Journalists urged to promote peace

Tanaka Mahanya

Journalists have been urged to promote peace in their reporting to ensure that they contribute to the development of the country.

Speaking at a National Transitional Justice Working Group peace reporting seminar for journalists, Media Monitors director, Farisai Chaniwa, said the media has a role to play in fostering peace.

“The media, as the Fourth Estate, should tell the story of ordinary people to ensure their voices are heard and they bring out issues affecting them.

“The production of news is central to shaping public discourse towards peace building,” she said.

She said journalists must be aware of the positive and negative consequences of what they write.

“This means the media is a very powerful tool and has the ability to set the agenda of news.

“This role enables the media to promote human rights by keeping the public informed or engaged.

“However, this becomes difficult as journalists are often affected by their personal backgrounds when reporting.

“It is therefore the role of journalists to educate and inform policymakers, and yet avoiding conflict.

“They should present victims and perpetrators in a way that reduces blame and negative perception, while promoting dialogue,” she said.