COVID19 Reporting : Health journalists sharpen skills
Healthcare journalists have begun sharpening their skills on the coverage of the #COVID19 pandemic, in a three-day workshop that began in Yaoundé this November 23.
The workshop is organized by the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization, (UNESCO) in collaboration with the Advanced School of Mass Communication, Yaoundé on the theme “ fight against misinformation linked to COVID19”.
Participants are journalists from the radio, TV and online platforms of the the public broadcaster-Crtv, private radio and television stations as well as online media outlets.
Eight modules are on schedule, six of the sessions to be facilitated by the Deputy Director General of Crtv, Emmanuel Wongibe.
On Day 1 of the training, the deputy Director General drilled participants on key issues, in 3 modules ;
Module 1 : the Basics of COVID-19
Module 2 : Factual vs False Scientific Information on COVID19
Module 3 : Challenging journalistic thinking and Approaches
For the next two days, the journalists are expected to have a mastery of the pandemic, and improve their professional skills on COVID19 reporting . The participants’ reports must also contain credible, informative and scientific information.
The workshop is primarily intended to strengthen the the fight against misinformation and disinformation that has fueled the ongoing vaccine hesitancy. Wrong information also accounts for the sustained disbelief in the existence of the virus in some circles.
The workshop ends on Thursday, November 25.
Kathy Neba Sina