Taught by Experts

Media Expedition, 22nd June - A Day to Remember

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My experience as a student journalist at the RMDF School of Journalism is none but – a very interesting, exciting, and memorable experience.  One day in early June, our principal promised he’d take us on a tour of media houses and newsrooms in Fort Portal. The deal was to tour their studios and studio transmission links, newsrooms, learn about their cultures, policies, and approach to journalism, and importantly interact with their journalists and other media practitioners at the radio stations.

I got super excited about this and was quick to list those I thought were the best radio stations in the city. My classmates were equally excited. Folks in my class are super curious, determined, and very cooperative. To all of us, these tours were a big deal. So, on a bright Wednesday morning in mid-June, we started planning for the tours. As I mentioned earlier, this is part of our school’s effort to provide practical learning experiences and exposure to the students. Fast forward, we listed the radio stations we wanted to visit. We listed about six but this was too much so we zeroed on two – hits FM and life FM. Why, because we thought these were the best stations. Fast forward, We identified the key professionals to meet with, we prepared questions and topics for discussion and coordinated with the media houses to confirm the schedule.

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On the 22nd day of June, we set out to visit these media houses to gain insight into their ways of operation and to meet with their editors, presenters, and managers which provided a comprehensive understanding of the inner workings of these media organizations.

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At Hits FM, we met the news editor Mpamizo Evarist, who took us through how he prepares a news bulletin -  from selecting stories to scripting and editing. He highlighted the importance of collaboration and communication among team members to ensure a smooth and successful broadcast. He also shared how he works closely with reporters to develop stories. His guidance provided a comprehensive understanding of the news process and the importance of teamwork in the newsroom.

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At Life FM, we had "a seat-down-talk" with the inspiring, intelligent, and industrious man, Sam Kalyebara, the station manager. He took us through what makes a good radio. He said it starts with structures and "organization" which he divided into departments such as the on-air/programs department, editorial/news department, sales and marketing department, and engineering department. He also said that these departments are to manage the radio team.

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We also conversed with Musinguzi Reagan, a presenter and host of "The World in Action", a daily 3-hour news and international affairs program. He highlighted a couple of qualities every journalist needs to possess including the ability and willingness to learn, read widely, be informed and adapt to changing audience needs. He also highlighted the need for thorough research and preparation before going on air where he talked of planning what to say, scripting it, and rehearsing to give the audience the best.

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Through these interactions, we gained a comprehensive understanding of the media industry including the importance of engaging presentation, clear editing, accurate reporting, and effective production. The lessons learned offered a behind-the-scenes look at the media industry, revealing the hard work, creativity, and collaboration that go into producing high-quality content.  As aspiring journalists, these tours offered great insight, exposure, and a leap into the media industry and the exciting profession of journalism. We appreciate the opportunity to visit these media houses and thank the professionals who shared their time and expertise.