As the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) concludes its three-day capacity-building workshop for journalists in Bolgatanga, participants are expressing high praise for the program’s impact.
Journalists who attended the training shared their positive experiences and newfound insights.
Sarah Dubure, a participant in the training, said the workshop deepened her understanding of the importance of verifying sources and gathering information from multiple perspectives.
She highlighted the value of avoiding reliance on anonymous sources and ensuring that stories are well-rounded. “The training has been very impactful. After attending journalism school and practicing, we realized that there were still things we needed to learn. I never fully understood the importance of verifying sources. Sometimes, you write based on anonymity because people don’t want to talk. But I realized that wasn’t enough. You shouldn’t just write that. You should try to look at the context around it to ensure the story doesn’t appear vague.”
“I also learned that you must listen to the story from both sides. You can’t just hear from one side and conclude,” she added. “I’d like to say a very big thank you to the organizers and our resource persons. It was very impactful.”
George Awagalisi, General Manager of Maxx Empire FM/TV, also commended the training, emphasizing how it enriched his existing knowledge and introduced new concepts, particularly in media ethics and fact-checking.
“The program has been fantastic. Even though we were already doing some of the things covered, the additional insights have been valuable. The new concepts we learned have inspired me a lot and will help me run my programs as expected of a journalist. What particularly intrigued me was the focus on media ethics and fact-checking.”
He appreciated the sessions on chieftaincy issues, which are relevant to his work in the Bawku area. “The training covered chieftaincy issues, which are exactly what we are dealing with in the Bawku Area. If measures can be put in place to address these issues, I would be very pleased.”
Mr. Awagalisi expressed his intention to apply the knowledge gained to improve his reporting and called for similar future initiatives. “As a journalist who participated in this program, I can say it has been incredibly beneficial. We hope for more such programs in the future. Kudos to the organization, and I assure them that I will put the knowledge I’ve gained to good use when I return to my media house.”
The three-day workshop is part of activities approved under the MFWA’s project titled Promoting Fact-based and Critical Reporting in Ghana’s Electioneering Processes Through Public Interest Accountability Journalism. This project is being implemented with funding support from DW Akademie.
Source: a1radioonline.com | 101.1MHZ | Gifty Eyram Kudiabor | Bolgatanga
