CCMN Takes Peace Journalism To The Guardian Post Newspaper

By Raymond Dingana

The National Coordinator of the Cameroon Community Media Network, CCMN, Rosaline Obah has in a training at the Head Office of the Guardian Post newspaper in Yaounde, polished the skills of the staff of the Newspaper on Peace and Responsible Reporting. The training was done recently under the patronage of the publisher, Kristian Ngah in the context of the ongoing armed conflict rocking the two English speaking regions of Cameroon hosting the majority of its readers.

Arming the Guardian Post journalists with the necessary tools as far as Peace and Responsible Reporting is concerned, Rosaline Obah said, they should embrace responsible reporting on the crisis especially now that, deadly confrontations between government forces and pro independent fighters rages on.

Journalists At The Guardian Post After The Training On Peace Journalism By CCMN's Rosaline Obah

She pointed out that, their works should be solution-oriented articulate the impact of the conflict on the suffering masses than the differences between both factions and government officials.“Give room to the common man in your reporting. Let them share their worries so that government or policy makers can bring about the much-needed change,” she said.

Rosaline Obah Impacting Peace Journalism techniques To Journalist At The Guardian Post Head Office In Yaounde

She also underscored the need to gate-keep certain information that may cause more harm to the society than general good.“Peace journalists will not want to high light who has won over the other than the solutions in a divide. Gate-keeping is peace journalism. When a peace journalist wants to write an article, he or she will reflect on the consequences of that information going out.If the report will cause more harm than good,  or incite  hate and violence, then drop it.” the peace journalism trainer pointed out.

Rosaline Obah went as far as challenging journalists to be proactive,be watchdog of the society and be able to sound the alarm bell to prevent a crisis not only from erupting but from escalating. She also invited them to do their best to encourage peace even before violence erupts, not to put parties at loggerhead and also to  reject official propaganda and shun sensationalism.

drayinfos, Community First.