By Yankho Banda

Lilongwe, June 13, Mana:  Award-winning journalist Suzgo Chitete has emphasized the crucial and active role that journalists play in the news production cycle.

Speaking during a continuous training session for reporters from the Malawi News Agency, Chitete said that journalists are not merely observers but active participants in the stories they cover.

He introduced the "story circle" concept, which includes journalists, the audience, sources, and publications, noting that it just depends on who has the power in the story that is being written.

He stressed that while journalists’ decide what to write, who to interview, and how to gather information, their reporting must be based on evidence.

Chitete also highlighted that journalists often have personal connections to their stories and can offer ideas on dealing with problems that the sources are facing.

Regarding sources, Chitete cautioned against blind trust, reminding journalists that sources often share information with specific interests in mind.

"Journalists should not just believe sources easily; rather, do collaborative information gathering to be safe," he advised.

Chitete also emphasized the importance of understanding media house policies, both written and unwritten, as these help guiding how stories are approached.

He urged journalists to write stories and that resonate with the public, recognizing that they are part of the audience.

Chitete also warned journalists that audiences can sometimes manipulate journalists or exaggerate stories just to gain attention.

"Journalists should not write stories just to tick a box because what they write has the power to affect other people," Chitete stated, underscoring that stories are for the audience, who should not be overlooked, nor should reporting constantly focus on the same individuals.

He encouraged journalists to conduct thorough research and formulate well-crafted questions for conferences and press briefings.

"Even the smallest question would matter rather than leaving it to one person," he said, advocating for the development of the art of questioning while maintaining a healthy skepticism, as "every little piece of information holds value."

"Journalism is purposive; it has a basis and must be subjected to verification," Chitete explained.

He suggested seeking information from experts, community members, and those likely to know, ensuring that "the audience and the sources are not cheated because the research will help journalists take their time for the verification process."

Chitete advised using directive, non open ended questions, achieved by providing context, examples, and background information to guide the interviewee. However, he cautioned against closed questions that only elicit yes or no answers.

To encourage sources to speak, journalists should employ greetings, visits, and simple questions before moving to more challenging ones.

Throughout this process, he stressed the importance of remaining grounded in reality and ensuring that the tone reflects the mood of the questions, whether sorrowful or joyful.

“Journalists should also pretend and guard their opinion if they want to get information from people,” he added.

Despite tough interviews, journalists were advised to remain composed and express gratitude to sources, as future collaborations might be necessary.

Secret recording, he noted, is only advisable in critical investigative journalism situations where sources are unresponsive.

During an interview, Sugzo said that journalists should inform sources that the story will be published with a note that they declined to provide information, which can often motivate them to speak.

Regarding story ownership, he advised against writing stories that conflict with an employer's interests, suggesting that if a story is important but problematic for their publication, it could be given to another journalist.

Paul Madise, one of the attendees, commended the organizers of the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) sessions for the "refresher in-house training," which he believes helps MANA reporters improve their daily news writing and safeguards the journalism profession.

Madise highlighted: "the need for a proper choice of interviewees and that the tone of the story can significantly impact the story's outcome."

Chitete concluded with an example: “Reporters from different media outlets, such as international media like the BBC and local media like MANA, may cover the same event, but what matters is how each journalist reports it differently. Therefore, the influence of journalists on storytelling is comparable to the effect of different angles on a single picture.”