A three-day media training on digital journalism commenced on Monday in Lilongwe, aimed at equipping journalists with essential digital skills.
The training, organized by SYMUF–Maison de la Presse in partnership with the Media Council of Malawi (MCM), is designed to enhance participants’ understanding of digital journalism principles and strengthen their capacity in
fact-checking techniques, online media management, and multimedia storytelling to produce, share, and manage high-quality information on digital platforms while upholding ethical standards.
The initiative comes amid growing challenges linked to the rapid rise of online news media across Africa, including Malawi. These challenges include the spread of false information, difficulty in verifying sources, and concerns surrounding the protection of personal data. Many media practitioners have only been trained in traditional journalism and have never received formal training in digital reporting, further compounding the issues.
In his opening remarks, Media Council of Malawi Executive Director Moses Kaufa stressed that building journalists’ digital capacity is crucial for safeguarding the credibility of the media sector. He urged participants to make full use of the facilitators’ expertise and work collaboratively to promote responsible and credible information dissemination through the digital space.
“I encourage you to engage fully, ask challenging questions, and utilize the expertise of our facilitators. Let us work together to ensure that responsible and credible journalism thrives in the digital domain,” he said.
SYMUF–Maison de la Presse Founder and Coordinator Aubert Mwakabeca underscored the growing influence of online journalism and its potential to positively shape society when guided by strong skills and ethical conduct. He urged participants to use the training as an opportunity for professional advancement.
“These skills are important today, because online journalism is growing fast in Malawi and in all of Africa. This training is a great opportunity for your professional growth and I encourage you to take this opportunity seriously,” he
said.
Throughout the training, participants will cover key topics such as web writing, fact-checking, the Digital Code of Malawi, fundamentals of quality journalism, and digital security.
SYMUF–Maison de la Presse, a Congolese-registered press NGO and member of the International Network of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), works to promote press freedom, responsible journalism, and human rights. The organization operates in Malawi through its partners: The Media Council of Malawi (MCM) and Circle of Hope International (COH).
