World Radio Day: Malawian journalists told to strive for accuracy
Capital FM's Presenter Gift Banda doing his Mingoli program
Journalists and radio stations across the globe are today celebrating the World Radio Day with a focus on peace building.
In a statement, the Media Institute for Southern Africa-MISA Malawi is advising journalists to be agents of peace by embracing the fact-checking strategy.
The media group believes this will help to fight increasing cases of disinformation, misinformation and hate content.
“Sharing of inaccurate information has the potential to fuel conflicts. Radio personalities should
therefore utilize their noble platforms to promote the truth and fight misinformation,” reads part of the statement.
The United Nations General Assembly adopted February 13 as World Radio Day in 2012; and this year it is celebrated under the theme ‘Radio and Peace’, highlighting independent radio as a pillar for conflict prevention and peace building.
Radio is regarded as a powerful medium for celebrating humanity in all its diversity and constitutes a platform for democratic discourse.
MISA Malawi is therefore reminding journalists that information aired on radio reaching millions of listeners, has to be accurate and grounded in journalistic principles of truth, objectivity and balance.
MISA Malawi Chairperson Teresa Ndanga says sharing of inaccurate information has the potential to fuel conflicts and radio personalities should utilize their noble platforms to promote the truth and fight misinformation.
Ndanga also urges radio stations to invest more in fact-checking and peace building by developing content that is independent of any political and commercial inclinations, fact-based and free from any hate speech.
She further advises radio stations to adopt media house policies that support peace building and production of content that reflects diversity of views and opinion.
She believes programmes that reflect diversity in political, religious and cultural opinions and independent news reporting provide a favourable environment for peace building, sustainable democracy and good governance.
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