What are the trends, opportunities and challenges journalists in Nigeria should expect in 2023? We asked a cross-section of journalists, media trainers and stakeholders.
Create relevant programmes to get international funding
*Create programs around subjects that are funded by international donors. Issues around social justice, gender equality, climate change, anti-corruption, education, and health among others are some of the most funded by International donor agencies and your media organization can be in a very prime position to access those funding if you create well-researched programs addressing those areas.
*If you are going to be relevant this year, you must invest in the digital revolution. It starts with creating a brand new team; THE DIGITAL CONTENT TEAM: With a content strategist, a multimedia content producer, social media manager and a web developer on the team. YOUR DIGITAL TEAM IS NOT ONE PERSON!
CLICK TO READ MORE BY FOLA FOLAYAN – Media Entrepreneur and Communication Specialist
*Product design, development and marketing.
Taiwo Obe – Media Trainer
Opportunities for freelance journalists to cover elections for foreign media
*There is going to be a lot of opportunities for journalists in 2023. Those who are media entrepreneurs will make a lot of money as foreign media organisations will be looking for freelancers to cover the elections for them. Journalists will have access to grants to work on stories.
* It’s going to be a year of great opportunities for practising journalists in Nigeria and Africa. But to take advantage of these opportunities, journalists must learn new skills in digital media and audience measurement. Using analytical tools to drive audience engagement.
Abu Dooshima – Journalists/digital content producer ( BBC Pidgin)
Invest in multimedia production/products
*Media and journalists should invest in multimedia production/products to tell their stories. In the age of digital media where there is more struggle to get the readers’ attention, media can’t ignore the opportunity they can maximize by customising their content for digital platforms like Snapchat, Clubhouse, Twitter, YouTube and TikTok.
Kehinde Adegboyega – Human Rights, Media and Policy advocate
Focus on key issues to make impacts
*I feel Journalists should focus less on what governments at all levels; local, state and national, are doing and what they are not doing. Why should our banks still be giving people old naira notes since the 16th of December, 2022 and they cannot be sanctioned? Efforts of all Journalists should be focused on particular issues for a specific period of time until positive impacts and changes are achieved.
Sekinah Lawal – Journalist and Media consultant
Joint ownership of digital platforms will be more sustainable
Niche reporting covering specialised issues will be in high demand by readers and there will be more funding for such from grant-giving organisations.
Journalists will be better off collaborating and managing websites and other digital platforms instead of sole-owned initiatives that have been unable to get the kind of projected revenue and support.
There will be a need for more fact-checked reports.
Media organisations will need to adopt more sustainable models to enhance their operations.
More traditional journalists who are not digitally savvy will lose their jobs.
More journalists will launch their personal websites to document their work and showcase what skills they have for which they can be contacted.
Experienced journalists will need to publish books on their careers for the young journalists to learn from,
Lekan Otufodunrin – Journalist and Media Career Development Specialist
Opportunities for experienced journalists to run ‘finishing schools’
Professional journalists need to embrace podcasting. They are losing the “turf” to “content creators”.
There is an opportunity in the area of finishing school” run by a team of professional journalists.
Media organisations and professional bodies like NUJ and NGE need to show more interest in the departments of Communication in our tertiary institutions.
Wale Ajayi – Digital Media Trainer/ Scholar
Lots of opportunities for content creation by experienced journalists
Content Creation: Most journalists only talk about the fact that they are journalists, but they don’t share their stories or behind-the-scenes accounts that can make interesting content. More journalists should do this in the new year.
It could be in video or graphic content.
Make use of REEL and TIKTOK, YOUTUBE, INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK
Hold Live Sessions and Space engagements
Hold webinars and space. Invite others to talk about journalism and other issues of interest.
Ebooks: This is another trend journalists should work on.
Convert your journalism ideas or innovation for other aspiring and active journalists to learn from by publishing e-books that can impact lives and add value. Many journalists are fond of having websites and blogs but diversification is also key, especially in an economy that is not favourable.
APP: Every journalist should work towards building an app to keep track records and references of their websites. Don’t depend solely on established apps, launch your own apps so that when things go south you have something to fall back on and backups to keep and people who have worked with your brands can review, give testimonials and recommend greatly about your media career.
For job opportunities, don’t just depend on the traditional method of finding one, also create yours.
We have LinkedIn, Nairaland , Medium , Fiverr, Skilr and other many opportunities available
Get information and explore by sharing and creating so that people can connect to you easily and want to work with you. But you have to start by communicating that’s why you are in the media.
Create Broadcast, Group chats like telegram as well.
Let people know what you do instead of saying let the results of your actions do. Being consistent makes you visible and improves your journalism career. Have mentors, as well as there, are so many you can follow on their platforms. See how they do things and what you can do to adjust and be better at it
Bimpe Pereira – Digital media expert
Twitter:@digitalbimpe
More suggestions are to be added.
