You know, these days, journalists are like modern-day Renaissance folks – juggling a whole range of skills. From news reporting to multimedia, social media, research – they do it all.
In our media frenzy world, social media is like our new town square. Journalists aren’t just reporting news anymore, they’re creating content that fits every platform – videos, photos, and stories – the whole shebang.
I remember back when I was a journalist, being a “jack of all trades” was seen a bit differently. It wasn’t the most flattering term, hinting at being a bit of a wheeler-dealer, willing to publish anything that’d sell. But today, journalists are like chameleons, covering sports today, politics tomorrow, and everything in between – true masters of adaptation.
It’s almost like back then, you could be writing about finance one day, and the next day, you’re all in on a heart-warming human-interest story or diving deep into health issues. You become this versatile storyteller, embracing every aspect of news without a specific niche.
But let’s be real, diving deep into a particular subject isn’t everyone’s jam. And that’s where we were back then, even when I was a reporter. Not everyone felt the need to specialize, you know?
I’ve been hearing this recurring theme from experienced journalists – some are like heat-seeking missiles, locking onto their specialization from the get-go. Others? Well, they stumble into their expertise. My journey? A bit of both.
Now, as a health enthusiast, you’d think I’d dive straight into the health journalism realm. But hold on, I found subjects like the environment, food security, and agriculture just as riveting. The funny thing is, despite not being a health whiz, my chats with experts and online reading gave me a decent grasp of the topic.
This path I took is a rocky one, full of hard work and sacrifices. And to think, it all goes back to journalism school. A lot of these schools don’t offer specialized tracks. So, they churn out reporters who can cover anything and everything.
A few years back, I embarked on this media advocacy campaign, and I realized the need for specialized journalists. Amref Health Africa’s five-year program aimed to bolster health systems and secure better budgets. And let me tell you, we needed top-notch journalists to get the word out.
Teaming up with civil society, the media wasn’t just an amplifier for local support, but a vehicle for health awareness. But here’s the kicker – finding health-focused journalists? Not as easy as you’d think, especially in places like Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, and Zambia.
Being the corporate communications lead of the project, I was on the hunt for scribes with a knack for health. But guess what? Not many were knocking on our door. We had to pivot. So, we welcomed any journalist with a fire for health journalism.
Thanks to a ton of hard work and the promise of sweet rewards, our efforts started to pay off. A year in, the results spoke volumes. Health stories dominated headlines, something that was like cracking a tough nut before our intervention.
Plus, we managed to kickstart around 10 new health programs across five countries. And, get this, we shook hands with heavy hitters like the BBC for collaboration.
But, here’s the plot twist – while our media advocacy success was undeniable, keeping the training rolling was becoming vital. The thing is, the training was mostly driven by demand, without a solid structure to follow. Yet, journalists were hungry to master health reporting.
So, with growing interest and the need for structure, we set out to craft a robust program with a curriculum, top-notch tutors, and a way to gauge learning. And let me tell you, the journey was epic – shaping health journalism across Africa.
Do you know what they say these days? If you want to nail universal health coverage and those Sustainable Development Goals for health, our training is the one-stop-shop.
Back in 2019, we unleashed the beast – a one-month intensive Health Communication and Journalism course at Amref International University (AMIU). This course is arming journalists with the real-deal skills to tackle health reporting like pros.
Unlike other quick courses, students enrolled in this program are tasked with completing a project. Yes, a well-crafted story that hits print, radio, TV, or digital platforms – they’re in it to win it.
What started as a little idea has transformed into a catalyst for top-tier health reporting. Three years down the line, the course is attracting learners from across Africa – journalists, health managers, monitoring and evaluation folks – you name it.
Big names are giving this course the thumbs up. Remember 2020? Twitter and AMIU joined forces, dishing out scholarships to 40 African journalists. Sound amazing, right?
Seeing this all unfold as the program pioneer? Well, let’s just say it’s beyond exciting. Even though I’ve moved on from the institution, my hope is that AMIU takes this to new heights – expanding it for fresh-faced undergrads and postgrads.
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