U.S Embassy Yaoundé Trains Journalists on Election Coverage

U.S Embassy Yaoundé, Trains Journalists on Election Coverage

They were forty in number, drawn from six regions of the country. They were invited by the United States Embassy, Avenue Rosa Parks, Yaoundé, Cameroon to be schooled on election coverage by Elizabeth Bryant, a Paris-based American print/radio journalist specialised in political, developmental and environmental issues.

Holding for two days in the embassy's Multi Purpose Room, September 4th - 5th, 2018, attendees were enlightened on roles and responsibilities of the press during elections. It is prerequisite for journalists to fully cover happenings before, during and after elections through breaking news, spots and bulletins, features, debates, interviews, round tables, profiles, polls and surveys, interactive/call in programs and social media handles (tweets, blogs, Facebook pages).

Workshop Session. Photo Cr. U.S Emb. Y'de

Apart from elections, they were told their reports could focus on women and minority, change versus stability, economy and employment, security and threats against press freedom and the basics (health, education, infrastructure etc). Elizabeth Bryant told the reporters that before elections, they should school their listeners, viewers and readers on candidates profiles, manifestos, funding and equitably focus on all parties involved. On the d-day of the elections, focus should be on voting, first reactions and exit polls. Then after the elections, reports have to be on results, analyses and reactions.

Mr. Okha Bau Okha is a senior staff at Elections Cameroon, ELECAM. As one of the facilitators at the workshop, he outlined the organigram of his institution and their functionalities. He disclosed that ELECAM is charged with the organisation, management, and supervision of referendums and elections like presidential, senatorial, parliamentary and municipal. He also strongly defended the "apoliticalness" of the structure though a majority of the journalists found this wanting.

Award of Certificates. Photo Cr. U.S Emb. Y'de

Ebude Ekane is a journalist working with the state media, CRTV. Expressing her take home message at the end of the workshop, she said "I'm very elated. I've learnt a lot during these two days on elections coverage which is timely because on Oct. 7th, Cameroonians shall be going to the polls. So we had to remind ourselves on some basic notions about journalism to be able to give out the right information to the public on the d-day." To Ngong Song Jean-Marie, a reporter with The Rambler newspaper, "Gaining more knowledge on elections reporting at a time we are facing a presidential election goes a long way to better me to be able to cover the event come October 7."

At the end of the two day workshop on election coverage, Elizabeth Bryant, the main facilitator expressed her satisfaction, "It was basically about working with colleagues to share experience and make sure that because this is such an important election in Cameroon, the journalists will face so many challenges in covering it. So it was really to see if we can work together to make sure perhaps, you know, the best opportunities in terms of writing, getting good stories, conducting interviews etc were met. I have to say I was really impressed with the energy, the professionalism and the working together was just an amazing experience. The collaboration was great. I was really impressed and enjoyed my time."

Blog Admin. Quizzing the Resource Person. Photo Cr. U.S Emb. Y'de

With the media practitioners now fully armed with skills and knowledge to face the challenges that lie ahead,  the question now is, "Despite the many trainings on  peace journalism, crises reporting and elections reporting they've attended, will journalists in the troubled two English speaking regions of Cameroon cover the presidential elections on October 7th?" This, because separatist fighters have banned anything that has to do with elections in these two regions as they intensify their fight for the independence of the state they call Ambazonia. It's a wait and see.