By: Kruah Thompson
The Ministry of Information, Culture Affairs and Tourism (MICAT) in collaboration with Journalist Hansan Kiawo, has held a one-day training session for reporters assigned at the ministry.
The training, held on Wednesday, June 28, 2023, was aimed at enhancing and promoting accurate reporting and helping reporters to understand their reportorial skills and professional development.
During the opening of the training session held in the Charles Gbeyon Conference Hall at MICAT, Information Minister Ledgerhood Rennie expressed concern about inadequate language skills demonstrated by reporters.
He emphasized the importance of journalism being a tool of expression, stating that while mistakes are inevitable, journalists should strive to be competent and well-versed in their reportorial duties.
Minister Rennie, himself a broadcast Journalist and lecturer at the University of Liberia, highlighted that when listening to the radio, it becomes apparent that many news presenters and announcers lack proficiency in their delivery and often make errors in their speech.
He noted that these individuals are given the opportunity to address a mixed audience without proper training.
He emphasized that the training session is one of many efforts aimed at addressing and improving reporters’ existing skills, whether acquired at university level, through technical training or from journalism institutions.
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He commended Journalist Hansan Kiawo for initiating the exercise, emphasizing that it is a personal initiative driven by his love for good journalism and his desire to contribute to Liberia’s media landscape.
In response, Mr. Kiawo hailed the participants for turning out in huge number.
According to him, every morning, he listens to reporters and news outlets across the country and diligently notes down their mistakes, taking the initiative to inform them about these errors.
According to him, it has become a daily routine for reporters, which is something he wants to address through training.
“This initiative is not only for reporters assigned at MICAT, but also for the country at large.” He said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kiawo called upon all reporters to strive for improvement and cultivate a sense of community service, stating that by doing so, journalism can fulfill its duty and continue to evolve.
He encouraged all reporters to practice diligently until they achieve perfection in their duties by drawing from his and Minister Renny’s own experiences during their youth.
