STORY: AMISOM Organizes Training On Election

Reporting For Somali Journalists

DURATION: 4:04
SOURCE: AMISOM PUBLIC INFORMATION
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CREDIT REQUIRED: AMISOM PUBLIC
INFORMATION
LANGUAGE:SOMALI/NATURAL SOUND
DATELINE: 1/MAY/2016, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA
SHORT LIST
1. Med shot, banner of the AMISOM media training workshop
2. Wide shot, Abdullahi Mohamed Hassan Black conducting the
workshop
3. Med shot, Abdullahi Mohamed Hassan Black conducting the
workshop
4. Close up shot, journalist taking notes
5. Close up shot, journalist listening
6. Med shot, journalists attending the workshop
7. Close up shot, Abdullahi Mohamed Hassan Black conducting
the workshop
8. Wide shot, Abdullahi Mohamed Hassan Black speaking at the
workshop
9. Close up shot, some of the topics covered during the workshop
10. Close up shot, a journalist at the workshop
11. SOUNDBITE: ( Somali) Abdullahi Mohamed Hassan Black,
Trainer
One of the most important issues the journalists have learnt in this
workshop is that they are the source of information the public will be relying
on during election. Since the journalists are the first people to get the
opportunity of broadcasting the election, they should focus on electoral
regulations of the government and investigate whether those regulations are
fair to all political parties or candidates. The journalists should also be in the
forefront in investigating and keenly following the election campaigns whether
the electoral regulations are adhered to or not.
12. Wide shot, journalists attending the workshop
13. Close up shot, a journalist speaking at the workshop
14. Med shot, journalists at the workshop
15. Close up shot, some of the topics covered during the workshop
16. Wide shot, Abdullahi Mohamed Hassan Black speaking at the
workshop
17. Close up shot, female journalists attending the workshop

18. SOUNDBITE: ( Somali) Kiin Omar Makalan, Journalist with

Somali Cable TV
The most important thing I have learned from this seminar as a journalist is
ensuring impartiality in reporting. Since we nearing the 2016 general election,
it is important that we give all candidates fair coverage on television. There
should be no special treatment for any candidate, we should give them a
platform to convey their manifestos to the public well before the exercise. A
journalist should be fair in reporting and he or she should be well informed on
the subject he is covering to ensure the public receive credible information
that can be trusted.
19. Wide shot, journalists attending the workshop
20. Wide shot, Abdullahi Mohamed Hassan Black speaking at the
workshop
21. SOUNDBITE: ( Somali) Hassan Mustaf Issack, Journalist
with Somali Press
I am a journalist and the public expects credible information from me. The
public listens to me on radio or watch me on TV. As a result, they expect to
receive credible information but if one has not attended seminars or is not well
informed, he or she will not be able to pass the necessary information to the
public. The audience expects to receive credible information on election from
me, since some TV stations might go LIVE to report the current events as
they happen. Some of the interesting information the public expects during
election is when a candidate steps down or withdraws from the race. Election
reporting is still a new subject, a result, the journalists should report it in a way
that will interest the public.
22. Close up shot, female journalists attending the workshop
23. Close up shot, Abdullahi Mohamed Hassan Black conducting
the workshop
STORY
AMISOM Organizes Training On Election Reporting For Somali
Journalists
Mogadishu, May 1, 2016 - With less than four months to presidential and
parliamentary elections in Somalia, the African Union Mission In Somalia
(AMISOM) is providing training to journalists to strengthen their skills in
election reporting.
Journalists who attended a one-day workshop held yesterday in Mogadishu,
were taken through the basic principles of journalism, standards of accuracy,
impartiality and qualities of good journalism.
The training is part of AMISOMs mandate to support the Federal Government
of Somalia to establish its state institutions.
Abdullahi Mohamed Hassan Black, a consultant who conducted the training
said they had discussed the role of journalists in political campaigns and

election reporting and public expectations of the media. He asked the

newsmen to be impartial and fair.
I have learnt that the work of the journalist should be fair and should be well
informed on the subject matter he or she is covering for the public to receive
credible information, said Kiin Omar Makaran, a journalist from Somali Cable
TV who attended the session.
Print journalist Hassan Mustaf Issack echoed similar sentiments.
He said, I am a journalist and the public expects credible information from
me. The public listens to me on the radio or watches me on TV and they
expect to receive credible information. If I had not this sort of training, I would
not be able to pass on factual information. The audience expects election
reports from me as some TV stations might go LIVE to report the current
events as it happens. Some of the interesting stories that the public expects
during elections are when a candidate steps down. It is a new development
and the journalists should report it bit by bit as that will interest the public.
AMISOM is organizing this and future training opportunities for Somali
journalists, ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections, which are
scheduled for September.
END