Is your online journalism is read/viewed internationally? Are there certain regions that view your work more than others?

AFLO: Yes. Everybody from around the world reads and can view my online journalism or Global Voices online journalism. That’s the point of this organization. I am not aware of what specific regions view my work, but I know people from all around the globe visit GV all the time. But I know that Angolan people living in Angola or outside the country visit my work. I know this because of the comments I receive in my e-mail.

NF: What do students need to learn in order to find careers in online journalism?

AFLO: I believe they must have a clear domain on Internet tools or at least know basic stuff (like myself). Other things are being objective and impartial. A journalist cannot be tendentious. You are there to share information with others, not to express your point of view.

NF: What is the future for online journalism?

AFLO: I believe online journalism is on the right path. It’s a great way to reach a lot of people. It’s a fantastic way to let people know what’s going on next to them or in a distant place we haven’t even heard about.

I also think that maybe one day online journalism will replace traditional journalism. I mean, someday we won’t be able to buy newspapers or magazines in the street. And this is a shame because I like to feel the paper on my fingers and smell the odor of a fresh magazine, especially if I’m with a cup of coffee relaxing on my favorite terrace.

NF: What are some of the most interesting stories you have come across or written?

AFLO: I was proud when I wrote about the historical elections we had in Angola. And I was proud because everything went peacefully when everyone including me was thinking the opposite. The results of these elections weren’t the best, but that is another story.

NF: What are some of the differences when writing/editing a story for online publications vs. print publications?

AFLO: I do not edit stories, I only write them and I see no differences.

NF: What are some of the most prominent stories that have been discussed in the news recently regarding the country/region you are from? Do you think Americans are as aware of these circumstances as they should be?

AFLO: There are many stories. Newspapers are focusing on a murder case called “Frescura” in which the police killed innocent people. Police members were taken to justice but nothing is happening.

Also, and this is good, the national airline (TAAG) started from today to fly directly to Mozambique – a beautiful country, I must add. There’ll be three flights per week.

I don’t believe Americans are aware of what’s happening in Angola or even in Africa and that is a shame because we all should be informed about what’s running in the world. I know I like to know about everything. It’s a matter of conscience.

NF: What type of relationship do the government and press have in your country/region? Are there any issues with censorship or touchy subjects that many journalists choose not to discuss?

AFLO: This is a very good question. The relationship between Angolan government and local press is estranged. We have one state newspaper and the other ones (about six or seven) are private. Many journalists were killed by the government especially during times of war. Private newspapers are doing a great job because they expose the negative aspects of the system. And believe me, this system is immersed in corruption, greed, blindness and lack of desire to improve the life of the Angolan population. I’m very proud of my peers for they do touch the tainted wound we live in.

NF: How do you define a journalist? Do you feel they need to be qualified by means of a higher education or is experience more important? Is it a mix of both?

AFLO: For me, a good journalist is the one who has the ability to touch people. Is a person who shares the information without choosing parts and still has the capacity to make people think and question the environment they’re in. And of course, the journalist must be intelligent and a good storyteller, after all that’s what journalism is all about, isn’t it?

It’s very important to have a higher education, of course. But is that all? I don’t think so. Experience is a tremendous aspect and cannot be neglected. Yes, a mix of both, it’s much better. Most Angolan journalists, and I mean the eldest, have no higher education. They learned everything by working on the field.

NF: What do you think are the top three things that make a good online journalist?

AFLO: I believe the top three things are the same as for a journalist working on traditional media: honesty, being a good storyteller and impartiality.

Interviewee: Antonia Fernanda Lima Onofre (Clara Onofre)
Antonia Fernanda Lima Onofre was born in Angola, but grew up in Portugal. She considers Portugal her hometown and loves the city of Lisbon. She had a rough life in Portugal because it was hard finding a fulfilling job and she had some financial struggles, but she considers it a wonderful experience, nonetheless. After 25 years of living in Europe, she returned to Angola and she was able to see things more critically and realized that each country in this world is different and thinks that people just need to adapt themselves. Onofre comes from a big family with many cousins. Currently, she lives with her parents, three sisters and two dogs. She did not attend a university. Rather, her life in the real world began when she was 19 years old and was preparing to attend college. Life ended up having other plans for her so she quit school and started working in order to survive. Her older sister was once a journalist, but that’s not what inspired her. At the time, she never thought she’d be working as a journalist. She actually wanted to be a teacher. However, she always had a passion for writing. She became involved in journalism through a good friend from Portugal. He asked her to work with him because he knew about her passion for words. She decided to try and learn as much as she could by reading books and working in the field. For five years, she worked for Austral Magazine, property of the Angolan Airlines. She has also been working for a year and a half for Global Voices Online (http://globalvoicesonline.org/) as a contributor. She also has her own personal blog. On the Web, she goes by “Clara Sakura” sometimes. She chose this because her parents call her Clara at home and Sakura is the word for “cherry tree” in Japanese and is her favorite tree. At this point in her life, she is working on an agricultural project for the government. The company has an internal journal, Ecos, which she writes for. She has been there for about a year and she feels that it is a great opportunity because she is able to be part of something that is important for the country.

Interviewer: Nawaar Farooq
Nawaar Farooq was born in Knoxville, TN in 1986, but her family moved quite a bit within the United States when she was younger. She lived in California, Illinois, and is settled in Iowa for now. Her hometown is West Union, Iowa, a quaint town in Northeast Iowa. She comes from a small family. Her parents are from Bangladesh and she has one sister and two dogs, all of which she loves dearly. Farooq is currently working on her master’s degree in journalism and mass communication at The University of Iowa. She received her B.A. in journalism and mass communication and psychology with a minor in religious studies from the University of Iowa in 2008. Additionally, Farooq works as a portrait photographer at a photography studio, where she has worked for three years. She plans on working as a publication designer and/or a photojournalist for a magazine in the future. She is particularly interested in South Asian studies and civil rights. She is interested in gender and mass communication because it is an important subject to be familiar with as a minority female journalist. One has to know about the struggles both women and minorities faced in the field of journalism (as well as other fields) to fully appreciate the rights they have today. It is also important to note that although much progress has been made, there is still a lot more to accomplish.

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