ECM, Dedza Diocese Trains Lay Journalists in Mass Communication

The Social Communications Commission of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi in conjunction with Dedza Diocese recently trained lay Catholic Journalists drawn from all the sixteen parishes available in the Diocese in Mass Communication.

Dedza Social Communications Secretary, Fr. Peter White said the training workshop was aimed at equipping the lay Catholic journalists with knowledge and skills in mass communication as one way of empowering them to contribute Church stories to various Catholic Media Houses in the country.

Facilitators of the training workshop were: a priest journalist from Dedza Diocese, Fr. Godino Phokoso, Communications Secretary for the Episcopal Conference of Malawi and Director of Luntha Television, Fr. Andrew Kaufa and Joseph Mwanoka, a lay Catholic Journalist working with a national private radio station Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS),.
Fr White said the training was crucial for the young aspiring Catholic journalists to be abreast with the new media technologies as an alternative way of new evangelization hence promoting Church stories within the Diocese.

Fr White challenged the young Catholic journalists to embrace the use of new media technologies so that they can help spreading of the Gospel and at the same time reaching out to many people within or outside the Catholic Church.

For his part, Fr. Phokoso highlighted principles of journalism and the best way of writing a good story. Taking his turn, Mwanoka who launched his broadcasting career with Radio Maria Malawi challenged the young aspiring journalists to have a nose for news at all times. He said as Catholic journalists they need to create a conducive environment and a rapport with their sources so that they are tipped with news.

The Communications Secretary for ECM, Fr. Kaufa said Catholic media houses are failing to air Church stories because there is a challenge of few journalists available to file stories. He then challenged the young journalists in the church to be proactive and spread the Gospel by sending Church stories with Catholic Media Houses.

“Make use of what you have learnt here and obviously we expect a change when you go back to your respective parishes. We need to hear a lot of Church stories from you, “said Fr. Kaufa.

The ECM Social Communications Commission coordinates all Catholic Media houses that include Radio Maria, Radio Alinafe, Radio Tigabane, Luntha Television and Montfort Media.