THERE WILL BE INK - Initiative for Policy Dialogue

people who have no journalism background. Akin Jimoh recommended that trainings be led byexperienced business journalists and media specialists. 198However, there are benefits to recruiting a mix of trainers and presenters who are not strictlyjournalists. In fact, we heard from several in our sample who said that they would like more peoplefrom the business community to speak at trainings. This would give journalists an opportunity tolearn about the complexities of various industries and the challenges they face, from the insiderperspective. Since many journalists lack finance training, according to one former journalist nowworking in a bank, they do not fully understand the intricacies of the companies they cover or theimplications of what they write. 199 Jimoh also recommended bringing in development experts, suchas representatives from the United Nations Development Program. 200.The other training technique issue is whether to employ a conceptual style versus a practical style.The education journalists receive in university tends to be very conceptual, with very little practicaltraining, as is also the case of the trainings conducted by organizations like the CBN and the StockExchange. Journalists have very little exposure to hands-on training, on the whole, and wouldbenefit greatly from trainings of this kind. It is important, though, not to strictly deviate from theconceptual side of training. Dean Emevmo Biakolo, of the School of Media and Communications,recommended mixing academic teaching with practical skills, which is what he finds many editors inNigeria are looking for. 201Trainings for Editors and PublishersTrainings should not be for journalists alone; they should also include editors and publishers. Thiswill raise their understanding of the business issues their journalists are covering. According to thejournalists we spoke with, the majority of their editors have had little business reporting training.Training editors and publishers will also increase the likelihood that they will allow their journaliststo adopt their new skills resulting from trainings, as the knowledge of business reporting spreads.Devcoms, for example, holds trainings for editors so that they can better understand certain beatsand identify false and biased stories. These trainings also update editors on the latest trends in thesector. Furthermore, Joke Omotunde of the United States Consulate Public Affairs Section in Lagossaid that journalists often tell her that their trainings should teach editors and publishers tounderstand the importance and benefit of increasing journalists’ pay. 202Funding for TrainingsIn order to ensure that Nigerian journalists will utilize trainings, it will be important to remove thecost barrier to attending. Media houses have very limited resources to pay for training, and severaljournalists noted that it is the first thing to go in times of economic downturn. If possible,journalists should have these trainings provided to them without cost. Otherwise, it will greatlydecrease the likelihood of journalists attending.198 Akin Jimoh. 2009. Interview by Adriana Diaz. Lagos, Nigeria, January 12.199 Nigerian Interviewee #5. 2009. Interview by Ben Colmery and Adriana Diaz. Lagos, Nigeria, January 12.200 Akin Jimoh. 2009. Interview by Adriana Diaz. Lagos, Nigeria, January 12.201 Emevmo Biakolo. 2009. Interview by Ben Colmery. Lagos, Nigeria, January 14.202 Joke Omotunde. 2009. Interview by Ben Colmery and Adriana Diaz. Lagos, Nigeria, January 8.– 73 –