Journalists have been called upon to enhance their digital skills in order to expand the scope of opportunities available to them and thus earn greater potential.

A digital expert, Paul Chimodo, made this call on Thursday, February 29, 2024 during a One-Day Capacity Building Workshop on ‘Maximizing New Media Platforms,’ held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The Workshop was organized by the Step-Up for Women In Journalism Initiative (SWIJ), in collaboration with the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) and the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State Council.

He highlighted the fact that some veteran journalists are resistant to upscaling their digital skills due to ego, which hinders them from fully embracing modern media practices and realizing their professional potential in the current digital era.

“Many journalists have yet to harness the full potential of new media platforms. Ego and pride are barriers preventing them from learning digital tools from the younger generation. Consequently, they remain stagnant professionally, impeding competence enhancement in this new media epoch.”

Emphasizing the significance of digital tools in contemporary journalism, Chimodo stressed the necessity for continuous training to meet the evolving demands of the profession, noting that journalists’ reluctance to embrace current digital tools contributes to self-imposed challenges.

He, therefore, urged them to identify and utilize social media platforms aligned with their field to leverage emerging opportunities, while underscoring the collaborative potential of social media for journalists, facilitating broader audience reach, nuanced storytelling, and multifaceted event coverage through collaborations with other journalists, photographers, and videographers.

He outlined various digital tools journalists can leverage, including live streaming, Facebook/Instagram stories, Twitter threads, and podcasts.

Team Lead for Step-Up for Women In Journalism Initiative (SWIJ), Ann Godwin had earlier highlighted the workshop’s objective of enhancing journalists’ digital skills, particularly female reporters.

She explained that this is with a view to enhancing their professional competence and competitiveness globally, emphasizing the need for journalists to adapt to the evolving media landscape and continually upgrade their skills to remain relevant.

A broadcast journalist and entrepreneur, Ijeoma Tubosia, PhD provided training on entrepreneurial skills, emphasizing the importance of journalists, especially women, acquiring diverse skill sets and income sources to meet economic demands.

On her part, a broadcast journalist with Nigeria Info, Port Harcourt, Constance Mega conducted a session on enhancing speaking skills, advocating for consistent rehearsal and practice to improve communication proficiency among participants.

The workshop aimed to equip journalists with the requisite digital and entrepreneurial skills to navigate the dynamic media landscape and excel in their careers, reflecting the evolving nature of journalism in the digital age.