South Sudan journalists’ requests UN to support them in specialized reporting

By Ruot George

Most journalists in South Sudan are a jack of all trades when it comes to reporting, covering politics, health, social and all other issues without selection.

Such reporting has denied them the time to focus on certain sectors and get acquainted with the way they do their things.

In a “meet and greet” with communication officers of UN agencies in the capital Juba on December 10, the President of the Union of Journalists, Oyet Patrick Charles urged the world body to promote specialised journalism in key sectors.

“We are happy with the level of support the UN agencies is giving to journalists especially on reaching to people in the countryside,” Charles said in a speech.

“At UJOSS, we are venturing towards specialised journalism. if journalists can be trained on health by UNFPA on health reporting,” that would be good,” he said.

The meeting brought together media stakeholders including editors and freelance Journalists to discuss challenges they face and how they could work in partnership with UN agencies to provide lifesaving humanitarian information in South Sudan.