As the elections draw closer, the national broadcaster has been training its staff members to be ready for election coverage.
The Director General of the public broadcaster Stanley Similo emphasised the organisation’s commitment to credibility and reliability report on the elections, highlighting nbc’s standing as a “validation point” for accurate information.
“Every 5 years we go through this process, and the nbc is the most important catalyst in making sure that people make the right decision. People are listening daily to the radio; they are reading what we do online; they are watching, and one of the reasons why they do that is simply because it comes with a lot of responsibility.”
The importance of election coverage and ensuring consistent and centralised information is key, as stated by the Chief of News and Programming, Menesia Muinjo.
“At nbc, the message can be the same and in different formats, radio, television, and digital platforms, and now on TikTok News, and that’s also the reason why we have to have different sessions with the same trainer and get the same message across so when the teams go out there they are ready and up to the task.”
The nbc’s mission, as the news and current affairs head of the Department’s Peter Denk states, underscores its role as a trusted source amid the anticipated rise in misinformation and “fake news” that often accompanies election periods.
“Especially in this era of misinformation and fake news, it’s important that reporters are focused and not be in a hurry to break news as we expect during this time, such as disinformation or fake news. It’s important that radio journalists and presenters’ producers are aware and make sure that everything is verified up till the last point.”
The training is led by seasoned journalist and trainer Norah Appolus.
“It is important that nbc journalists and reporters get these refresher courses so that they can be reminded of the important role that they, as the medium, play in disseminating information, election information to the listeners.”
The ongoing training is targeting staff who will be covering elections.