MOHALE’S HOEK—The Director of the Lesotho News Agency (LENA), Ms. Moroa Mopeli, has applauded district reporters for their unwavering dedication to their daily duties despite facing severe resource constraints.
Speaking during the Agency’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Mohale’s Hoek on Friday, Ms. Mopeli addressed editors and reporters drawn from various districts across the country.
She explained that the high-level gathering was aimed at reviewing the agency’s operational performance while directly addressing the structural challenges confronting field journalists.
A major focus of the meeting centered on the Ministry’s shift toward newsroom convergence.
Ms. Mopeli acknowledged that communication regarding this transition had been inconsistent, with some district reporters left out of initial discussions.
Clarifying the strategy, the Director explained that convergence entails merging operations into a single, unified newsroom.
The management introduced this initiative after observing that multiple reporters from different departments within the Ministry were being dispatched to the same district events. Given the current acute shortage of official transport, a consolidated approach became necessary.
“Currently, the expectation is that during events, there would be a camera operator and a videographer, with the LENA reporter at the front line writing the story,” Ms. Mopeli stated.
She noted that while the convergence process is still in its infancy, reporters will now be expected to write Sesotho articles for the Department of Information and prepare to report live for Radio Lesotho’s Current Affairs programmes.
Ms. Mopeli stressed that the shift is urgent, noting that Lesotho is one of the few remaining countries yet to fully adopt a converged media model.
Addressing the agency’s financial model, Ms. Mopeli clarified that LENA was not established as a profit-making entity, but rather to publicise government policies.
However, she indicated that management is exploring minor subscription fees for news consumers. Additionally, with evolving technology, the agency might consider introducing commercial advertisements on its official Facebook page to generate supplementary revenue.
Supporting these remarks, LENA Editor Ms. Liteboho Mahula stated that the AGM arrived at a critical juncture as the Ministry navigates this structural transition.
She urged reporters to “up their game” by embracing multimedia journalism and digging deeper for impactful feature stories beyond standard event reporting, while strictly upholding credibility and accuracy.
The meeting also featured a technical presentation on navigating Artificial Intelligence (AI) in modern newsrooms, delivered by Radio Lesotho’s Acting Head of Current Affairs , Mrs. ‘Mabatho Lithebe.
Mrs. Lithebe asserted that while AI serves as an engine for speed and audience reach, long-term survival depends entirely on accuracy and public trust.
She cautioned that chasing speed carries the risk of erasing authentic local voices by feeding uncurated local stories into foreign digital models.
She encouraged reporters to adapt to AI tools responsibly, prioritizing editorial credibility over merely breaking news.
Representing the reporters, Mr. Rethabile Majara outlined the persistent challenges faced by field staff, particularly the lack of reliable transport.
Mr. Majara pointed out that working without official vehicles severely compromises journalistic independence and integrity. He noted that a reporter cannot transparently or objectively cover an individual or an organization if they are dependent on that same source for a lift to a assignment.
He appealed to management to urgently address these resource deficiencies to safeguard the agency’s credibility.
LENA celebrates 41 years of existence.
Ends/MAMO
