What qualities are essential to work in a media house: YEN.com.gh's Managing Director explains

What qualities are essential to work in a media house: YEN.com.gh's Managing Director explains

The media is saddled with the responsibility of informing, interpreting, instructing, bonding, and also entertaining the general public.

Our manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

The media is also seen as the gatekeeper, which means it affects or controls the information that gets to the public.

But for any media house to operate at its maximum, it requires a highly dedicated team of journalists who know their craft and go beyond the call of duty.

What qualities are essential to work in a media house: YEN.com.gh's Managing Director explains
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Source: Original

YEN.com.gh took Ghana's media sphere by storm some years ago when it found a niche in the entertainment news category which was largely unexplored by the local media but the success did not happen by chance, it took a dedicated team.

With time, YEN.com.gh grew to become one of the best online news and entertainment platforms in Ghana and has been leading the way by keeping the public informed about major events and developments in the country in a timely manner since its inception.

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Breaking news and entertainment and lifestyle news have become YEN.com.gh's forte.

Working in a media house like YEN.com.gh demands more from its editors. According to YEN.com.gh's Managing Director, Samuel Obour, there are several definitions of a journalist and what is required of them.

What qualities are essential to work in a media house: YEN.com.gh's Managing Director explains
Photo credit: Pexels.com
Source: Original

"The definition of a good journalist to me is someone who knows what he or she is about, is an expert researcher and possesses impeccable writing skills to present the facts as they are to the reader.
"A YEN.com.gh editor should be a team player, pays attention to detail, and is not quick to publish news without first verifying the source. While at it, a YEN editor must possess the skills to educate, inform and entertain the audience ".

Samuel Obour goes on to add that, a good journalist should have a good command of writing skills, understand the ethics of journalism and be knowledgeable about what is happening in their surroundings, country and the world at large.

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According to David Brewer, the founder and editor of Media Helping Media, a journalist must have integrity, courage, good communication skills, analytical and investigative skills and must be tech-savvy.

We take a look at five top qualities of a journalist:

Good communication skills and thorough knowledge

A journalist must have a good command of the language used by their trade. He/she must also have a deep knowledge of the news piece being worked on.

With effective communication skills and background knowledge, from other news sources, one can extract needed information and write in-depth stories and reports.

Aside from a degree in journalism and communication, every journalist needs an internship to understudy the style guide of his place of work as every media house has its peculiar style of reporting news.

What qualities are essential to work in a media house: YEN.com.gh's Managing Director explains
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Source: UGC

Integrity

Fairness, objectivity, and honesty are the core factors that need to be put in every story. A journalist is expected to report accurate and reliable information to the public without being biased or sentimental.

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Truth is sacred and must be protected by all means.

Courage

A journalist should be able to ask questions without fear of intimidation or consequences. He/she must be bold to ask tough and deeper questions. Courage is important when reporting from the scene of events.

At YEN.com.gh, we create content that enriches lives and our team has been on the front line to get first-hand information.

What qualities are essential to work in a media house: YEN.com.gh's Managing Director explains
Photo credit: Pexels.com
Source: UGC

Analytical and investigative skills

A journalist must have a nose for news. Curiosity, critical thinking, a hunger for news, a burning desire to tell a good story, regardless of the medium or platform, and a dedication to accuracy, fairness, balance and media ethics would be a good start.

Tech-savvy

With the advent of technology and social media, journalism has taken a new dimension. Citizen journalism has become a major source of news lately thus the need to have the technical know-how on navigating the internet to get the most captivating stories

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To be a market leader, YEN.com.gh makes use of technology and social media to curate compelling and value-adding news.

What qualities are essential to work in a media house: YEN.com.gh's Managing Director explains
Photo credit: Pexels.com
Source: UGC

Whilst a journalist need not be an IT guru, basic knowledge of technology is crucial in this digital era.

Have national and human interest issues to discuss? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome.

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Source: YEN.com.gh

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