Avoid irresponsible reporting, media practioners advised
July 20, 2015 (JUBA) – South Sudan government has advised media practitioners to avoid irresponsible journalism, stressing the capability to accelerate any given situation.
He was speaking at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA)-sponsored training aimed building South Sudan capacity and strengthening skills of young practitioners, through photography and conflict sensitive reporting.
Aleer urged journalists attending the basic photo journalism training to always exhibit professionalism and avoid irresponsible reporting.
The media should exercise fairness, balance and objectivity, becoming an agent of change as the industry is a key institution in public awareness creation, sensitisation, education, entertainment and dissemination of social, economic and developmental projects and programs, he stressed.
Lydiah Gachungi, UNESCO’s communication and information specialist said the 12-day training would mainly be conducted in two phases.
“The objective of the training is building and strengthening skills of photojournalists and media personnel in expert photography and conflict sensitive reporting,” she told participants at the training.
At least 20 journalists from different media outlets are attending the event.
“The second phase of this training will be a one month regional training on photojournalism which is foreseen to take place in Ethiopia, in October 2015, aimed at promoting South-South exchange and also provide a providing a platform for journalists from different countries to share good practices”, said Gachungi.
Histories of photography, best practices in digital photojournalism, photo essay development, photography as a profession in a conflict country, computer skills in editing photos using digital software and ethics in photojournalism are areas to be tackled.
(ST)
