Female journalists urged to be factual in conflict reporting

Mashudu Mambo

In a three-day workshop held in Bulawayo by Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, Herald Editor Victoria Ruzvidzo urged female journalists to be factual in reporting on conflict.

“As a journalist when reporting on conflict, you have to be impartial, factual and allow the audience to make their own assessment on the conflict,” she said.

Ruzvidzo said the role of journalists is to inform the public with factual information.

“Our role as journalists is to inform the readers and there are ethics that we ought to operate within, these entail being factual, balanced and fair,” she said.

One of the facilitators, The Zimbabwe Independent Editor, Faith Zaba, stated that factual reporting saves journalists from lawsuits.

“There are a number of journalists who have reported on controversial topics but they have never been sued or arrested because their information is factual.  In conflict reporting, there is a need to scan your environment and ensure that the situation is not life threatening because there is no story worth dying for,” said Zaba.