Journalists can now report news stories without the usage of expensive and heavy cameras, but still communicate to their audiences. This is one area Makerere students of Journalism and Communication were trained in by the Media Challenge Initiative, ahead of the media challenge competitions 2018.

Several students gathered at Central Teaching Facility II to be equipped with skills in reporting. The event was organized by the Media Challenge Initiative, a program that trains and mentors journalism practitioners. This is part of the preparations for this year’s media challenge competitions scheduled to take place on October 20, 2018.

During the session, social media was said to be the most efficient tool used by most journalists to share news. However, this can be done effectively and cheaply using mobile phones.

According to Antonio Kisembo, verification of web sources is necessary before sharing news. The team also taught students how to report stories on their mobile phones, using Kine Master app.

"Journalists should first check the validity of the posts on social media platforms before sharing them," Kisembo added.

Saddam Mubaale, a fourth year student of Bachelor of Journalism and Communication said, "…this is a great opportunity for students as they will be able to report news without the expensive cameras."

However, Rukia Nakanjako, another student of Bachelor of Journalism and Communication was impressed by the new reporting techniques.  "As long as you have a phone with a good camera, you can edit and produce news stories," she said.

"By the end of the session, students will be able to tell news using their mobile phones," said Kisembo, one of the organizers of the media challenge competitions.