Vusumuzi Dube
Judith Phiri , Sunday News Reporter
JOURNALISTS from public and private media in Bulawayo, this Wednesday attended elections reporting workshop organised by the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ), to equip them with skills to improve coverage of polls.
Zimbabwe is gearing towards harmonised elections slated for next month on 23 August.
Sunday News Editor, Limukani Ncube challenged the media to provide citizens with adequate information so that the electorate can make informed decisions as they vote.
He said media’s role in voter education was not merely restricted to providing information to potential voters but it also served as a platform for interaction between the political parties as well as the public.
Another media practitioner, Kelvin Kasiwulaya said when it comes to elections, journalists should also do enterprise reporting which goes beyond merely covering events and explores the forces shaping those events.
He challenged journalists to look for stories that others are not looking for and avoid just writing stories based on press releases or news conferences.
Research Fellow for Leaders for Africa Network, Teddy Ncube said the media was critical for problem identification within communities and taking these up to the policymakers.
He called on the journalists to provide factual, adequate and unbiased information and to preach peace ahead of elections.
Journalists were also equipped with skills of how they need to protect themselves in covering volatile situations.
Online Reporter