Page 26 - issue 23

26 Business

Arizona State University Professor

trains Botswana Journalists

Rayan Burch - consultant

Professor Jason Manning - Professor of Practice at the Cronkite
School of Journalism at Arizona State University. local student journalists

he decline of trust in social and media is number one in terms of recognize a bad influence, having the
traditional media by the intended spreading false information or fake news, skills to be credible to your audience.”
Taudiences worldwide prompted traditional media also is contributing False advertising is also used by bad
the United States Embassy in Botswana in misinforming the unsuspecting actors to mislead the public, it has
to organize a media literacy workshop public and none media organizations been around for a longtime. With
for the Botswana based journalists at with political motive.” Jason urged the use of technology, it has become
the University of Botswana recently. journalists to report fairly and factually more complex causing a serious risk to
in order to regain trust from the diverse audiences.” Journalists who attended
This workshop was the third and final demographic audiences “you can ask the media literacy workshop were urged
instrument of media literacy training tough questions when conducting to be transparent, speak truth and to
for journalists in Botswana, the first interviews but you must report fairly always know that content is King and
two sessions were held at the public and factually” he said. Professor Jason conversation is the Kingdom. This would
affairs offices with the Botswana media Manning is a Professor of Practice at the help to restore public trust in journalists
practitioners interacting with the ASU Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona and their media houses. Crowd sourcing
faculty via digital video conference. State University. was identified as a powerful reporting
tool.
Speaking to Engineer Magazine, For his part Rayan Burch a consultant
Professor Jason Manning said “Social said “Media fluency is being able to

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