By Pedmia Shatu Tita
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| Family Photograph |
This National Journalist training is organized by NewSETA on the theme: Media Peace and Election to run from today October 22 in Yaounde, at Yaahot Hotel. The workshop pulls together over 50 Journalists from different Media organs across the National territory to fine tune their capacities on Peace and Election reporting.
For a week, these media experts will treat issues around Data journalism and fact checking, Ethics in Journalism, cardinal principles for a journalist, practical case studies practicing Ethics in Journalism, the stakes and challenges of fair reporting, Media and Elections, Digital Security and big data, Regulating hate speech and fake news, Corruption in the present today and perspectives on remedies, investigating corruption in dangerous contexts, Peace journalism and Assessing the role of the press in consolidating democracy in Cameroon.
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| Group work session |
Opening today’s session, Ateki Seta Caxton reminded journalists of their role as the watchdog of the society and enjoined them to hold government accountable and inform the population but cautioned them on the respect of privacy. Mr. Seta affirmed that the present context in Cameroon gives a very slippery terrain for Journalists but these professionals must remain independent, objective and fair in the discharge of their duty.
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| Ateki Seta Caxton, Executive Director NewSeta |
The Honorable member of parliament for Momo East Constituency, Hon. Enwe Francis. Declaring open the week long workshop challenged journalist to be investigative and avoid the “I hear say” syndrome”, be conscientious for not all what is seen is spoken of, encouraged journalist to build a name for themselves with the quality of work they do.
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| Ateki Seta Caxton, Executive Director NewSeta and Hon. Enwe Francis, Member of parliament Momo East |
Data journalism and fact checking was the first module for the day and was handled by Paul Joel Kamtchang, Executive Director of ADISI Cameroun an organization working on issues of access to information and freedom of expression, promotes open data and data journalism through its Citizen Access to information platform. Paul in his presentation said every journalist should use data to make their reports comprehensive, right and reliable. He opines that data journalism is important to filter the flow of information, create new approaches to story telling, updating skill sets,serves as a remedy for information asymmetry and provides independent interpretations of official information. With Regards to fact checking, Paul Joel dished out tips for a good fact-checker which has to do with the ecosystem of the information for instance what has been published, who published, which are the media talking about it, which are the sources quoted. There are equally things to have at the back of the mind; no one source is right when fact checking, no room for anonymity, verify images and videos using tools like tin-eye for images and invid for videos, to name but these. Paul-Joel concluded his presentation by calling on journalists to engage in field work for fact checking for no fact checking job is done just behind the machine.
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Paul Joel Kamtchang, Executive Director ADISI Cameroun
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The Ethics of Journalism, Cardinal Principles for a journalist (ensuring journalistic fairness, social justice, truth-telling, respect for privacy and the congruence of sources) was the 2nd presentation for the day handled by Senior press man Joe Chebonkeng who in what he calls a chat to remind ourselves as professionals, began by highlighting that the media has already carved it’s place on the political landscape of the country and go that the mass media is a very strong ingredient in a democratic society therefore journalist must seek and report nothing but the truth.
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Joe Chebonkeng Senior journalist schooling journalists on professional ethics
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He reminded journalists of the core principles of fairness, truth, independent mind, use of the 5W’s and 1H, be accountable and transparent. Cautioning journalists, Joe said the role of the media is to monitor those in power but it is important to be careful so that those in power do not use their authority to crush the Journalist. On issues of privacy he urged that the consent of an individual be sought before prying except the overriding interest of the public, surpasses his private life.
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