Arusha, Tanzania – Jesse Kwayu, Managing Director of the media company Media Brains, has emphasized that journalists must keep pace with rapidly evolving technology by learning new online reporting skills to continue providing accurate, impactful, and socially responsible news.
Speaking during a two-day training session for journalists in Arusha, Kwayu highlighted the importance of verifying information before publishing it online to prevent the spread of false or sensational content. “Online journalists must prioritize fact-checking before reporting any event to protect themselves from legal consequences. Digital news should be concise, accurate, and focus only on the most important points,” he stressed.
The training, organized by Media Brains and sponsored by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) of Germany, involved 20 journalists from the Arusha region. It aimed to equip journalists with the skills needed to report online news accurately without being influenced by the rapid spread of misinformation or online rumors.
Kwayu further noted that the media landscape has increasingly shifted to online platforms, requiring journalists to adopt new reporting methods and leverage technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), in gathering and processing information. The training also focused on identifying and analyzing misinformation and disinformation spreading rapidly through social media and other digital platforms.
Absalom Kibanda, Managing Director at Media Brains, emphasized the importance of journalists being able to detect false information online.
“It is crucial to double-check any information before posting it online, especially when it circulates widely on social media,” he said.
Participants reported that the training would help them report news more carefully and avoid disseminating unverified information.
Ashura Mohamed, a journalist from Radio 5, said, “Without professional knowledge, it is difficult to distinguish between true and false information. This training has equipped us with technological tools to identify accurate news.”
Claud Gwandu, Chairman of the Arusha Press Club (APC), thanked Media Brains for organizing the training and urged participants to serve as role models for other journalists by adhering to professional ethics and ensuring that online news meets verification standards.
The training comes at a crucial time, given the increasing ease of spreading news via social media and the growing circulation of unverified information affecting the public rapidly.
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