By Mustapha Jarju
A five weeks ethical training for journalists organized by Media Academy for Journalism and Communication (MAJaC) with support from United States Agency International Development (USAID) and Freedom House opened on Thursday at MAJaC.
The training is meant for capacity building for journalists and empowering the media in the Gambia with support from promoting rights and justice in the Gambia activity.
Speaking at the launching ceremony, Bye Emil Touray, Executive Director of the Media Council of the Gambia stated that the trust the public has in the journalists and journalism is dropping on daily bases and this is due to the unethical behavior of some of our colleagues in the media houses.
“Some of these ethical gaps are usually committed by the people we think up to know better, people who have spent several years in journalism and use the media in their business,” he added.
He called on Journalists to change this trend if we want the public to take us seriously and the only way to change that is to take journalism differently, adding that he hopes some of the trainees of this ethical reporting training will transform the narrative by ensuring that they do not only propagate what they learn but also put it into practice.
Muhammed S Bah, President of Gambia Press Union also called on the Journalists to familiarize themselves with “Cherno Jallow Charter Code of Ethics” for Journalists, which the GPU is providing for journalists with no charges attached to it which is also available on the GPU website.
He thanked the Freedom House for supporting the media in this critical moment, saying the Gambia is still in transition with a lot of pending reform agendas and if Journalists are not taking these issues seriously following the ethics, we might jeopardize the transition agenda.
Ms. Isatou Keita the Vice President of the Gambia Press Union who chaired the Launching of the five weeks ethical reporting training for journalists said, at initial stage they had a hundred (100) applicants that applied for this training in question out of which twenty (20) people were sub listed.
She told the trainees that Journalism is a very important field and a very noble profession and many have passion for it.
Acting Managing Director of Media Academy for Journalism and Communication Mr, Samba Bah, acknowledges the importance of implementing the training, adding that his institution has previously implemented a series of training ranging from capacity building for civil society organizations, media houses as well as for the journalists.
He urged the participants to take the opportunity seriously to make sure the goals of the training are achieved.
