Journalists in the country have been challenged to embrace the digital era in covering stories in line with the growing digital industry.
The call was made over the weekend during the completion of a five-day intensive podcasting training for 12 journalists across the country at Mtolankhani House in Lilongwe under Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA Malawi Chapter).
Wiston Mwale, a trainer and one of the country’s podcaster, underscored the podcast training as essential, citing that news consumers are gradually interested in other emerging news disseminating categories which journalists need to have their skills.
He said: “The journalism career keeps on extending with various approaches ranging from news gathering, publishing and getting feedback from your target audience. Podcast is one way of engaging your sources which can also expand the territory of your audience and hence the need for journalists to be equipped with the skills.”
One of the 12 participants, a media practitioner from Zodiack Broadcasting Station, Gift Du Phimba described the training as an eye opener towards creating more innovative ideas in his profession.
“It was an experience full of practical approach meant to develop ways in which we can hook more listeners or audience towards subscribing to our news content whilst at the same time generating some revenue. This will be imparted to my colleagues as well while advancing it’s impact,” said Phimba.
Addressing the participants via zoom, MISA Malawi chairperson Golden Matonga encouraged the 12 journalists to utilise the skills they have gained.
Matonga said despite that podcast is a new trend in developing countries such as Malawi, media practitioners need to welcome the trend and ethical in news dissemination.
After the training, the media practitioners received certificates of Podcast Completion Training from a Germany Based Media institution, DW Academia.
