By Winston Mwale (Contributor)
The Media Council of Malawi (MCM) challenged journalists to move beyond organizational promotion and focus on solution-based reporting in gender-based violence (GBV) coverage during a two-day training.
Moses Kaufa, MCM Executive Director, criticized what he called “parrot journalism” that prioritizes institutional publicity over substantive reporting.
“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,” further said.
The training, organized by MCM and partners, aims to strengthen journalists’ capacity to report on GBV more effectively.
Kaufa emphasized the need for journalists to process information for their audiences rather than simply repeating prepared statements.
The comprehensive program addresses critical reporting gaps, including current GBV statistics in Malawi, legal frameworks, and proper interview techniques for working with survivors. Special attention was given to disability rights and inclusion in GBV programming.
Kaufa likened solution-focused reporting to vaccination awareness campaigns, stressing the importance of preparing audiences for potential implementation challenges. “When we talk about the solution, we also want to make sure that we alert people and prepare them for whatever challenges they are going to face,” he said.
The initiative concludes Tuesday with sessions on monitoring and sustainability, focusing on integrating solutions journalism principles into newsroom policies to ensure lasting impact on GBV coverage across Malawian media.