West African Journalists Hone Their Skills in Internet Reporting
By Staff writer
BAMAKO---A three-day training workshop on Journalism, Internet and Information Communications Technology for Development, convened Wednesday in Bamako’s Azalai Grand Hotel in the centre of the Malian capital under the auspices of the West African Journalists Association (WAJA).
More than 30 West African journalists have been present during the training aiming at improving the capacity and awareness of journalists of the region on ICTs as they relate to their work in the greater national and regional development.
The process is a training of trainers work, at the end of which, it is envisaged the beneficiaries will be used to extend the expertise to the wider West Africa region through a series of in-country training programmes.
At the official launch of the workshop, WAJA President Muhamed Garba said in a brief statement, “This is an activity that dwells on an area of deep concern for me personally and the Association in particular - capacity building of the media in West Africa in the area of ICTs.”
Malian ministries of Communications and Information Technology, and Foreign Affairs as well as the ECOWAS Commission representatives were among dignitaries present during the launch.
Mr Garba stressed that his organization was also greatly concerned that a majority of West African journalists were unaware of the many impacts, advantages and disadvantages of this technological surge.
“We also anticipate that this session which brings together 23 (regional) and 10 national participants who at the end of this workshop will serve as trainers will help strengthen the leading role which WAJA has played and continues to play in defence of and the protection of journalists,” he said.
The ECOWAS Commission financed training programme illustrates WAJA’s recognition of the dire need for the training and awareness raising of editors, journalists and media owners in this area, and the “unstoppable development and mushrooming” of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs).
WAJA, started operation in 2006 in Bamako. It has conducted a series of capacity building trainings for media practitioners in the ECOWAS region and Mauritania as well as enhancing existing infrastructure of media institutions within the WAJA member countries, as part of an overall agenda of equipping the media to enable it partake in crucial regional development efforts.
The main objective of this latest training is to improve capacity and awareness of journalists on reporting techniques for web, concepts of internet safety and web 2.0.
“With 35 trained journalist trainers in the area of ICTs, we hope to raise the capacity and awareness of journalists on internet reporting skills and internet security, create a pool of national journalist (ICT) in-country trainers, use ICTs as a tool to equip West African journalists to work more effectively…” the WAJA president reiterated.