Preparing next generation and early career journalists/broadcasters is essential if the future of Africa media landscape narrative must be improved. The media industry’s demand keeps changing and it will take adequate preparation and enhanced capacity development of practitioners to be able to play in the new media game field.
On Friday October 20, 2023, Africa Foundation for Young Media Professionals (AFYMP) collaborated with Union of Campus Journalists, University of Benin, Edo state to train about 25 of its members, as well as some Mass communications students on “Reporting for impact”. This training covers vital rudiments of impact reporting, fact checking, research and content development, safety, professional ethics among others
While welcoming participants, the President of Union of Campus Journalists, University of Benin chapter, Odabi Collins, praised the effort of AFYMP for such a well-planned event and consideration for the chapter. In his words “We are glad that AFYMP considers such partnership which is geared at enhancing capacity of its members and encourages members to maximise as well as advantage of the knowledge to be shared as well as put such into use in the professional practice”.
The webinar on “Reporting for Impact” was facilitated by Yinka Olaito, the Executive Director of AFYMP. In his talk, Yinka Olaito set the tone of the webinar by first identifying salient factors that are essential in reporting. He said, beyond just having a by-line, every story must be focused on making an impact and not just to have the name of the writer attached for popularity’s sake.
Yinka Olaito said the first stage is to know the ‘Why of the story’, this must be followed by putting on a professional cap so as to follow all known professional ethics as not to fall into error. This will also require that the emotion of the journalist is removed to tell the story as it is without any personal colouration or biases.
In writing an ethical story, all information must be fact-checked as misleading information can cause more damage than intended. Beyond all the rhetoric’s, Yinka Olaito brought out several cases studies of published articles, broadcast programmes, x-rayed the content and analysed the impact or otherwise of the stories.
The question and answer time saw participants raising their concerns, challenges as well as what best way can they learn through the rope. Some of the participants asked for further personal mentorship and how they could begin their journey. Since AFYMP has a major news platform, an online newspaper- Nigeria grassroot news (www,nigeriagrassrrootnew.com) participants who want to up their games are encouraged to apply as freelance journalists of the platform.
The two-hour session, which had some participants sharing the same device to attend, ended on a high tone of appreciation for the AFYMP team for such an enlightening session which prepared participants for their future of professional practice.
