OVER 20 citizen journalists from across the country received mentorship on journalistic principles and best practices relating to news gathering at a two-day capacity building workshop organised by Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) in partnership with Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ). BY WINSTONE ANTONIO
Participants at the workshop held in Harare last week were drawn from the country’s marginalised areas such as Mutoko, Murehwa, Mutare Rural and Gokwe.
Citizen journalists are private individuals who gather information in their communities and disseminate it primarily through online platforms but have no formal and professional training.
Speaking to NewsDay on the side-lines of the workshop, ZUJ information officer Nigel Nyamutumbu said citizen journalists play an important role in gathering and disseminating information.
“The input of citizen journalist is essential in terms of news dissemination. As ZUJ, we have realised that there is need to capacitate them so that they understand the ethics involved in reporting news while at the same time enlightening them on how they can build synergies with qualified practicing journalists,” Nyamutumbu said.
“As a result of the dramatic changes in access to information and dissemination of information with the expansion of blogging and other social network platforms which has completely changed the face of the media, citizen journalists have become more proactive and they need to be supported.”
Nyamutumbu said the programme would be decentralised to educate more citizen journalists so that they conduct their duties professionally. Journalists who attended the workshop applauded the organisers saying the programme had equipped them with more knowledge of the trade.
