Sub-Saharan Africa newsroom managers reviewing best practices on handling conflicts.

Participants immortalise training as sessions went underway Monday

Journalists from across Sub-Saharan Africa have begun strengthening their capacities and sharing experiences on managing newsroom conflicts and adjusting to current technological shifts.

The training went underway Monday November 14. 

It is taking place at The Aga Khan University, Graduate School of Media and Communications, AKU-GSMC, in Nairobi, Kenya. The course will end Sunday.

It is jointly organised by AKU-GSMC and CONRAD ADENAUER STIFTUNG, KAS Media program for Sub-Sahara Africa.

The conference is tagged: “Managing Conflict in Today’s Newsroom”. Participants are from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Cameroon, The Gambia, Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Malawi, South Africa.

According to Prof Nancy Booker, Interim Dean of AKU-GSMC, challenges affecting newsrooms across Africa have been established to be similar.

Booker said, it was on that score that her institution and KAS Media Africa shared notes on the need to strengthen the capacity of newsroom managers.

Speaking at the training, KAS Media Africa Director, Christoph Plate, underscored the need for established benchmarks to be respected in ensuring the independence of the media as a vital product of democracy.

Resource persons at the training are scholars, conflict experts and renowned journalists with decades of experience.  

Among them are; Wangethi Mwangi and Joseph Odindo all former  Editorial Directors of  Nation Media Group; Pamela Sittoni, Executive Editor of The Nation Media Group; Dapo Olurunyomi, publisher of Premium Times in Nigeria; Tom Osanjo, an award-winning journalist and Judie Kaberia, of the Association of Media Women in Kenya, AMWIK.

Issues that have come under review at the conference touched on; the contemporary newsroom environment in Sub-Sahara Africa; digital migration in the media; media management in Sub-Sahara Africa and how they contribute to workplace conflict; ethical dilemmas and resource management for journalists; mental health for journalists; gender issues in the newsroom and sexual harassment.

Issues under debate

Topical discussions at the symposium that triggered participants into intense discussions are; the digital migration challenge and resistance to change.

Experts underscored the need for newsrooms to go digital to expand their audiences and revenue margins; the need to review digital media policies for journalists and media organisations alongside Standard Operations Procedures, SOPs.

There were also debates on gender issues and the need to create channels for women to open up on sexual harassment. Resource persons recommended the institution of committees on sexual violence. They also urged media managers to create safe spaces for women and ensure parity in the newsroom space.

On mental health for journalists and newsroom performance, Tom Osanjo submitted that: “as a manager, you will need to be emotionally strong as you will be managing various people and personalities. Know how to handle them and create some balance”.

The veteran journalist who said he once suffered from mental health issues stated that:  “There is a lot of stigma around mental health,” adding that newsroom managers, “need to develop and identify mental health champions in the workplace. The media should also spread the message that it is normal to seek help and see mental health professionals”.

Lesson line up…

Other aspects of the course will explore handling people in contemporary newsrooms; newsroom politics with interest on ethnicity, tribalism, patronage and race; conflict management; emotional intelligence; relationship management; leadership and ownership conflict among others.

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