Tumelo Setshogo
25 February 2008
Reporters across the SADC region have been advised to write simplified stories on HIV/AIDS for the people to clearly understand the message being conveyed to them.
"You have to write for the reader to understand," said Mmegi Editor Gideon Nkala at the ongoing media training workshop on "Fatigue and Stigma in Botswana", which is being organised by the Media Institute of Southern African (MISA) Botswana chapter.
The two-week training workshop, which started in Gaborone on Friday, is aimed at equipping journalists with the necessary HIV and AIDS reporting skills.
MISA has teamed up with the Zambia Institute of Mass Communication (ZAMCOM) and the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief to run the workshop. Its theme is "Media Fatigue and Stigma in Botswana: Changing Hearts, Minds and Behaviours". Presenting a paper on "Why does my editor spike my HIV and AIDS stories?" the Mmegi editor said stories which do not see the light of day are those that are not well written and researched. He told workshop participants that such stories always lack substance and focus.
"I won't publish a story for the public to read if it is badly written," said Nkala. Nkala also said that there is a general lack of knowledge on HIV and AIDS issues among "editors and sub-editors". Nkala highlighted the fact that sometimes editors can also not publish a good and well-written story on HIV and AIDS because of interesting stories, which make headlines, such as those on corruption involving top officials.
However, Nkala dismissed suggestions that people who report on HIV and AIDS and other health related issues should be experts in the fields of either medicine or nursing.
He said it is incumbent upon every journalist to make sure that he/she understands the issue he/she is writing about in order to convey the right message to the public.
Nkala said doctors and nurses are badly needed in hospitals and should not be saddled with reporting chores.
"Your duty (as reporters) is to make sure that you write for the people to understand," he said, adding that more effort should be put in when writing stories, whether they are HIV/AIDS related or not.
On whether there should be a section of a newspaper devoted to reporting on HIV and AIDS and other health issues, Nkala said "it wouldn't be sustainable looking at the interests of the people" in general. He said health issues are different from hot issues like corruption in high places.
"I also don't think the papers can manage to sustain the section, especially the private media, because it could be costly," said Nkala.
Meanwhile, reporters attending the workshop embark on a weeklong research project to find out the responses of the public on different HIV and AIDS issues with more emphasis on stigma and discrimination. At the end of the training, reporters are expected to write articles for publication in various magazines and newspapers across the region. The workshop ends on Friday.
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