MCM Urges Shift from PR to Solutions Journalism
The comprehensive program addresses critical gaps in GBV reporting, including current statistics in Malawi, legal frameworks, and proper interview techniques for working with survivors.
BLANTYRE, Malawi— The Media Council of Malawi launched a two-day training Monday calling for journalists to move beyond organisational promotion to focus on solution-based reporting in gender-based violence coverage, writes Winston Mwale.
Moses Kaufa, Executive Director of the Media Council of Malawi (MCM), challenged journalists to break free from what he called "parrot journalism" during the training at Crossroads Hotel.
"We have failed several times because we have focused very much on organizations implementing interventions," Kaufa said.
"We end up promoting an organization and not the solutions we have come up with."
The training, organized by MCM and partners, aims to strengthen journalists' capacity to report on gender-based violence (GBV) while emphasising solutions rather than institutional publicity.
"Now we are not parrots. We are journalists. Journalists are supposed to process information for their respective audiences," Kaufa said, criticising the practice of relying on pre-arranged sources during media tours.
The comprehensive program addresses critical gaps in GBV reporting, including current statistics in Malawi, legal frameworks, and proper interview techniques for working with survivors.
Special attention is being paid to disability rights and inclusion in GBV programming.
Kaufa emphasized that solution-focused reporting should prepare audiences for challenges they might face when implementing proposed solutions, comparing it to vaccination awareness campaigns informing people about benefits and side effects.
"When we talk about the solution, we also want to make sure that we alert people and prepare the people for whatever challenges they are going to face when implementing those kinds of solutions," he said.
The initiative concludes Tuesday with sessions on monitoring and sustainability, focusing on integrating solutions journalism principles into newsroom policies to ensure a lasting impact on GBV coverage across Malawian media.