The Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation has trained Journalists from different media organisations on engaging reporting on the challenges and opportunities facing the public sector.
The highlights of the training is on crucial role of the media in driving social change and shaping narratives around governance, transparency, and effective public service delivery in Nigeria.
The media training programme is themed “Amplifying Impact: Strengthening Public Sector Narratives Through Journalism”, held in Abuja.
The Director of Programmes at the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, Chioma Njoku, explained that the foundation recognises the crucial role of the media in driving social change and promoting the narrative around governance, transparency, and effective public service delivery in Nigeria
She said training was designed to strengthen journalists’ skills in telling impactful stories about public sector reforms.
She also noted that the training will promote a solutions-oriented approach to public sector journalism, highlighting success stories and best practices.
The Deputy Director International Institute of Journalism (IIJ), Abuja, Dr. Nicholas Igwenagu, in a paper presentation on “Impact Journalism” harps on solution journalism, stressing that though, rigorous but it is compelling for Journalists to raise awareness and spark actions.
He said the media were not doing enough of impact stories stating that Journalists should do report on issues that surrounds humans.
According to him, these stories proffer solution as they are not the regular stories and that every story has a pointer even in News, features .
He said impact stories were all about digging deep into issues such as economic reforms, task reforms.
He urged the media to ask questions by identifying the problems, be diligent in fact findings and that every impact report must be a first hand information.
Also, the Director of Training and Development, LightRay Media, Lady Ejiro Umukoro, on the “Role of Media in Shaping Public Perception”, Lady Ejiro Umukoro, stressed the need for media houses to separate Public Relations stories from core news.
While acknowledging the need for PR stories, she said there is a way the media could professionally write such stories so that they essentially do not look patronising.