Twenty-three more journalists have benefited from Mobile Journalism skilling project by the Media for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture (MESHA).
This now put the number of such beneficiaries to 53 within the last three years.
The skilling program saw 15 journalists receive the training in 2022, and a similar number in 2023.
This year, the number jumped to 23, with 15 attending the physical training held in Nairobi, and another eight virtually attending from Kenya, Zambia, Malawi, Uganda and Tanzania.
During the training, the journalists were taken through using their phones in mobile storytelling, filming, planning, editing, and general presentation and packaging of MoJo content.
The journalists were also introduced to a range of open source mobile applications which they can use in their work.
Changing media trends
MESHA Secretary Daniel Aghan noted that the initiative is part of the project aimed at skilling journalists to meet the current journalism trends.
“The current media landscape is embracing multimedia journalism, and journalists must be upto date with this transformation,” said Aghan.
He said the aim is to have journalists employ MoJo component in all stories they do.
“We are looking at a situation where journalists can utilize the power of their phones to tell stories,” he said.
With some media houses not having embraced MoJo, Mr Aghan said MESHA is providing platforms for the journalists to publish their stories.
“I think this is a validation to some of us who have been facing lots of challenges related to acceptance of MoJo,” said Teresia Gitau, one of the beneficiaries of the 2024 cohort of MESHA’s MoJo trainees.
Ms Gitau considers the project as a validation to Mobile Journalists, especially those who have faced tags of ‘fake journalists’ whenever they use their phones to cover events.
Ms Gitau is a journalist at EarthBeat – National Catholic Reporter, and Communications Officer at Catholic Youth Network for Environmental Sustainability in Africa (CYNESA).
She noted that the training has deepened her understanding on basic skills to maximise MoJo, proper gears for MoJo, as well as leveraging on Artificial Intelligence in journalism and communication.
“In a world where the media landscape is evolving, adaptation is not an option but a necessity,” she said.
Mr Aghan noted that the peak of the project will be awarding of journalists who have shown excellence in MoJo, through utilising skills learnt during the trainings.
“The awards will be internal, and we will award both quality and quantity,” he said.
