Youth Media Action Launches 4th Edition of NPC Exhibition

MONROVIA-Students from various schools in and around Monrovia were gathered at the fourth edition of the Youth Media Action (YMA) with smiles across their faces when it was pronounced that the edition was officially launched.

The colorful took place in the renewed building of the Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS).

Speaking at the event, Executive Director of YMA, Varmah V. Kamara said Liberia as a post-conflict country still faces huge challenges inaccurate information delivery, and has huge portion still lacks the basic skills required for professional journalism and media reportage.

According to him as a result of the many challenges, the media is no longer seen as credible, educative, and informative as it should be.

Kamara said citizens no longer trust the media for education and information most especially at the national level.

Giving hope to the kids, Kamara said press Clubs remains the base and foundation where many current media professionals and owners of media outlets began their career.

He said in other to reverse this trend of bad journalism, the Youth Media Action, a youth-led media initiative based in Monrovia embarked on training students from the grassroots to become good journalists they which to see in the society.

He informed the gathering that National Press Club Exhibition is an annual competition that features high school press clubs into a news presentation challenge.

“The Winner of the Elementary category will be awarded a cash prize of L$25,000 Liberian dollars while the Senior High winner will be given L$50,000 Liberian dollars” Mr. Kamara added.

“The aim of the program is to sharpen the media skills of cub reporters in high school, showcase their talents and provide a platform where their stories can be heard. It is not about the cash prize, but to build the best breeds of journalists.”

This year, the group of young people introduced another component of their program.

This time, in partnership with the Press Union of Liberia with support from Internews Liberia under the USAID Liberia Media Activity, the group launched for the first time, a special award category called, the Young Journalist of the Year award, to acknowledge and honor the exemplary efforts of young journalists in Liberia.

Samwar S. Fallah represented Internews Liberia while Mark N. Mengonfia resented the Reporters Association of Liberia.

They both welcomed the initiative of YMA describing it as an opportunity they rarely had when they were coming up as newcomers into the media profession years back.

Mr. Fallah and Mr. Mengonfia encouraged the kids to make the best use of the opportunity that is being provided to them by the youth organization that is making strides to improve the media landscape of Liberia.

 

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