Maseru, Mar. 25 — Mr. Ikunju Jaramba, Managing Editor of Nation Media Group Washington, says fearlessness is a crucial characteristic in journalism, noting that one cannot be a journalist while being fearful at the same time.
He made these remarks during a training workshop for senior reporters and editors on solutions journalism held at Thaba-Bosiu on Wednesday.
Jaramba further highlighted the importance of integrity in journalism, adding that without it the journalism space will be eroded, leaving the profession with no future.
He also said passion for the profession is essential, noting that it can take as little as six months to determine whether someone truly belongs in journalism, depending on whether they develop passion for the field or lose interest.
One of the participants, a seasoned journalist and Managing Director of Uncensores News, Pascalina Kabi, said she believes solutions journalism does not yet have a strong market in the country. According to her, ordinary readers tend to favour controversy, while solutions journalism appears to attract mainly elite audiences.
She explained that the challenge lies in the fact that journalists write to earn a living, and controversial stories often generate more revenue. As a result, solutions journalism remains poorly understood by both reporters and news consumers.
Kabi added that she attended the workshop with the expectation that it will help her sustain her newspaper’s foothold in the media industry and contribute towards influencing policy change.
Commenting on the state of journalism in Lesotho, participants said reporting in the country tends to focus largely on negative stories. They noted that the media landscape is also polarised due to limited advertising revenue, while some described it as resembling a developing economy.
Others said there is potential for growth, but challenges such as low budgets and a lack of professionalism continue to hinder quality journalism.
Participants also noted that citizen journalism has increasingly taken over the space traditionally occupied by mainstream media, which they said still faces systemic constraints that remain weak due to the absence of political will.
The two-day training is hosted by the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Lesotho Chapter in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
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