PNG journalist highlights the importance of mentors for young reporters

A senior journalist from EMTV Papua New Guinea says young reporters need support, to build the confidence necessary to do their jobs effectively. 

Goodwin Eki says young reporters benefit when senior reporters show them how to report issues and how to behave when meeting newsmakers, including the leaders of other countries. 

Speaking at the Global News Forum in New Delhi, Mr Goodwin said some young journalists were shy, but they still needed to be confident in front of the camera, when doing a piece to camera or interviewing someone. He said this was particularly true in Papua New Guinea. 

“The exposure is what we all need because we are so used to being a small area and working as a small team. We don’t have that much experience. We need to start working outside the box and working with journalists from other countries and sharing their experiences on how best we can tackle a story,” he said. 

Mr Eki said understanding the strengths and weaknesses of a news team was important when identifying skills gaps and deciding areas for training.

He expressed his gratitude and support to the ABU for the initiatives tabled at the News Group Meeting and during the Global News Forum. He said he had enjoyed the opportunity to share his experiences and learn from other participants.