August 03, 2007: 
The Center for Media Studies and Peace Building with support from UNESCO concluded a workshop on Preparing Women for Leadership Roles in the Liberian Media.

Thirty participants were selected from the print and electronic media and mass communications departments of the University of Liberia, African Methodist Episcopal University and the United Methodist University.

Topics considered at the workshop include: Media Women in Democratic Societies, Women in Media and Leadership, Reporting Gender and Development Issues, Balancing Family and Work, and Managing Change, Media Law and Ethics, News Writing, Interviewing techniques, among others.

The workshop was facilitated by Mass Communication Lecturer at the University of Liberia Madam. Weade K. Wureh, Deputy Information Minister for Technical Services, Mrs. Elizabeth Hoff, Mrs. Davidetta Browne Lansanah of the UNMIL Gender Unit,  WIPNET Coordinator, Lindora Diawara , Inquirer Newspaper Managing Editor  Phillip N. Wesseh, Radio Veritas Station Manager Ledgerhood Rennie, and University English Language Professor Richard Clarke Sr.

In a resolution adopted by the participants, they called for more stakes in the managing and directing of media institutions in the country. They want institutional policies that would encourage “women leadership” in the media.

The female journalists also called for equal working opportunity for all at every media institution in Liberia; and urged the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), CEMESP and other media related NGOs in the country to always provide the forums for both male and female journalists to discuss issues surrounding the local media.

The group in the resolution however called on female journalists in the country to “rise up to the challenges” of assuming greater responsibilities in their work.

Speaking at the opening of the workshop, CEMESP Executive Director Malcolm W. Joseph said given the low level of women participation in decision-making in newsrooms, it has become imperative to organize training sessions in preparing them for leadership role at various levels of the media.

Mr. Joseph lamented that of the more than 20 newspapers in the Monrovia area, there are hardly any women in the top management with similar situation in the electronic media except for few leading the sales and advertising efforts.

According to the CEMESP Executive Director, “issues about women empowerment, children welfare, poverty eradication” can better be presented by women journalists too.

 

Also speaking at the opening session, TRC Commissioner Massa Washington urged female journalists in Liberia to “prepare themselves for position of responsibility and creativity in the media, not in conflict with or imitation of masculine roles but impressing their own genius on their work and professional activity”.

She noted that the will power to assume leadership at any media institution in Liberia must firstly be encouraged by female journalists themselves.

Madam Washington lamented the seemingly unprepared postures of female journalists in the country to accept the mantle of authorities at their institutions. “How many of us want to be managing editors of newspapers or station managers without worrying about the burden that accompanies these leadership positions?” she asked.

 

Monrovia, August 01, 2007: In continuation of its Capacity Building Program for Liberian journalists, and improving the performance of Liberian media as a whole toward firmly implanting the media in the democratization of Liberia, the Center for Media Studies and Peace Building (CEMESP) concluded a six-week intensive training of Media Managers and Senior Editors from media institutions in Liberia.

The workshop conducted in Monrovia was part of CEMESP programs being sponsored by the United States based National Endowment for Democracy, NED.

It was aimed at helping the participants to brush up their skills in the management of their respective media outlets.

In addition to management topics-Management-Purpose & Function, Innovation-Market Survey, Leadership for Innovation, Business Side of Media, Media Organization-explored by facilitators of the workshop, the training also considered technical issues such as Editing Skills, Roles and Responsibilities of Editors or Media Managers, Feature and Editorial Writing, Language Skills, Media Laws and Ethics, and Online Investigative Journalism.
 

The workshop was facilitated by: University of Liberia Associate Professor Joe W. Mulbah, United Methodist University, Mass Communication Department Chairman Reginald Goodridge,  Radio Veritas Station Manager Ledgerhood Rennie, University of Liberia Mass Communication Department Teaching Assistant and Managing Editor of the Inquirer newspaper, Philip N. Wesseh, University of Liberia, Mass Communication department Teaching Assistant Frank Sainworla, and veteran journalist and Managing Editor of the Daily Observer newspaper Kenneth Best, among others.
 

Speaking at the Opening of the workshop former Liberia Information Minister Rev. Emmanuel Bowier urged the media to always strive for credibility and professionalism.
Rev. Bowier stressed the need for media institutions to empower their reporters so that they are motivated to do their jobs with diligence and social responsibility.

 

 

Monrovia , November 20, 2006: The Center for Media Studies & Peace Building (CEMESP) held a six-week journalism training course in Monrovia for some beginner journalists in the country.
 

Speaking at the opening of the workshop in the auditorium of the AME University in Monrovia CEMESP Chairman of the Board of Directors Abdullai Kamara said the media has been in the forefront of restoring peace and must remain a bastion for the strengthening of democracy in Liberia.
 

Mr. Kamara said the training program was set up to help Liberian journalists contribute to the building of peace in Liberia, and was in no way calling on the media to abandon its continuous advocacy for democracy, social justice and the rule of law.
 

Mr. Kamara said when Liberian journalists are better armed with the capacity building provided by this workshop, they should be in the position to stand up for the rights of the Liberian people like the venerated Indian sage, Mahatma Gandhi, who named the objects of the media as “…understanding the popular feeling and give expression to it, … arousing among the people certain desirable sentiments; … fearlessly exposing popular defects."
 

Mr. Kamara noted that CEMESP would remain engaged with activities aimed at building peace and democracy in Liberia, and expressed best sentiments to the United States-based National Endowment for Democracy (NED) for their magnanimous support that has permitted CEMESP to achieve these results.
 

In earlier remarks, CEMESP Executive Director Malcolm Joseph said the course is meant to provide basic skills and brush up for reporters, who have not had the opportunity of benefiting from similar training levels.
 

Meanwhile, Assistant Information Minister Gabriel Williams has expressed the government’s preparedness “to work closely with the press union and other media agencies in finding solutions to the problems affecting the media.”
 

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the promotion of press freedom, noting that the time has passed when the government and the media would be working at cross-purposes.
 

Mr. Williams said in order for the Liberian people to appreciate the gift of democracy, every effort must be made to promote the groundswell of freedom the people and the media are enjoying in Liberia today. He welcomed the multiplicity of media, and called for a new focus on improving the professional standards of journalists and the media, as was being done by CEMESP and NED.
 

Twenty five practicing   journalists, including 11 females, from more than 10 print and broadcast media institutions across the country, were selected from than 75 persons who applied for the course.
 

Media Situation in Liberia, Basics of Journalism, Issues relating to Freedom of Expression, News Concepts and Interview Techniques, Language Skills, as well as basic writing exercises for News & Script Writing, Writing Features, Editorials & Commentaries and Broadcast Presentations & Productions were among topics treated by the workshop which was funded by the United States-based National Endowment for Democracy (NED).