A non-profit organization, Safer-Media Initiative has organized training for journalists in Abuja aimed at strengthening their watchdog role and providing them with skills to improve their investigative journalism reporting capacity.
Speaking during the event recently, the Executive Director of the organisation, Peter Iorter disclosed that the training which is done under the Collaborative Media Project of the Wole Soyinka Center for Investigative Journalism, WSCIJ, was also aimed at strengthening the capacity of journalists on in-depth reporting, accountability and inclusion of the most underrepresented voices, places and issues.
Iorter further stated that with support from MacArthur Foundation, the project among other things, aimed to “step up professional news coverage and investigative reporting, contribute to improving the sustainability capacity of journalists to perform their duty of holding government accountable as stated in the Nigerian constitution”
“Journalists trained and selected will do investigative stories on issues around water, schools, public defecation, hospital, health, infant and maternal mortality, roads, women, children, girls, farming, conflict, violence, safety, poverty, factory workers, corporation, safe working spaces, discrimination, impunity, democracy deficits, regulatory failures, weak institution, etc. Mentors will be assigned to support the selected journalists during their investigation.”
During the training, the resource person who is the head of Investigative and Data Desk at the Premium Times, Taiwo Adebayo took journalists on Investigative Reporting and Story Techniques, Development of Data Journalism for covering community, Sources handling in investigative reporting and Impact generation for Investigative Journalism.
Speaking after the training, Adebayo commended the organisers of the event for the training adding that with the feedback he has gotten, the participants have acquired more skills to help them in their investigative reporting.
One of the participants who spoke with AljazirahNigeria, Emma Okpere stated that the training has opened his eyes to many skills that would help him in becoming better in the journalism profession.
“Given my exposure as a news editor for many years, I was surprised to pick up new things from this workshop,” he said.
About 39 journalists participated in the 2-day Capacity Building Workshop with the theme: “Strengthening grassroots governance and accountability reporting.”
Source: AljazirahNews