Berea, Dec. 01 — Ministry of Information, Communications, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MICSTI) Principal Secretary (PS) Mr. Kanono Leronti Ramashamole has encouraged Lesotho News Agency (LENA) staff to always strive for perfection with credible news in order to dominate the online news platforms.
PS Communications made the remarks during a one day LENA Annual General Meeting (AGM) staged at Berea, Teyateyaneng.
Mr. Ramashamole further expressed his excitement to find that LENA has a new active website, adding that it is a step to promote competitiveness and it also creates a good foundation to attract potential investors who can advertise on the website.
He further said the world of technology keeps on evolving with innovations such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and as a result he urged reporters not to be threatened by losing their jobs through such innovations, but he encouraged them to embrace the emerging technology as it can help them to be more competitive by producing quality.
Mr. Ramashamole also encouraged LENA reporters not compete amongst themselves, but rather collaborate as colleagues as that strategy will also improve the quality of their work, adding that they should build a good network for themselves to receive feedback either positive or negative.
PS Communications added that journalists are supposed to be the pillar of democracy and their key responsibility is to improve and intensify coverage on promoting clear messages, fair and balanced reporting and that also promote government policy.
He also indicated that Basotho need to be well informed with developmental strategies such as National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP-II) of the country.
Sharing the same sentiments, Deputy Principal Secretary Ms. Lineo Ramabele-Smith said today’s gathering plays a significant role of reflecting back and evaluate on how the agency has been performing in the past year so as to improve where there is a need.
Ms. Ramabele-Smith further said LENA stand a good chance of producing fresh news daily because it has staff strategically placed in all districts and that bring first hand news and fresh voices from the grassroot level and this provide more advantage against competitors.
In her remarks, Director LENA Mrs. Moroa Mopeli acknowledged efforts of reporters of always striving to produce credible news and as a result she encouraged them to keep on cultivating the culture of excellence out of the limited resources, adding that plans are in the pipeline to fully digitalize LENA next year.
Mrs. Mopeli said to achieve their vision, plans are also in place to expand even further by establishing satellite posts where they will place more reporters even to other peri-urban areas such as Mapholaneng, Semonkong, Maputsoe and others.
When presenting some of their challenges, one of LENA Reporters, Mr. Tabaka Ramotsokoane said Maseru is quite big because it has places which have foothills of which it is difficult to access such places due limited resources and he further highlighted the need to be capacitated with more resources for the effectiveness of their work.
Also approached for a comment, another LENA Reporter Mrs. Mabataung Serobe said the AGM has been very resourceful in various aspects of their work and feel empowered to have been reminded their roles and ethics surrounding their jobs.
Mrs. Serobe said for now that they are re-energized, they are going to double their efforts in keeping the nation well informed.
Meanwhile, among the things LENA reporters have capacitated with at the AGM includes media ethics, policy and strategy and other administrative issues of the department.
