The Press Union of Liberia and Internews have graduated the first batch of 30 mentees from the USAID Media Activity, a three-month intensive Journalism internship program.
The USAID Media Activity as organized by the Press Union of Liberia recruited journalism students from media training institutions like the Peter Quaqua School of Journalism and the University of Liberia to have them attached to media houses to advance their careers.
Graduating and certificating them yesterday in Congo Town, the Union and her partners called on aspiring journalists to take the media profession as a field that calls for vibrancy to positively aid the forward march of the society.
With the theme: “Breading a new Cadre of Journalists for a vibrant media sector,” the mentees who were mentored by professional media practitioners were cautioned to maintain and uphold at all times the ethics enshrined in the creed of journalism.
Serving as guest speaker for the occasion, the Press Union President Charles Coffey said that the union remains determined to transform the media landscape in Liberia.
Mr. Coffey stated that the new trend of media in the country is realizing professionalism and to maintain passion of such which can only be done through practical experience and ideas.
“You have to practicalize the skills you have acquired because it is not just the story you write but your commitment within the media field will gradually take you where you want to see yourself,” he added.
He revealed further some ethical standards that professional media practitioners could exhibit in the discharge of his or her duty in the face of daunting challenges.
“Do not be so much into ‘CATO’; it might damage your reputation and blackmailing people also in the media field is unethical,” he intimated with appreciation to the partners for the implementation of the project.
The USAID Media Activity Chief of Party Lien Bach congratulated the graduates and cautioned them to use the opportunity gained from the three months’ training process appropriately.
She expressed gladness to Liberian media students for her putting time to the process which was mainly in two categories namely; digital journalism and investigative journalism that are key in the Liberian media.
Other newsroom heads who formed part of the program lauded the mentees for the efforts applied throughout the internship as some committed to allotting more time to young people desirous of joining the media profession.
