By: Peter Dennis
IPNews-Monrovia: Internews in partnership with the Publishers Association of Liberia (PAL) has officially launched the Newsroom Manual for Editor of Newspapers in Monrovia.
The Newsroom Manual is a conflict sensitive approach to election reporting.
The manual will further enhance both editors and reporters’ ability to scrutinize and dessert electoral violence to give a balanced report to the public.
Performing the official turning over ceremony of the manual to the Publishers Association of Liberia president Mr. Othello Garblah, Internews’ Chief of Party Madam Lien Bach it’s Internews’ way of contributing to the media.
According to madam Bach, iInternews has over the years worked to improving the media landscape of Liberia through different trainings and engagements.
She however urged editors to further empower their reporters to produce fact-based and objective reports that resonate with the electorate to promote free and fair election.
The Internews Chief of Party mentioned that Internews media advisor developed the newsroom Manual as a tool to guide both editors, Publishers and reporters prepare for the election coverage.
For his part, the Publishers Association of Liberia president Othello Garblah described the occasion as welcoming.
Garblah believes that the availability of the manual is timely, thereby terming this both the Special Senatorial election and the national Referendum as crucial and critical.
He further pledged PAL’s continuous support to internews in improving the Liberian media.
The presentation of the manual comes after the institution conducted a day high level media forum with editors of newspapers under the theme ‘Strengthening Media Editorial Leadership During Elections’ held at the Corina Hotel in Monrovia.
Some of the editors who spoke to the Independent Probe Newspaper during the occasion appreciated internews for the manual, adding that the manual will further enhance their reportage duty in both election reporting and coverage.
Recently, internews conducted six days media training that featured Elections reporting and Election Hackathon for over twenty (20) Liberian Journalists from across the country at the Stella Maris Polytechnic.
The training was aimed at building journalists’ capacities in producing High quality stories.
Internews, during this election, is however expected to conduct 19 debates across the Country.
Internews is an international nonprofit organization aimed at empowering journalists worldwide to produce trustworthy, high-quality news products to support informed decisions.
In September 2015, Internews began implementing the five years United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded Liberia Media Development program. The goal is to increase Liberian citizens’ access to fact-based, balanced and reliable information. It further encourages informed public engagements on topics of high impact on communities.
