No fewer than journalists from 30 media organisations with a presence in Ogun State, Nigeria will benefit from the Solutions Journalism project scheduled to hold on Thursday.
Solution Journalism Africa Fellows, Jamiu Folarin, who announced this in a statement, said arrangements have been finalised to host the second part of the training for the beneficiaries at Crescent University, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria.
The events are part of the implementation of the project sponsored by Solutions Journalism Network (SJN) to support and pioneer formal uptake of solutions journalism by educators, students, and reporters in Ogun State.
This project falls under the Solution Journalism Network’s Africa Initiative, in which 60 newsrooms and 30 Fellows across Nigeria and Kenya will receive training and funding, over a three-year period.
The training, which aimed at building participants’ capacity of producing Solutions-based reports, will hold on October 21, 2021, by 10am.
This training will bring together General Managers, Heads of News and Current Affairs and reporters in over 30 media outfits in Ogun State.
For the training programme, over 30 journalists based in Ogun State from selected broadcast, mainstream and online media organisations have been shortlisted to participate in the event slated for October 21, 2021.
The media organisations are selected, to reflect different ownership structure in terms of Federal, State and Private establishment.
The representatives of broadcast stations selected to benefit from the training include: Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Abeokuta; Ogun State Television (OGTV); Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation (OGBC 90.5 F.M); Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN – Paramount 94.5 F.M); Rockcity 109.1 F.M; Sweet 107.1 F.M; Roots 97.1 F.M; Family 88.1 F.M; Fresh F.M, Voice of Nigeria (VON), Television Continental (TVC); Channels Television; and Silverbird Television (STV).
To also attend the event are the Ogun State correspondents of the Punch Newspaper, Daily Trust Newspaper, Daily Independent Newspaper, Nigerian Tribune Newspaper, and News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Also expected at the training are representatives of online news platforms/blogs which include: The Encounter News, Pen Pushing, Platform Times, First News, and TV24News.
Other participants expected to join the workshop and training programme virtually or physically are: Ruona Meyer, Africa Initiative Manager of Solutions Journalism Network (SJN); and Professor Ibraheem Gbajabiamila, Vice Chancellor, Crescent University, Abeokuta.
Others are Barrister Z.A. Ajibola, Registrar, Crescent University, Abeokuta (CUAB); Chibuike Alagbaso, Programme Manager, Nigeria Health Watch; and Mr Lekan Otunfodurin, Director, Media Career Development Network; and Head of Department, Mass Communication, CUAB.
Explaining the reason for instituting the project, Mr Folarin said it was driven by his desire to institutionalise Solutions Journalism in the training and practice of mass communication.
According to him, “With over a decade experience as a journalist and researcher, I observed gaps in the training of budding journalists in the definition of news and factors that determine newsworthiness. Many journalism students are trained to understand that “bad news is good news”.
“This has had far reaching effects on how journalists in Nigeria highlight the nation’s problems while paying little attention to efforts of governments, the civil society, private sector and individuals in improving the nation.
“I have been using the “Writing for Mass Media” and “Specialist Journalism and Publication” courses I teach in Crescent University to change this narrative by introducing perspectives that emphasise the assumptions of “Social Responsibility and Developmental Media Theories” to my students, many of whom are now practicing journalists. The assumptions of these normative theories of the press are close to the ideals of Solution Journalism (SoJo).
“It is on this basis that I am organising the workshop and training for journalism educators, students and journalists in my community, and advocating for review of journalism curriculum to include and integrate Solutions Journalism.”
The Solutions Journalism Network is a non-profit organisation with a presence across 18 countries, and over 500 newsrooms.